community sport through more informed and coordinated decision-making. The Plan, expected to be released mid-year, sits under Play Well – the national participation strategy designed to ensure everyone has a place in sport – and will guide how facilities are planned, prioritised and used so more Australians can connect, participate and thrive.
Consultations with more than 2,500 people in 2025 highlighted key challenges, including ageing and fragmented facilities, complex and inconsistent planning processes, limited access to venues (including schools), rising costs and heavy reliance on government funding, and ongoing participation barriers for women, multicultural communities and people with disability. Stakeholders also noted that many facilities are not being used to their full potential.
In response, the Plan is being built around a clear vision – Everyone has a place to play – and a shared “common ground” for the sector: Optimise what we have, grow what we need. Rather than simply building more venues, the focus is on creating the right number, mix and types of places close to where people live, and on helping governments, sports and facility owners work together more effectively.
Over the next six months, the final phase of work will confirm the key problems, test the shared vision and common ground, identify the system enablers needed for change, and finalise priority projects to drive impact. Once released, the National Community Sport Infrastructure Plan will provide practical, nationally aligned guidance to ensure sport infrastructure delivers inclusive, high-quality participation opportunities for communities across Australia.