Swimming in Australia
AusPlay participation figures for swimming, and 1,234 swimming pools to find by suburb, postcode or state.
- people aged 15+ went swimming in 2025
- 3.48m
- of people aged 15+
- 15.4%
- participants since 2024within the margin of error
- +112k
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1,234 swimming pools listed
Swimming Pools by State and Territory
1,234 swimming pools listed across 8 states and territories
Swimming Participation in Australia
- people aged 15 and over went swimming in 2025Margin of error about 91,000 either way
- 3.48million
- of people aged 15 and over, at least once in the 12 months
- 15.4%
- children aged 0 to 14 in organised swimming outside school hours23.3% of children aged 0 to 14
- 1.12million
- people aged 15 and over took part through a club, centre or other organiser2.7% of people aged 15 and over
- 605,000
2024 to 2025, aged 15 and over
- 2024
- 3.37 million participants, 15.2% of people aged 15 and over
- 2025
- 3.48 million participants, 15.4% of people aged 15 and over
The 2025 estimate is 112,000 higher than 2024. The difference is within the combined margin of error of the two estimates.
By age, the rate was highest among people aged 35 to 44 (18.3%). By state, the highest published rate was Northern Territory (18.1%). 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 | 16.5% | 1.17 million | 358,000 (23.9%) |
| Victoria | 13.4% | 778,000 | 312,000 (25.4%) |
| Queensland | 16.7% | 773,000 | 231,000 (22.9%) |
| Western Australia | 16.3% | 403,000 | 105,000 (19.2%) |
| South Australia | 11.8% | 187,000 | 62,000 (20.0%) |
| Tasmania | 13.9% | 67,000 | 19,000 (20.1%) |
| Australian Capital Territory | 17.5% | 70,000 | 26,000 (31.4%) |
| Northern Territory | 18.1% | 38,000 | 11,000 (20.4%) |
Who organised it, aged 15 and over
- Gym / fitness club / sports / leisure centre173,000
- Sports club or association109,000
- Individual personal trainer or coach84,000
- Private or commercial business78,000
- Educational institution67,000
- Recreation club or association61,000
Source: Australian Sports Commission, AusPlay, January to December 2025, released 30 April 2026. Category: Swimming. A person can take part through more than one type of organiser. About the data
Find Swimming Pools Around Australia
- Swimming Pools in Sydney113
- Swimming Pools in Wollongong31
- Swimming Pools in Central Coast16
- Other areas256
- Swimming Pools in Melbourne146
- Swimming Pools in Bendigo22
- Swimming Pools in Geelong11
- Other areas205
- Darwin1
- Regional NT2
Calories Burned Swimming
| Activity | MET | 30 min at 70 kg | 60 min at 70 kg | 60 min at 85 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swimming (leisurely) | 3.5 | 513 kJ | 1,025 kJ | 1,245 kJ |
| Swimming (freestyle, light) | 4.8 | 703 kJ | 1,406 kJ | 1,707 kJ |
| Swimming (freestyle, moderate) | 5.8 | 849 kJ | 1,699 kJ | 2,063 kJ |
| Swimming (freestyle, vigorous) | 9.8 | 1,435 kJ | 2,870 kJ | 3,485 kJ |
270 calories (kcal)
Swimming (freestyle, light), 75 kg, 45 minutes
Related Activities
Swimming: Questions and Figures
How many Australians go swimming?
An estimated 3.48 million people aged 15 and over went swimming at least once in 2025, which is 15.4% of that age group. Source: Australian Sports Commission, AusPlay, released 30 April 2026.
Which state has the highest swimming participation rate?
In AusPlay 2025, Northern Territory had the highest published rate for Swimming among people aged 15 and over, at 18.1%. State estimates have wider margins of error than the national estimate.
How many calories does swimming burn?
Using the MET formula (MET x body weight in kg x hours), a 75 kg person doing "Swimming (freestyle, light)" (MET 4.8) for 60 minutes uses about 1,506 kJ (360 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
- Swimming.
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.