STATS & FACTS SPORTING FACILITIES 2011-12
INTRODUCTION
This fact sheet presents data on the facilities used by people participating in sport and physical recreation activities, and is based on findings from the ABS 2011-12 Multi-Purpose Household Survey (Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation topic). The survey collected data about persons aged 15 years and over who participated in sport and physical recreation activities in the 12 months prior to interview. People who were involved in non-playing roles, such as coaches, umpires or club officials, were excluded from the data.
The types of sporting facilities asked about in the 2011-12 survey were different to those covered in the previous survey and therefore the estimates are not comparable with data previously published in our June 2011 Stats & Facts sheet.
The sporting facilities included in the 2011-12 survey were:
- Public playing fields and ovals: grounds that consist of wide expanses of grass, dirt or sand with any marked lines, goals/goal posts or other sport-specific infrastructures, such as football fields
- Schools or educational facilities: includes swimming pools in educational facilities
- Outdoor sports facilities: includes public swimming pools, outdoor tennis courts, basketball courts, bowling greens, ski resorts, BMX tracks/courses, golf courses and athletics tracks. Excludes residential and educational institution swimming pools
- Parks or reserves: includes open space or tracks or trails in nature areas
- Indoor sports or fitness centres: includes indoor courts (e.g. tennis, netball, basketball), halls and community centres, bowling alleys, indoor rock climbing walls and ice rinks
- Off-road cycleways or bike paths: includes off-road tracks or trails that are surfaced (e.g. gravel or bitumen) or unsurfaced (e.g. dirt). Excludes on-road bicycle lanes.
The term 'facilities used' applies to all activities that a person participated in during the 12 months prior to the survey. Participants may have used more than one type of facility for each activity.
AGE
A person's age may influence the kind of sport or physical recreation activity that they participate in, and therefore the type of facilities they use.
- More than half (53%) of people aged between 15-17 years used Public playing fields and ovals for their physical activity
- Around 58% of people aged between 18-24 years used Indoor sports or fitness centres
- Among people aged between 25-34 years, 47% used Indoor sports and fitness centres and 45% used Parks and reserves
- Parks and reserves were used by 43% of people aged 35-44 years, 43% of people aged 45-54 years, 40% of persons aged between 55-64 years and 31% of people aged 65 years and over.
Participants, Sport and physical recreation (a)
- By age and facilities used
: Australia
- 2011-12
ORGANISED AND NON-ORGANISED ACTIVITIES
Organised sport and physical recreation activities are those which have been organised by a club or recreation association. Clubs and associations can be sporting bodies, social clubs, church groups, old scholars associations or gymnasiums.
Of those people who only participated in organised sport or physical recreation activities in 2011-12:
- 45% used Indoor sports or fitness centres
- 35% used Public playing fields and ovals
- 30% used Outdoor sports facilities.
Participants in Organised Activities Only, Sport and physical recreation (a)
- By facilities used
: Australia
- 2011-12
Of those people who only participated in non-organised sport or physical recreation activities in 2011-12:
- 42% used Parks and reserves
- 26% used Indoor sports or fitness centres
- 25% used Off-road cycleways and bike paths.
Participants in Non-organised Activities Only, Sport and physical recreation (a)
- By facilities used
: Australia
- 2011-12
Of those people who participated in both organised and non-organised sport or physical recreation activities in 2011-12:
- 58% used Indoor sports or fitness centres
- 51% used Parks and reserves
- 45% used Public playing fields and ovals.
Participants in both Organised and Non-organised Activities, Sport and physical recreation (a)
- By facilities used
: Australia
- 2011-12
SELECTED SPORTS AND PHYSICAL RECREATION ACTIVITIES
In 2011-12 Walking for exercise was the most popular physical recreation activity undertaken by Australians aged 15 years and over, with:
- 57% using Parks and reserves
- 24% using Public playing fields and ovals
- 33% using Off-road cycleways or bike paths
- 20% using an Indoor sports or fitness centre.
Jogging/running was undertaken in a range of settings, including outdoors and in a gym or fitness centre, with:
- 65% using Parks or reserves
- 50% using Public playing fields or ovals
- 42% using Indoor sports or fitness centres
- 42% using Off-road cycleways and bike paths.
Fitness/gym activities were mainly undertaken in indoor settings, with:
- 74% using an Indoor sports or fitness centre
- 31% using Parks and reserves
- 24% using Public playing fields and ovals.
Although Cycling/BMXing was predominately undertaken on designated cycleways, it was not confined to bicycle paths:
- 80% of people used Off-road cycleways or bicycle paths
- 59% used Parks or reserves
- 33% used Public playing fields and ovals
- 32% used Indoor sports or fitness centres.
Participants, Selected facilities used (a)
- Selected sports
: Australia
- 2011-12
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information, please refer to
Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation, Australia, 2011-12 (cat. no. 4177.0) on the ABS website.
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