Adapting to the changing needs of our community has earned Cockburn ARC national recognition, named the 2026 Leisure Centre of the Year by Australia’s peak body for the exercise and active health sector.
AUSactive bestowed the honour at its 2026 National Awards in Sydney on 11 September, with Cockburn ARC winning the accolade from a field of 12 finalists from across Australia, including several from Western Australia.
City of Cockburn CEO Daniel Simms said the award was deserved recognition for the entire ARC team which strived daily in its commitment to its inclusive vision of ‘All people, more active, more often’.
“The team’s ‘ARC for life’ approach enables Cockburn’s diverse community to have their healthy activity needs met at all stages of their life, well beyond the expected gym and aquatic offerings,” Mr Simms said.
“By offering unique innovations, ARC hosts more than 1.4m visits annually, balancing financial sustainability while meeting the niche requirements of different groups in our community.
“These groups cover people of all ages and abilities, who tell us every day that the support they receive from the skilled ARC team, coupled with our fantastic facilities, is helping them meet their active goals every day.”
City of Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett said Cockburn ARC had made it part of its culture to move with the times, since opening nearly a decade ago.
“While this demonstrates the ARC team’s adaptability, it is a result of hearing when our community speaks,” Mayor Howlett said.
“Knowing that we are listening when the community shares what it needs to stay active, demonstrates the importance of removing barriers that can prevent people from taking their own self-determined steps towards living a healthy, happy life in Cockburn,” Mayor Howlett said.
Some of the ARC’s most recent achievements include:
- $17m expansion in partnership with Fremantle Football Club including an increase of gym floor space to 1500sqm, and change rooms to accommodate AFLW and community teams at Cockburn ARC Oval
- Despite disruptions caused by a lengthy construction program, open and regular member communication reduced confusion and maintained activity levels with membership growing by 12 per cent during this period
- A learn-to-swim and sports programs for home schooled students
- Swimming lessons supporting adults from multicultural backgrounds
- Specialised group fitness programs for older adults
- Working with Curtin University to develop a 6-week program for people who would not typically attend a recreation centre, including for medical reasons
- Improved accessibility options for people with disability
- An annual open day where free access helps people sample all the centre offers. More than 4,900 people attend the 2026 half-day event
- ARC Run Club for people preparing to enter organised fun runs
- The varied and popular Kids Get Active school holiday program experienced a 250 per cent participation increase in 12 months
- Outreach into the community including attending school carnivals, providing sports engagement clinics and delivering school holiday activities
- Researching expanded solar production and battery storage towards achieving 100 per cent renewable electricity
- Optimising geothermal energy use by integrating a new boiler system to reduce reliance on natural gas consumption, on the journey towards carbon net zero
- The centre achieved a Royal Life Saving WA Pool Safety Assessment (PSA) score of 99.93 per cent.