Queensland Government
Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing

he model was formulated and endorsed by government and industry in the early 1990's. The industry consists of the following sectors:

Table of contents:

Fitness

The fitness sector covers the range of operations related to the provision of facilities, services and programs that develop physical fitness through activity or movement except through sport and active recreation in the outdoors. Organisations offering fitness services include:

  • commercial health and fitness centres
  • commercial sport and recreation centres
  • corporate sector fitness programs
  • holiday resorts and hotels
  • educational institutions
  • retirement villages
  • freelance consultants.

The services offered by this sector include health appraisals, fitness assessments and testing, exercise prescription, exercise classes, fitness lifestyle advice, stress management, weight control, information services and courses and seminars.

The industry peak body is Fitness Australia Limited.

Sport

The sport sector provides facilities, services and programs that contribute to opportunities for people to engage in activities that require physical effort and skills, are competitive, have formal rules and are organised within institutional structures. Activity in the sport sector occurs through:

  • community based organisations
  • commercial operations (user pays)
  • the public sector.

The majority of activity in sport is based around non-profit sporting clubs and associations at national, state and local levels. However, in recent years, in many of the higher profile sports, such as the various football codes, there is an increasing level of private ownership.

On the national level, the industry peak body for this sector is Confederation of Australian Sport and at the state level, QSport.

Outdoor Recreation

The outdoor recreation sector encompasses all areas of involvement where individuals or groups engage in either active or passive activities using outdoor environments.

People participate in a range of activities including:

  • passive activities such as picnics and barbeques
  • soft active adventure such as bushwalking, camping, windsurfing and horse riding
  • hard active adventure or high perceived risk activities such as hang-gliding, ballooning, underwater diving, rock climbing and white water rafting.

The outdoor recreation sector has grown strong in recent times due to an increase in popularity of adventure-based tourism, personal development programs, experiential learning, corporate adventure training and rehabilitation (youth at risk, correctional centres).

The industry peak bodies for the outdoor recreation sector are the Outdoor Council of Australia at the national level and the Queensland Outdoor Recreation Federation at state level.

Community Recreation and Government Activities

The activities in this sector provide leisure and recreation services in a variety of community settings. Activities include both active and passive forms of recreation.

Organisations in this sector are generally not-for-profit community based service providers that may focus on one activity such as a martial art or provide a range of activities such as Young Men's Christian Associations (YMCAs) and Police Citizens' Youth Clubs (PCYCs). There are also commercially driven organisations such as registered or licensed clubs, gyms and indoor sports centres, that are providing a range of recreational services on a user pays basis.

The industry peak body for community recreation at the national level is the Community Recreation Council of Australia.

All levels of government are involved in this sector.

The Queensland Government, through the Department of Communities, is responsible for the development of sport and recreation in Queensland. The Department provides assistance through:

  • provision of infrastructure and facilities
  • advice about organisational development
  • funding schemes to service providers.

Local governments play a major role in the direct provision of sport and recreation services and development of facilities and infrastructure where sport and recreation occur.

Racing and Gambling Services

This sector is made up of two parts:

  • the racing industry, covering the three codes of racing - thoroughbred, greyhound and harness racing, and associated activities
  • the gambling industry incorporating the operation and maintenance of casinos, lotteries, betting agencies and other gambling services.

The racing industry defines itself as comprising administration, breeding, owning, training, riding, veterinary science, farriers, clubs and race gambling. The role of government in the racing industry is to oversee racing industry development and legislation. This is done through the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing, part of Queensland Treasury. The gambling industry includes the operation and maintenance of buildings and facilities where the main function is to house gambling facilities and sell lottery tickets and provide associated amenities for participants and consumers of the services provided. The Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing regulates the gambling industry.