The Capital Petanque Club has been searching for a permanent venue and has had its latest hopes dashed.

The National Capital Authority said the organisation could not resurface and use a little-used bowls green near Old Parliament House.

Petanque players throw hollow metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball.

The Capital club, which has about 30 members, wanted to resurface the area with gravel to create a petanque playing surface, known as a piste.

But the NCA said this was not in line with a heritage management plan which ensures the location must be kept as a bowling green.

"We were disappointed they chose to adhere to heritage rules in such a strict manner," the club's secretary Sebastian Rosenberg said.

He had hoped the club would bring regular community activity to the patch of land, which appeared to be rarely, if ever, used for bowls.

"We weren't going to use it for ourselves exclusively," he said.

The NCA did not keep a record of how often it was used because the location did not need to be booked.

The club's main venue at Yarralumla Primary School would soon be unavailable, and Mr Rosenberg said "we will be homeless".

He had hoped a new facility would help attract occasional international petanque events.

Canberra MP Gai Brodtmann said it was a shame no one was using the facility.

"It would be great to see the heritage-listed facilities around Old Parliament House used and enjoyed by as many Canberrans as possible," Ms Brodtmann said.

An NCA letter to the club said the grassed area was regarded as significant.

"A change in surface material will not be consistent in heritage values," the letter said.