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Fitness trainers need a permit from us to run commercial fitness training sessions in Gold Coast parks. Permits are issued to individuals, not businesses. Permit holders must comply with conditions supplied with the permit.
You don't need a permit from us if you are:
- providing health and fitness activities on a not-for-profit basis
- undertaking fitness activities as part of our Active and Healthy program.
For information and advice before applying call us on 07 5667 5987.
General conditions
- A suitable first aid kit is always available during a fitness session.
- All reasonable directions from authorised Council officers must be complied with.
- No vehicles are to be driven into parks or reserves (excluding designated car parking areas).
- The area used for the fitness session is to be clean and tidy, free from litter and refuse at all times.
Display of sign
- Permit holders are required to display a sign during fitness sessions.
- Sign specifications: freestanding 'A' frame sign with a maximum single face area of 0.60 square metres which clearly displays the permit number.
- Distribution of advertising material and touting is not permitted.
Classes of three or more clients
- No more than three fitness sessions to be held in the same park in one day, regardless of each session length.
- Maximum continuous session time is 90 minutes including the time it takes to set up and remove any equipment.
- For activities such as yoga or Pilates, a maximum class size of 30 people including fitness trainer and support staff.
Classes of two or less clients
- No more than six fitness sessions to held in the same park in one day, regardless of each session length.
- Maximum continuous session time is 90 minutes including the time it takes to set up and remove any equipment
Boot camp style training
- Maximum class size of 18 people for boot camp, circuit, resistance or boxing style training including the trainer and support staff.
- Use of a megaphone, sound amplifier, radio loudspeaker, whistle or any other means of amplifying sound.
- Use of one or more tyres, logs, sledgehammers, heavy barbells or dumbbells (20 kilograms) plus, weight training benches, weight training machines, rowing machines or any other large load bearing or large resistance training equipment.
- Suspending or attaching any equipment, including for example punching bags, kickboxing bags, ropes or resistance training equipment to a tree, shrub or facility within a park or reserve, excluding a facility designed and intended to be used solely for fitness training purposes.
- Marking out an area which implies, or is intended to imply, in an authorised person's opinion, a right to exclusive use of an area in the park or reserve.
- Erecting or installing a facility in, on, across or over a park without the prior written consent of the City of Gold Coast.
- Pull, drag, drop or otherwise cause impact to the ground or a facility by the use of one (one or more barbells, dumbbells, metal bars, heavy ropes (15 kilograms plus) or similar load bearing equipment.
- The use of power sources for electricity.
- Behaving in a riotous, disorderly, indecent, offensive, threatening, intimidating, aggressive or insulting manner.
- Engaging in conduct which in an authorised person's opinion interferes or is likely to interfere with the ordinary and reasonable use and enjoyment by another person of the park or reserve.
- Operating a business that is not the commercial fitness activity.
- Off-leash dog exercise areas
- car parks
- sports playing field or facility associated with a sports playing field without the prior approval from us
- an environmentally sensitive area including bush land, sand dunes, creeks, riverbanks or an area which is undergoing rehabilitation or revegetation
- protected areas such as wetlands
- area closed for works, maintenance or any other purpose
- areas in which the carrying out of the fitness activity is likely to injure, endanger, obstruct, inconvenience or annoy other users of the park or reserve
- within 100 metres of a noise sensitive place* between 7pm and 5.30am on any day
- areas predominantly used for pedestrian or vehicle movement including stairways, footpaths, bicycle paths and roads
- excluded parks or excluded areas of parks
- within 5 metres of:
- a playground
- an amenity building such as a toilet block, shower block or change room
- a memorial, picnic shelter, park bench or other park furniture, excluding equipment designed and intended to be used solely for fitness training purposes
- within 15 metres of:
- another commercial fitness activity which is being conducted at the same time the commercial fitness activity commences
- any other users of the park or reserve who are stationary or settled prior to the commencement of the commercial fitness activity
- an area set aside by us for a group of people for a birthday party, wedding, corporate event, youth program or similar event
- any person holding a permit for exclusive use to conduct a recreational activity under Local Law No 9 (Parks and Reserves) 2008.
*Noise sensitive place includes:
(a) a residential property; and
(b) a sensitive receptor listed in Schedule 1 of the Environmental Protection (Noise) Policy 2008, other than a park.
For more information on permit conditions, please refer to Subordinate Local Law 9.1 (Parks and Reserves) 2008(PDF, 413KB) or call us on 07 5667 5987.
The following groups don't need a permit from us:
- an association incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act 1981, promoting walking, running and similar activities
- a life-saving club for a life-saving training purpose
- a kindergarten, primary or secondary school
- a corporation promoting the health and fitness of their employees
- a religious entity registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission promoting community health and fitness
- a federal or state government entity promoting community health and fitness
- a commercial fitness activity endorsed by us.
Use this form to apply for a fitness provider permit to undertake commercial fitness activities in Gold Coast parks.
Refer to Subordinate Local Law No. 9.1 (Parks and Reserves) 2008(PDF, 413KB) and Excluded park register(PDF, 94KB) before applying for a permit.
The local law includes information about:
- general conditions
- displaying of signs
- class sizes and session lengths
- restrictions on equipment, noise levels and location.
For information and advice before applying call us on 07 5667 5987.