Melbourne’s Sporting Pulse: What Participation Data Tells Us About the City’s Evolving Fitness Culture

More Melburnians are picking up a racket, hopping on bikes, and joining group fitness classes than ever before. The latest stats from VicHealth, released on Friday, show adult sport and recreation participation across greater Melbourne jumped 14% year-on-year in 2025, reaching levels not seen since before the pandemic.

It’s a timely surge. With winter in full swing and some of the nation’s top sporting events—from the National Rugby Championship at AAMI Park to several World Cup viewing parties on Lygon Street—Melbourne’s unique sporting culture is both on show and under scrutiny. Health officials and club operators are watching closely. The Victorian Government’s $40 million "Active Melbourne" fund, launched in March, aims to push those numbers higher still by targeting inactive populations and subsidising sporting club fees.

From Footscray Fields to Fitzroy Studios

This year’s participation bump is most visible on the ground. Spotswood’s Westgate Basketball Centre has reported a 22% increase in junior and mixed-gender team registrations compared to winter last year. Meanwhile, membership at The Fitzroy Club, a 24-hour boutique gym on Brunswick Street, hit a record 1,100 active users in June, up from 900 in 2024. Even the less conventional fitness spaces—think run clubs like the Merri Creek Striders and hybrid functional fitness programs in converted warehouses around Collingwood—are swelling.

“We’re seeing people willing to travel for the right facilities,” reports the City of Yarra’s recreation coordinator in their June update. Splash Aqua Park in Craigieburn now runs booked-out 7am and 8pm sessions, attracting residents from as far as Preston and Coburg. Meanwhile, Princes Park continues to draw footballers, joggers, bootcamps and family picnics every dry weekend, according to data from City of Melbourne’s Smart Parks counters.

What the Numbers Really Show

Across metropolitan councils, the 2025 Active Melbourne Participation Survey found that 57% of residents aged 18 to 65 now exercise at least three times a week—a 10-point jump over the past four years. The biggest growth is in group-based activities: recreational netball (up 30% since 2022), outdoor yoga (+18%), and social cycling (+17%), mostly concentrated around inner-north and bayside neighbourhoods. The report flags a concern: the median annual spend on fitness is now $1,150, up from $850 in 2021, driven in part by higher gym and social sport fees. The City of Moreland’s recent community feedback notes a spike in requests for council subsidy on junior sport, as registration costs have climbed above $350 per season in codes like soccer and basketball.

The data also indicates shifting demographics in participation: the share of 35–49-year-olds taking up social sport has crept to 38%, compared to 29% in 2019. At the same time, women’s participation in recreational running and group fitness is at an all-time high—the Inner Melbourne Running Club last month registered its first cohort that is over 60% female.

While the city’s active culture is growing, the survey warns of a gap: inactive rates among lower-income households in the west and outer north are still up to 15 points above the metropolitan average. Storing bikes safely at home and access to local facilities remain big obstacles for many families, especially along the edges of Sunshine and Broadmeadows.

Looking ahead, the Active Melbourne fund will expand its "Play for All" voucher program from September, subsidising up to $300 in entry fees for eligible children and concession card holders. City councils are also rolling out four new multipurpose open spaces—one each in Docklands, Reservoir, Sunshine North, and Glen Waverley—by December. For Melburnians looking to get moving as winter drags on, now may be the smartest (and most affordable) time to sign up.