Outdoor fitness equipment study

Published on 28 April 2025

Users of outdoor fitness equipment at Mile End Common and Creslin Terrace may have recently noticed the inclusion of small devices on some equipment.

These have been installed by UniSA researchers as part of a project to monitor how much fitness equipment is used. The City of West Torrens is one of 3 councils which have been chosen for the study, along with the Cities of Holdfast Bay and Salisbury.

The outdoor fitness study will see UnitSA researchers:

• monitor outdoor fitness equipment usage using digital sensors to ascertain what types of equipment are being used; this will occur between April 2025-April 2026 (no personal data will be recorded)
• survey current users and non-users of outdoor fitness equipment to gauge opportunities to improve usage; this will begin in person in mid-May and will be voluntary.

Based on the information gathered, the researchers will develop a toolkit to help councils plan new outdoor fitness sites or when refurbishing existing ones.

In South Australia there are more than 200 outdoor fitness equipment stations which have been installed by councils. While these stations are free, accessible and widespread, there is limited information available on how the equipment is used and what equipment is preferred.

The purpose of this project is to better understand and enhance outdoor fitness equipment sites and facilities, and help all councils make more informed decisions when choosing the types of equipment to install and the future investment in infrastructure.

Any questions or concerns regarding the study can be sent via email to the project lead, Alyson Crozier. 

This project has been supported by the Local Government Research and Development Scheme administered by the Local Government Association of SA.

Photo: Digital monitoring devices, like the one in the photograph on equipment at Mile End Common, can be found on some fitness equipment as part of the study being undertaken by UniSA.