Fitness Recruitment in Australia

Australia is the market Love Recruitment knows most intimately outside the UK and that history matters.

Before Covid, the Love Recruitment Group operated Love Recruitment Australia, led by Maddie Cummings. That chapter gave the business direct experience of the Australian fitness market that goes well beyond secondhand knowledge: the operator landscape, the candidate dynamics, the relocation realities, and the cultural nuances that make a placement in Australia succeed or fail. When Covid ended that chapter, the knowledge stayed.

When Abhi Lakhina and Tom Trout restarted international operations under the LRI brand, Australia was a natural early focus. The relationships built during the Love Recruitment Australia years, combined with Abhi and Tom's own experience placing into the Australian market, mean LRI brings genuine depth to Australian searches, not a generic international agency trying to learn a new market.

Australia offers something that most international fitness markets don't: the combination of a genuinely exciting and growing fitness industry with an exceptional quality of life. The Australian market draws fitness professionals from across the country and internationally, people who want to build a serious career in a market that is growing, professionally respected, and personally compelling.

For operators, Australia presents a specific challenge. The domestic talent pool at senior management level has not kept pace with the growth of the premium and boutique sector. Operators who have scaled from one site to five or ten in the last three years need Regional Managers and operational leaders with the experience to manage that complexity and finding that talent requires a proactive, relationship-led approach rather than relying on advertising alone.

• The boutique sector has matured significantly — operators are in a scaling and operational excellence phase, which requires a different and more senior management skill set than the opening phase demanded.

• Brisbane is the fastest-growing Australian fitness market — significant new investment, a growing affluent population post-Commonwealth Games infrastructure, and a market that feels earlier in its arc than Sydney or Melbourne.

• Perth has a strong and distinctive fitness culture — smaller than the east coast markets by volume but with consistent demand for quality management talent and a lifestyle that appeals strongly to certain candidate profiles.

• The wellness crossover is well established — Sydney and Melbourne consumers expect integrated wellness, recovery, and nutrition alongside traditional fitness programming.

• Senior talent requires proactive sourcing — experienced GMs and multi-site operators with premium backgrounds are consistently the hardest roles to fill through advertising alone. The right candidates need to be found and approached directly.

Sydney

Australia's largest and most competitive fitness market. Strong boutique and premium sector. High cost of living but strong salaries and a world-class lifestyle. LRI's most active Australian city by placement volume.

Melbourne

A strong fitness culture with a more independent and creative operator landscape than Sydney. Significant boutique and functional training presence. The second largest market and one with growing premium demand.

Brisbane

Our fastest-growing Australian market. Significant investment in fitness infrastructure, a growing affluent population, and a market that is genuinely earlier in its premium arc than the major east coast cities. Strong opportunity for operators and candidates alike.

Perth

A distinct market with a strong outdoor and community fitness culture. Smaller by volume than the east coast but with consistent management demand and a lifestyle that appeals strongly to certain candidate profiles — particularly those who want Australian living without the intensity of Sydney or Melbourne.

Adelaide and Canberra

Smaller markets that we recruit in on a project basis as client demand requires.

• General Manager — single site and flagship

• Regional Manager and Area Manager — multi-site operators scaling nationally

• Club Manager and Studio Manager

• Head of Operations

• Fitness Manager and Head of Fitness

• PT Manager and Head Coach

• Sales Manager

• Head of Wellness

• C-Suite and Director level — Operations Director, COO, Managing Director

• Premium and boutique management experience is valued — operators across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane are specifically looking for people who understand the commercial and experiential demands of running premium fitness environments.

• Visa pathways exist for international candidates — the Temporary Skill Shortage visa covers fitness management roles in several states. Processing is manageable with the right preparation.

• Superannuation adds real value — Australian employers contribute 11% of salary to pension on top of agreed base. This is a genuine financial benefit that changes the package comparison for anyone moving from outside Australia.

• Cost of living varies significantly — Sydney and Melbourne are expensive cities. Brisbane and Perth offer more manageable cost profiles alongside strong salaries and excellent quality of life.

• The market rewards consistency and commercial discipline — candidates who arrive well-prepared with a clear track record of delivery build strong reputations quickly in the Australian market.