Personal training

The City of Port Phillip places great emphasis on protecting and preserving our natural environment, including our foreshore areas and open spaces, for the benefit of all the community.

Licensing for commercial fitness activities helps us to achieve this aim by:

• Managing impacts generated by organised fitness training groups on public open space, park assets and other park users
• Ensuring equitable access to limited public space
• Regulating activities of organised fitness groups, including public liability and occupational health and safety concerns
• Balancing the needs of open space users with those of local residents and visitors

Council welcomes applications from personal trainers and fitness groups which will provide significant social and health outcomes for the community, whilst respecting the City’s natural assets.

The following activities are permitted, subject to approval and licence agreement with Council:

• gym sessions (with or without weights, skipping ropes, fit balls)
• boxing and pad training
• organised aerobic activity
• running groups
• circuit training
• a combination of any of the above.

The following activities are not permitted:

• organised ball sports such as soccer, rugby, football
• use of amplified music or voice equipment
• offering the sale of clothing, merchandise, equipment, refreshments, goods, services or products
• static training on or along the foreshore of the City of Port Phillip’s six beaches:
  • Elwood
  • St Kilda
  • Middle Park
  • South Melbourne
  • Port Melbourne
  • Sandridge.

The following restrictions apply:

• maximum number of participants per session is 15, at some locations this may be lower
• maximum number of open space allocation eight per licence
• maximum number of permits Council will issue is 100
• maximum number of signs to be displayed is one per personal trainer or fitness group
• all permits will expire on 30 June and will be valid for up to one year only.

Applicants must specify in the booking portal the days and times they intend to run their activities at a particular location.

Due to restrictions on the number of personal trainers and fitness groups that can operate in the same location at a given time, no consideration will be given to applications that attempt to ‘blanket book’ a location (such as book from 6 am to 8 pm each day).

The following reserves have been assessed as suitable for personal training and group fitness classes.

Applicants should note that Albert Park Lake is not managed by the City of Port Phillip, and therefore any personal trainer or fitness group wishing to use Albert Park Lake for their activities must contact Parks Victoria on 13 19 63 to obtain a separate licence.

Licensed personal trainers and fitness groups will be required to operate their activities within a designated area, which will be set out in the licence agreement with Council.

Activities must not take place within ten metres of any Council owned infrastructure including buildings, playgrounds, public toilets, cricket nets, fencing or monuments.

Council does not provide undercover training areas in the event of inclement weather. This is the responsibility of the trainer to cancel the session or seek an alternative indoor venue.

Council has limits to the number of personal trainers and fitness groups able to operate at the same location at a given time, and may not be able to approve all requests for licensing. Where possible, Council will attempt to find an alternative suitable location should a reserve be unavailable.

A licence does not grant exclusivity of the designated area. The area must remain accessible to the general public at all times.

When completing the personal training application form, please note the approved locations listed on page 4 with specific site restrictions that must be adhered to. Council will not consider any exemption to these restrictions.

No refund of license fees will be provided for personal trainers and fitness groups wishing to cancel their license prior to the expiry date.

Licenses are allocated on a financial year basis (July 1 - June 30), each license is $312 incl GST.

Provides group outdoor personal training sessions including cardio, toning and boxing at Catani Gardens, St Kilda.

Contact Charlie:

Email: stkilda@baysideoutdoorfitness.com.au 
Phone: 0413 072 072

Operating at Elwood School Reserve and Albert Park foreshore.

Contact Shelley:

Email: shelley@bodypositivehf.com.au 
Phone: 0435 129 332

Operating at Elwood Beach and Middle Park Beach.

Contact Shawn:

Email: shawn@thefeelgoodhood.com
Phone: 0433 836 047

Group training, boxing, circuit and dynamic stretching in Port Melbourne Facilitates.

Contact Dominic:

Email: dom@messinofitness.com.au
Phone: 0400 038 197

Operating at Elwood foreshore.

Contact Dean:

Email: dean@resetwellness.com.au
Phone: 0405 494 568

Operating at Elwood foreshore.

Contact Michelle:

Email: michelle@tri-alliance.com.au 
Phone: 0403 301 410