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Sport in Rural and Regional Australia

Factors influencing participation

Many rural, regional, and remote communities have a strong connection to sport, and sport participation rates (playing and volunteering) may be higher than in metropolitan areas, especially in traditional sports (e.g., Australian football, cricket, netball, bowls, etc.) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

This topic primarily focusses on research and resources relating to communities and individuals outside of major Australian cities, but it is important to note that the social, economic, and demographic characteristics of individuals and communities in these regions can vary substantially. 7, 8

Organisations looking to develop programs or policies in these areas need to understand the factors that most impact specific communities or regions, and to develop local relationships to provide programs, resources, and policies that best meet the needs of each community. 8

Rural, regional, and remote communities can be catergorised in different ways:

  • The Australian Department of Health and Aged Care Modified Monash Model (MMM) defines whether locations are metropolitan, rural, remote, or very remote. Metropolitan areas encompass major cities and account for 70% of Australia's population. 9
  • The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) categorises the Australian population into five zones - Major cities, Inner regional, Outer regional, Remote, and Very remote. 10

Motivators



Top motivations to participate in sport physical activity by Australian aged 15+ living in regional or remote areas. 11
  • physical health or fitness
  • fun/enjoyment
  • social reasons
  • psychology/mental health/therapy
  • to be outdoors/to enjoy nature
  • to lose weight/keep weight off/tone
  • physical therapy/rehab/post op
  • hobby
  • performance or competition
  • for training purposes

Facilitators and barriers



Australian research and reports have identified numerous factors that can either facilitate or pose barriers to the participation of individuals residing in regional or remote Australian communities in sport.
Facilitators (age 15+) 5
  • Enjoyment (sport is often considered fun, while exercise may be considered a chore) 12, 13, 14
  • Feeling safe, especially for women and children 12
  • Living in a regional or rural area 1, 5, 6, 15, 16
  • Sense of community 2, 5, 17
  • Accessibility (easy access, transport, low cost, etc.) 8, 12
Barriers (age 15+)
  • Transportation, including a lack of public transport or ability to get transport to training and/or events, particularly in remote areas 5, 8, 18, 19
  • Limited number of sports facilities (e.g., heated swimming pools, commercial gymnasiums, etc.) 13, 19, 20, 21
  • Climate/weather/seasonality related factors (e.g. hot and/or humid environments, heavy seasonal rains, periods of high workload for farmers (e.g., harvest), etc.) 8, 20, 22, 23
  • Belief that ‘rural work’ provides sufficient physical activity so that it is not necessary to pursue physical activity during leisure hours 8, 24, 25, 26
  • Cost (e.g., sporting equipment, fees, transport, etc.) 12, 26
  • Safety (e.g., fear of traffic or unattended dogs) 8, 12, 20
  • Time (family, work, other commitments) 8, 12, 24
  • Insufficient volunteers, officials, etc. 3
  • Having a disability 27, 28
  • Perceived competence 29

Factors that impact



In recent decades some rural, regional, and remote communities have struggled due to natural disasters (e.g., droughts, floods, bush fires), industry changes (e.g., changes in farming, mining, manufacturing, etc.), and demographic changes (growth/decline of some areas, younger people leaving for educational or employment opportunities, etc.). 3, 5, 30, 31, 32

Characteristics of rural, remote, and regional communities may include:

  • Generally lower incomes and educational qualifications. 20, 32
  • Higher proportion of individuals with risk factors for poor health (e.g., smoking, drinking to excess, obesity, physical inactivity). 24, 26, 32, 33
  • Reduced access to services (e.g., health, education, and transport). 5, 32, 33
  • More limited, declining, or fluctuating employment opportunities. 2, 32
  • Higher proportion of First Nation’s people (e.g., in 2021, an estimated 32% of the population in remote and very remote areas were First Nations individuals) 32
  • Older populations 5, 20, 32
  • Fewer activity choices—may lead to increased sport participation, especially in ‘traditional’ sports (e.g., Australian football, cricket, netball, bowls, etc.) 1, 15

These factors can impact on sporting competitions, leading to high demands on volunteers, issues with availability of facilities, and even the merger or loss of sporting teams. 30, 34, 35

There are some factors identified in the literature that are specific to—or have a high impact on—people living in rural, regional, remote areas.

Climate

Climate and environmental factors can have a significant impact on people's willingness and ability to participate in sport and physical activities.

Facilities

Better supply and access to facilities is generally associated with increased sport participation.

Sport injuries

Available studies suggest that sport and physical activity injury incidence and the severity of outcomes may be greater in rural and regional areas.

Development pathways

Increasing the number of programs run in rural and regional communities can address inequalities and improve development pathways for athletes, coaches, officials, and administrators.

  1. Sport participation in Victoria 2015–2021: The impact of COVID-19 and the recovery of participation in sport - Research Summary, VicHealth, (March 2023).
  2. Bright Futures: Spotlight on the wellbeing of young people living in rural and regional Victoria, VicHealth, CSIRO Data61, YACVic and NCFH, (2018).
  3. A Review of Country Cricket in Victoria 2014/15, David Richards OAM, for Cricket Victoria, (27 April 2015).
  4. Commemoration of Athletes and Racing Animals in Regional and Rural Australia, Greg Blood, Australian Sport Reflections, (1 May 2020).
  5. State of Volunteering in Victoria 2020, Volunteering Victoria, (October 2020).
  6. Longitudinal Study of Australian Children 2018 Annual Report: Chapter 11, Here to help: How young people contribute to their community, Constantine Gasser, Tracy Evans-Whipp, Growing up in Australia, Australian Institute of Family Studies, (December 2019).
  7. Victorian participation in organised sport, VicHealth, (last updated 16 April 2021).
  8. Opportunities, Barriers, and Constraints To Physical Activity in Rural Queensland, Australia. Eley R, Bush R, Brown W, Journal of Physical Activity and Health Volume 11(1), pp.68-75, (2014).
  9. Modified Monash Model, Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care, (accessed 20 February 2024).
  10. Regional population: population estimates by LGA, Significant Urban Area, Remoteness Area and electoral division, 2001 to 2022 – revised data cube, Australian Bureau of Statistics, (updated August 2023).
  11. AusPlay Data Portal, Australian Sports Commission, (accessed 15 February 2024).
  12. The facilitators and barriers of physical activity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander regional sport participants, Claudie Péloquin, Thomas Doering, Stephanie Alley, et.al., Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, Volume 41(5), pp.474-479, (2017).
  13. The Barriers and Facilitators of Sport and Physical Activity Participation for Aboriginal Children in Rural New South Wales, Australia: A Photovoice Project, Sarah Liew, Josephine Gwynn, Janice Smith, et.al., International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Volume 19(4), 1986, (February 2022).
  14. Black Diamonds Report, Glass Jar, (April 2022).
  15. VicHealth Research Practice Fellowship –Physical Activity Final report, Eime, Rochelle, Sport and Recreation Spatial, (March 2016).
  16. Sink or Swim? A survival analysis of sport dropout in Australian youth swimmers, Kylie Moulds, Shaun Abbott, Johan Pion, et.al., Scandinavian Journal of Science and Medicine in Sports, Volume 30(11), pp.2222-2233, (2020).
  17. Who are the future volunteers in rural places? Understanding the demographic and background characteristics of non-retired rural volunteers, why they volunteer and their future migration intentions, Amanda Davies, Leonie Lockstone-Binney, Kirsten Holmes, Journal of Rural Studies, Volume 60, pp.167-175, (2018).
  18. The impacts of transport accessibility and remoteness on Australian Football League (AFL) talent production: findings from the ‘Talent Tracker’ project, Burke M, Woolcock G, Australasian Transport Research Forum, ATRF 2012 - Proceedings, (2012).
  19. Physical Activity Participation in Regional Areas of Australia: A Critical Literature Review, Gateway Health, (February 2019).
  20. Physical activity: too important to be put off by unattended dogs, National Rural Health Alliance, (13 February 2014).
  21. Environmental barriers and enablers to physical activity participation among rural adults: a qualitative study. Cleland V, Clarissa Hughes B , Lukar Thornton, et al. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, Volume 26(2), pp.99-104, (2015).
  22. Indigenous Australians’ participation in sports and physical activities: Part 1, Literature and AusPlay data review, ORC International prepared for the Australian Sports Commission, (May 2017).
  23. ‘A Different Ball Game’: Adaptation of a men’s health program for implementation in rural Australia, Matthew D. McDonald, Kate Hunt, Joanna Moullin, et al., BMC Public Health, Volume 23, Article: 1387, (July 2023).
  24. Sex-specific correlates of adult physical activity in an Australian rural community, Suzanne Carroll, Jim Dollman, Mark Daniel, Australian Journal of Rural Health, Volume 22(1), pp.15-22, (February 2014).
  25. Are people in the bush really physically active? A systematic review and meta-analysis of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in rural Australians populations, Carlos Ivan Mesa Castrillon, Paula Beckenkamp, Manuela L Ferreira, et al., Journal of Global Health, Volume 10(1), (June 2020).
  26. Physical activity in three regional communities in Queensland, Brown, W. J., Burton, N. W., Sahlqvist, S., Australian Journal of Rural Health, Volume 21(2), pp.112-120, (2013).
  27. Physical activity of rurally residing children with a disability: A survey of parents and carers, Luke Wakely, Jessica Langham, Catherine Johnston, et al., Disability and Health Journal, Volume 11(1), pp.31-35, (January 2018).
  28. Participation profiles and the barriers and facilitators that impact on participation of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders living in regional and remote Western Australia, Shani Mattinson, Marita Falkmer, Melissa H Black, et al., Scandinavian Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Volume 6(4), (December 2018).
  29. ‘Power, regulation and physically active identities’: the experiences of rural and regional living adolescent girls, M. Case, A. Mooney, J. Smyth, et al., Gender and Education, Volume 28(1), pp.108-127, (2016).
  30. Review of Sport and Recreation in Regional Western Australia, Watson P, Perth, Western Australian Government, (2008).
  31. The Impact of Changing Demography and Socioeconomic Environments, and Ageing in a Small, Rural Town in Australia, Pamela M. Irwin, Journal of Population Ageing, Volume 12, pp.247-269, (2019).
  32. Rural and remote health, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, (last updated 30 April 2024).
  33. The health of people living in remote Australia, National Rural Health Alliance, (2016).
  34. As sporting clubs struggle, rural communities look for alternatives to keep body and mind healthy, Chris Rowbottom, ABC, (6 September 2020)
  35. The Social and Economic Sustainability of WA’s Rural Volunteer Workforce, Kirsten Holmes, Amanda Davies, Leonie Lockstone-Binney, et al., Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, Report No. 22/19, (February 2019).
  36. On the Frontline: Climate Change and Rural Communities, Lesley Hughes, Lauren Rickards, Will Steffen, et al., Climate Council of Australia, (2016).
  37. Concerns about climate change among rural residents in Australia, Emma Austin, Jane Rich, Anthony Kiem, et al., Journal of Rural Studies, Volume 75, pp.98-109, (April 2020).
  38. The rural health impacts of climate change, National Rural Health Alliance, (27 September 2019).
  39. Associations between environmental attributes of facilities and female participation in sport: a systematic review, Hanlon, Clare; Jenkin, Claire; Craike, Melinda, Managing Sport and Leisure, Volume 24(5), pp.294-306, (September 2019).
  40. The relationship of sport participation to provision of sports facilities and socioeconomic status: a geographical analysis, Rochelle Eime, Jack Harvey, Melanie Charity, et.al., Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, Volume 41(3), pp.248-255, (June 2017).
  41. The implications of female sport policy developments for the community-level sport sector: a perspective from Victoria, Australia, M. Casey, J. Fowlie, M. Charity, et al., International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, Volume 11(4), pp.657-678, (July 2019).
  42. State of Play Survey 2022-23, Change our Game, Victorian Government, (June 2023).
  43. Facilitators and Barriers to Physical Activity and Sport Participation Experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Adults: A Mixed Method Review, Bridget Allen, Karla Canuto, John Robert Evans, et al., International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Volume 18(18), (September 2021).
  44. Women and girls participation in male-dominated sports, Rochelle Eime, Aurélie Pankowiak, Meghan Casey, et.al., PASI/Federation University/Victoria University for the Victorian Government, (2020?)
  45. Promoting Team Sport Participation among Older Women, Stephanie West, Jill Naar, Julie Son, et al., Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, Volume 37(4), (October 2019).
  46. Barriers to women’s participation in sport and active recreation, Dhirender Kaim, International Journal of Physical Education, Sports and Health, Volume 2(1), pp.96-98, (August 2015).
  47. Balancing safety and autonomy: structural and social barriers affecting the exercise participation of women with disabilities in community recreation and fitness facilities, D.E. Rolfe, K. Yoshida, R. Renwick, et al., Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, Volume 4(2), pp.265-283, (2012).
  48. Increasing trend in the frequency of sports injuries treated at an Australian regional hospital, Anna Wong Shee, Angela Clapperton, Caroline F. Finch, Australian Journal of Rural Health, Volume 25(2), pp.125-127, (April 2017).
  49. Water Safety in Regional and Remote Areas, Royal Life Saving Australia, (accessed 15 February 2024).
  50. Next steps for drowning prevention in rural and remote Australia: A systematic review of the literature, Danielle H. Taylor, Amy E. Peden, Richard C. Franklin, Australian Journal of Rural Health, Volume 28(5), pp.530-542, (December 2020).
  51. Rural v metro: geographical differences in sports injury hospital admissions across Victoria, Anna Wong Shee, Angela Claperton, Caroline Finch, Medical Journal of Australia, Volume 203(7), (October 2015).
  52. Sporting injuries, seasonal trend and impact on rural Australian hospitals: Implications and recommendations, Matthew Birdsey, Rafiqul Islam, Arshad Barmare, Australian Journal of Rural Health, Volume 24(6), pp.402-408, (December 2016).
  53. First club location and relative age as influences on being a professional Australian rugby league player, Cobley S, Hanratty M, O’Connor D, Cotton W, International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, Volume 9(2), pp.335-346, (2014).
  54. AIS support of regional athletes 1981 to 2013, Greg Blood, Australian Sport Reflections, (9 February 2021).
  55. AFL Talent Hotspots and the 'Wagga Effect' [video], Associate Professor Geoff Woolcock, Smart Talk Presentation, Australian Institute of Sport, (18 March 2009).
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  57. Wests Tigers assistant Ronnie Griffiths, the NRL’s only Aboriginal coach, Nick Walshaw, The Advertiser, (18 June 2021).
  58. Cultural connections and cultural ceilings: exploring the experiences of Aboriginal Australian sport coaches, Andrew Bennie, Nicholas Apoifis, Demelza Marlin, et al., Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, Volume 11(3), pp.299-315, (2017).
  59. The long road from local communities to professional sport and the culture of the global sport industry for Indigenous Australians, Light R, Evans J, Lavallee D, Sport in Society, Volume 23(10), pp.760-772, (2021).
  60. Many Stories, One Goal – Supporting Indigenous Footballers, AFL Players Association, (updated in 2016).
  61. How Gold Coast sporting codes are preparing for a fire ant threat this winter, Jake Garland, Gold Coast Bulletin, (26 February 2024).

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