Australian Athletics (formerly Athletics Australia)

What is Australian Athletics?

Australian Athletics, known until 2025 as Athletics Australia, describes itself as “the national governing body for the sport of athletics in Australia” and as a not-for-profit organisation.^[4][5] It states that it is the only organisation recognised as such by World Athletics, the Australian Olympic Committee, Paralympics Australia, Commonwealth Games Australia and the Australian Sports Commission.^[4] Its vision, in its own words, is “inspiring, empowering and supporting the athlete inside of everyone”.^[4]

What does Australian Athletics govern or do?

The body states that, together with its state- and territory-based member associations, it is charged with “ensuring the encouragement, pathway and promotion of athletics in Australia” and with acting in the interests of the sport across all ages and levels.^[4] Its site carries the Australian teams for international events, including the 2026 Commonwealth Games and the 2026 World U20 Championships, and the Little Athletics programme for children.^[3]

When was Australian Athletics founded and where is it based?

The body’s history page states that the national body, the Amateur Athletic Union of Australasia, “was formed in 1897”, and records that it became the Amateur Athletics Union of Australia in 1928. A separate Australian Women’s Amateur Athletics Union, instituted in 1932, ran women’s athletics until 1978, when the national unions amalgamated; the combined body was rebranded Athletics Australia in 1989 and became Australian Athletics in 2025.^[5] On 19 March 2026, by the same account, Australian Little Athletics unified with Australian Athletics.^[5] The body is based at Athletics House in Albert Park, Melbourne.^[4]

How is Australian Athletics recognised?

World Athletics. The Athletics Integrity Unit lists Athletics Australia (code AUS) in its List of Categorised National Federations as of 2026, drawn up under Rule 15 of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules, placing it in category B.^[1][2]

Oceania. The same list assigns the federation to the Oceania Athletics Association (OAA).^[1] The body states that World Athletics recognises it as the governing body for the sport in Australia.^[4]

What does Australian Athletics organise?

The body’s site promotes the Australian Athletics Championships, with the 2026 and 2027 editions listed, the Australian Athletics 50km Championships of 2026 and the Coles Little Athletics Championships of 2026.^[3] Its history page records the Australian Little Athletics Union, formed in Perth on 31 March 1972, as the origin of the Little Athletics movement now unified with the national body.^[5]

Who are its members?

Australian Athletics’ members are its state- and territory-based member associations, with which it describes itself as working to promote the sport.^[4] Its history page records that the Australian Little Athletics Union was formed in 1972 by founding members from Victoria, New South Wales, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, and that this movement unified with the national body in March 2026.^[5]