Experiences involving fitness activities in Melbourne
These information pages can help you get started in learning about some of the laws and registration requirements that may apply to your experiences on Airbnb. These pages include summaries of some of the rules that may apply to different sorts of activities, and contain links to government resources that you may find helpful.
Please understand that these information pages are not comprehensive, and are not legal advice. If you are unsure about how local laws or this information may apply to you or your Experience, we encourage you to check with official sources or seek legal advice.
Please note that we don’t update this information in real time, so you should confirm that the laws or procedures have not changed recently.*
What are some of the basic principles?
Your guest’s health and safety should always come first. For example, you should take care to use safe equipment and reputable suppliers where relevant. Ask your guests in advance about their skill level and any other factors that may impact their ability to participate in the Experience. If you are providing fitness services, e.g. personal training, you should also consider becoming a registered exercise professional.
Do I need a special licence or permit to offer a sports-based Experience?
This will depend on which sport your Experience involves and where you plan to host the Experience.
If your Experience includes any kind of personal training and/or fitness group activities in a public open space (e.g. boxing, 'boot camps', surfing, swimming, diving, yoga, pilates or tai chi), most local councils will require you to apply for a permit. The permits may restrict the way in which you can offer these (e.g. in relation to the use of music, lighting and signage, and how many sessions you can offer), and usually involve a fee. To be eligible for a permit for certain activities, you may need to be accredited for that activity (e.g. surf instructing).
Please contact the relevant local council for information on the permit applicable to your Experience (for instance, the relevant council for activities at St Kilda Beach is the City of Port Phillip).
If your Experience will involve any kind of combat sports (e.g. boxing, kickboxing or martial arts), you will need to be licenced to act as a professional boxing and combat sports trainer. This will involve a fee of $102. If you plan to hold a combat sport contest you and all participants will need to comply with the Professional Boxing and Combat Sports Act 1985.
In addition to these permits, you should also make sure you have the applicable accreditation for your sport if you are offering training or instructor services. It is industry standard for a personal trainer to become a Registered Exercise Professional with Fitness Australia, but this is not a legal requirement in Victoria.
However, if you are planning to offer fitness instruction, you may want to consider getting registered as this is a prerequisite for using the spaces and facilities of many venues (including some councils).
Do I need a special licence or permit if I won't be teaching or instructing the sport?
Many councils will require permits for any kind of group fitness activity if it is for commercial purposes in a public open space - please see information above in relation to such permits.
My Experience involves a water-based activity - do I need any special licences to operate certain vessels?
You may require a licence to operate certain vessels. For instance, if your Experience involves a motorised boat or personal watercraft (e.g. a jetski), the operation of a motorised boat or personal watercraft will require a licence, which will come with safety and other restrictions. More information is available here. In addition, vessels used in diving operations must comply with requirements as to the relevant lights to display. More information is available here. If you operate a vessel requiring a licence, you should be familiar and up-to-date with the applicable rules.
If you are unsure as to whether you require a licence for your activity, you may contact Maritime Safety Victoria for more information.
*Airbnb is not responsible for the reliability or correctness of the information contained in any links to third party sites (including any links to legislation and regulations).