Frequently Asked Questions - Personal Trainers Policy

Click here to download Personal Trainer Licence Application.

What is the Personal Trainers Policy?

• The policy identifies and licences professional personal fitness trainers operating their businesses in the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Domain.
• Trainers can conduct their business in the Domain but not the Royal Botanic Gardens.
• From 1 October 2006 trainers will pay an annual fee of $1,144 ($20 per week) to operate their business in the Domain. The fee can be paid either 6 monthly ($616) or annually $1,144). Fee includes GST.
• To obtain a licence, personal trainers must demonstrate that they have completed an approved course and are registered with Fitness NSW.
• To obtain a licence, personal trainers must demonstrate that they have current workers compensation, public liability, senior first aid certificate and professional indemnity insurance.
• Maximum size of a training group will be 18 people.
• Organisations or personal trainers who have a number of staff employed must pay a fee for each staff member who conducts personal training programs on Trust lands.
• An organisation can apply to the Botanic Gardens Trust to transfer a licence from one individual to another within their organisation. An administrative fee of $40 will be charged for a licence transfer.

Why introduce the licence system?

To help the Trust manage a growing number of trainers and their clients that at times interfere with other users of our lands. It is also a mechanism for these businesses to contribute to the upkeep of the lands and to contribute, like all other businesses using our lands (e.g. football and netball in the Domain, commercial filming and photography), to Trust programs.

What consultation and planning has taken place?

Over the last few years Trust staff have talked to trainers who use Trust lands, reviewed how local Councils around Sydney have been managing fitness trainers and their clients and considered feedback on trainers and their clients from visitors to the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Domain.

Why has the maximum group size been set at 18?

Fitness NSW advised that 18 is an industry standard and most trainers currently using Trust land have 18 or less clients in the training group. Larger groups have greater negative impact on the living environment, infrastructure and other users of the Domain.

How was a fee set?

The Trust has set a price that we believe reflects the importance of this site, will cover the cost of managing the program, will contribute to repair of the impact on lawns and gardens, and is benchmarked with local Councils in the Sydney metropolitan area.

The cost of $20 a week is very little for providing one of the highest profile parks in Sydney as a business location!

Comparison of Trust Policy and fees to those charged by local councils

• Waverley - policy signed off, max fee $300 per quarter (less for small groups).
• Manly Council - In place and operational. Max Fee $300 per quarter, less for small groups.
• Mosman Council - In place and operational, no fees charged.
• Parramatta Council - fee $300 per quarter commencing 1 September 2006.
• Randwick Council - Policy being formulated.
• Trust licence fee $1,144 per year - i.e. $20 per week.

Some Councils are not charging a fee, so why will the Trust be charging a fee?

The Trust is a premium site and we believe that businesses using our lands should contribute to their upkeep and to the Trust programs. A licence fee will also help us recoup costs involved in issuing a licence so we can manage better the numbers of trainer groups.

How will the introduction be handled?

• Letters hand delivered to trainers commencing 16 August 2006 (it may take up to a month for all trainers to receive these letters).
• Personal Fitness Trainers who qualify to be registered will be licensed and issued with a photo ID card to operate their business on Trust land.
• License fee is $1,144 per annum (i.e. $20 per week).

What happens next?

• Enforcement of Policy from 1 October 2006.
• Operational and policy review after 12 months (October 2007) to assess whether the system is working well from point of view of Trainers and the Trust.

How many personal trainers are currently using Trust Lands?

There are about 30 Personal Fitness Trainers regularly using Trust land but precise numbers won’t be known until we start the licence system.

Won’t a flat fee encourage trainers to maximise their use of the site?

The Trust will review the licencing and costs after 12 months and asses its impact. Our discussions with trainers suggest they will continue current patterns of use, although they will be using the Domain rather than the Royal Botanic Gardens, but we’ll monitor this.

Why will trainers and their clients be shut out of the Royal Botanic Gardens?

Botanic gardens are special sites managed for horticulture, botanical science and peaceful recreation. The Domain is grassed parkland, a site where more active recreation is encouraged.