Running in Australia
AusPlay participation figures for running, and 1,029 running tracks and paths to find by suburb, postcode or state.
- people aged 15+ went running or jogging in 2025
- 3.74m
- of people aged 15+
- 16.5%
- participants since 2024
- +192k
Find running tracks near you
1,029 running tracks and paths listed
Running Tracks by State and Territory
1,029 running tracks and paths listed across 8 states and territories
Running Participation in Australia
- people aged 15 and over went running or jogging in 2025Margin of error about 93,000 either way
- 3.74million
- of people aged 15 and over, at least once in the 12 months
- 16.5%
- children aged 0 to 14 in organised running outside school hours3.1% of children aged 0 to 14
- 150,000
- people aged 15 and over took part through a club, centre or other organiser4.9% of people aged 15 and over
- 1.11million
2024 to 2025, aged 15 and over
- 2024
- 3.55 million participants, 16.0% of people aged 15 and over
- 2025
- 3.74 million participants, 16.5% of people aged 15 and over
The 2025 estimate is 192,000 higher than 2024. The difference is larger than the combined margin of error of the two estimates.
By age, the rate was highest among people aged 25 to 34 (27.7%). By state, the highest published rate was Australian Capital Territory (23.2%). State estimates have wider margins of error than the national estimate.
By state and territory, 2025
| State | Aged 15+ rate | PeopleAged 15+ participants | Children 0 to 14 (organised) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 15.6% | 1.10 million | 49,000 (3.2%) |
| Victoria | 17.3% | 1.01 million | 43,000 (3.5%) |
| Queensland | 16.0% | 741,000 | 28,000 (2.8%) |
| Western Australia | 17.3% | 427,000 | 20,000 (3.6%) |
| South Australia | 15.5% | 246,000 | 4,600 (1.5%)* |
| Tasmania | 16.9% | 82,000 | 2,800 (3.0%)* |
| Australian Capital Territory | 23.2% | 92,000 | 2,700 (3.3%)* |
| Northern Territory | 21.0% | 44,000 | Not published |
Who organised it, aged 15 and over
- Sports club or association157,000
- Gym / fitness club / sports / leisure centre146,000
- Recreation club or association118,000
- Educational institution99,000
- Individual personal trainer or coach91,000
- Private or commercial business73,000
Source: Australian Sports Commission, AusPlay, January to December 2025, released 30 April 2026. Category: Running/jogging. * Flagged for caution by AusPlay. A person can take part through more than one type of organiser. About the data
Calories Burned Running
| Activity | MET | 30 min at 70 kg | 60 min at 70 kg | 60 min at 85 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jogging (general) | 7 | 1,025 kJ | 2,050 kJ | 2,489 kJ |
| Running (8 km/h) | 8.3 | 1,215 kJ | 2,431 kJ | 2,952 kJ |
| Running (9.7 km/h) | 9.8 | 1,435 kJ | 2,870 kJ | 3,485 kJ |
| Running (11.3 km/h) | 11 | 1,611 kJ | 3,222 kJ | 3,912 kJ |
467 calories (kcal)
Running (8 km/h), 75 kg, 45 minutes
Find Running Tracks Around Australia
- Running Tracks in Sydney39
- Running Tracks in Wollongong4
- Central Coast2
- Other areas22
- Running Tracks in Darwin27
- Regional NT2
Related Activities
Running: Questions and Figures
How many Australians go running or jogging?
An estimated 3.74 million people aged 15 and over went running or jogging at least once in 2025, which is 16.5% of that age group. Source: Australian Sports Commission, AusPlay, released 30 April 2026.
Which state has the highest running participation rate?
In AusPlay 2025, Australian Capital Territory had the highest published rate for Running/jogging among people aged 15 and over, at 23.2%. State estimates have wider margins of error than the national estimate.
How many calories does running burn?
Using the MET formula (MET x body weight in kg x hours), a 75 kg person doing "Running (8 km/h)" (MET 8.3) for 60 minutes uses about 2,605 kJ (623 calories). The figure changes with body weight, intensity and time.
About the Data
- Participation source
- Australian Sports Commission, AusPlay, a national survey. AusPlay method
- Reference period
- January to December 2025, released 30 April 2026.
- Who is counted
- People aged 15 and over who took part at least once in the 12 months. Children aged 0 to 14 are counted for organised activity outside school hours only.
- Reporting category
- Running/jogging.
Figures are survey estimates and are shown rounded. * marks an estimate AusPlay flags for caution (relative margin of error between 50% and 100%). Estimates AusPlay marks as too unreliable to use are not published here. AusPlay moved from telephone to online collection in July 2023. The Australian Sports Commission states that results from July 2023 are not directly comparable with earlier results. These pages use the online series only, and year-on-year figures come from the release's own comparison table. Energy figures use MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities: energy (kJ) = MET x body weight (kg) x hours x 4.184. They are averages for an activity, so a person's own figure varies with fitness and effort.