Walking in Australia
AusPlay participation figures for walking, and 5,278 walking trails and paths to find by suburb, postcode or state.
- people aged 15+ walked for recreation or exercise in 2025
- 11.36m
- of people aged 15+
- 50.2%
- participants since 2024
- +282k
Find walking trails near you
5,278 walking trails and paths listed
Walking Trails by State and Territory
5,278 walking trails and paths listed across 8 states and territories
Walking Participation in Australia
- people aged 15 and over walked for recreation or exercise in 2025Margin of error about 117,000 either way
- 11.36million
- of people aged 15 and over, at least once in the 12 months
- 50.2%
- children aged 0 to 14 in organised walking outside school hours2.7% of children aged 0 to 14
- 132,000
- people aged 15 and over took part through a club, centre or other organiser4.2% of people aged 15 and over
- 953,000
2024 to 2025, aged 15 and over
- 2024
- 11.08 million participants, 49.9% of people aged 15 and over
- 2025
- 11.36 million participants, 50.2% of people aged 15 and over
The 2025 estimate is 282,000 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 55 to 64 (66.0%). By state, the highest published rate was Tasmania (55.9%). 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 | 48.2% | 3.40 million | 35,000 (2.3%) |
| Victoria | 51.6% | 3.00 million | 38,000 (3.1%) |
| Queensland | 49.8% | 2.30 million | 25,000 (2.5%) |
| Western Australia | 51.0% | 1.26 million | 17,000 (3.1%) |
| South Australia | 51.6% | 816,000 | 8,600 (2.7%)* |
| Tasmania | 55.9% | 270,000 | 3,600 (3.9%)* |
| Australian Capital Territory | 54.2% | 216,000 | 2,900 (3.4%)* |
| Northern Territory | 48.1% | 100,000 | 2,300 (4.3%)* |
Who organised it, aged 15 and over
- Educational institution82,000
- Recreation club or association80,000
- Gym / fitness club / sports / leisure centre76,000
- Sports club or association60,000
- Individual personal trainer or coach45,000
- Private or commercial business40,000
Source: Australian Sports Commission, AusPlay, January to December 2025, released 30 April 2026. Category: Walking (Recreational). * Flagged for caution by AusPlay. A person can take part through more than one type of organiser. About the data
Calories Burned Walking
| Activity | MET | 30 min at 70 kg | 60 min at 70 kg | 60 min at 85 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walking (slow, 3.2 km/h) | 2.8 | 410 kJ | 820 kJ | 996 kJ |
| Walking (moderate, 4.8 km/h) | 3.5 | 513 kJ | 1,025 kJ | 1,245 kJ |
| Walking (brisk, 5.6 km/h) | 4.3 | 630 kJ | 1,259 kJ | 1,529 kJ |
| Walking (very brisk, 6.4 km/h) | 5 | 732 kJ | 1,464 kJ | 1,778 kJ |
197 calories (kcal)
Walking (moderate, 4.8 km/h), 75 kg, 45 minutes
Find Walking Trails Around Australia
- Walking Trails in Sydney307
- Walking Trails in Central Coast61
- Walking Trails in Newcastle24
- Other areas704
- Walking Trails in Melbourne463
- Walking Trails in Bendigo25
- Walking Trails in Geelong18
- Other areas1,021
- Walking Trails in Brisbane608
- Walking Trails in Sunshine Coast138
- Walking Trails in Cairns93
- Other areas355
Related Activities
Walking: Questions and Figures
How many Australians walk for recreation or exercise?
An estimated 11.36 million people aged 15 and over walked for recreation or exercise at least once in 2025, which is 50.2% of that age group. Source: Australian Sports Commission, AusPlay, released 30 April 2026.
Which state has the highest walking participation rate?
In AusPlay 2025, Tasmania had the highest published rate for Walking (Recreational) among people aged 15 and over, at 55.9%. State estimates have wider margins of error than the national estimate.
How many calories does walking burn?
Using the MET formula (MET x body weight in kg x hours), a 75 kg person doing "Walking (moderate, 4.8 km/h)" (MET 3.5) for 60 minutes uses about 1,098 kJ (263 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
- Walking (Recreational).
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.