Plenty of Lane Cove kids already spend their afternoons flipping, tumbling and cartwheeling at Gladesville Gymnastics Club, and many Lane Cove families are members. If yours isn’t one of them yet, here’s the surprise. It isn’t a business. It’s a not-for-profit club owned by its members. It caters for everyone from 18 months old to adults, from recreational beginners to competitive Women’s Artistic and Acrobatic gymnasts. Its athletes even compete at World Championships. And a $450,000 renovation is underway right now.
A club run by its families
For years it was Gladesville RSL Gymnastics Club, owned and run by Gladesville RSL. In 2021 it became Gladesville Gymnastics Club Incorporated, an independent not-for-profit community organisation run by a volunteer Management Committee. The club describes a proud 45 year history in the Gladesville and Ryde community.
Because it is not-for-profit, the club relies on income from membership and class fees plus community support, fundraising, grants and volunteers. When you enrol a child under 18 for a regular term class, one parent or guardian pays $10 a year to become a member of the club. Anyone else can also join for a $10 annual membership fee.
For all of its programs, the club is a registered provider for the NSW Government’s Active and Creative Kids voucher.
The club puts community spirit at the centre of everything. Qualified coaches, dedicated volunteers and supportive families all play a part, from first forward rolls to international competitions. Whether a gymnast comes for fun or dreams of competing, the club says the aim is for every child to feel included, supported and proud of their progress. And alongside the skills come the friendships, from cheering a teammate through a tricky move to celebrating when practice finally pays off.
“Personal best for some is a handstand or a cartwheel. For others, it is to represent Australia and compete at the World Championships. The Club supports all of these gymnasts, from beginners to national and international level athletes.”
From 18 months old to adults
The recreational program covers just about every age.
- KinderGym: 18 months to 5 years
- JuniorGym: preschool, 4 to 5 years
- GymFun: school age, 4.5 to 8 years
- GymSkills: 9 to 12 years
- TeenGym: 11 years and up
- OpenGym: 16 years to adult
There are school holiday camps too, in half day and full day options, with chill out time available for parents who need a later pickup.
All the way to the World Championships
Gladesville offers competitive pathways in both Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) and Acrobatic Gymnastics (Acro), giving young athletes opportunities to build their skills, form strong friendships and discover how far they can go.
Acro has a strong and bright history. Picture pairs and groups throwing, catching and balancing on each other on a sprung floor, with routines choreographed to music. The club has had State, National and Australian Team representatives every year for well over 25 years.
Recently, five Gladesville acrobats were selected in the Australian Team, along with the club’s Head Coach Agi and Judge Mia, to compete in Pesaro, Italy. The club’s Senior Women’s Pair qualified for the All Around Final at the 2026 Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships and finished 10th in the world. Its Youth Women’s Trio finished 20th at the World Youth Competition.
Past highlights include a bronze medal at the 2018 World Age Group Championships, which the club describes as Australia’s first ever medal at those championships.
Closer to home, the club’s intermediate acrobats recently competed at the National Clubs Carnival on the Gold Coast. For many of them it was their first travel competition with the team.
On vault, bars, beam and floor, the club’s women’s artistic gymnasts develop strength, precision and confidence. The WAG program has celebrated State and National Clubs Championship successes, with its Level 7 gymnasts placing 8th overall at the 2025 National Clubs Carnival. Some gymnasts also participate in the NSW High-Performance Development Squad. These opportunities recognise emerging talent and give athletes scope to develop further, supported by their coaches and teammates.
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Training alongside athletes chasing bigger goals gives the younger gymnasts something to aim for.
The $450,000 upgrade
When the club moved into its leased warehouse on Victoria Road in 2018, it was meant to be a temporary home and was set up with “a patchwork of gymnastics flooring, equipment and apparatus”.
In late 2025 the Management Committee agreed to a $450,000 facility upgrade. The plans include:
- New gymnastics flooring
- Updated and additional equipment
- New bathroom and kitchen facilities
- New internal stairs from the Victoria Road lobby
- A small mezzanine viewing area for parents
Most of the money comes from grants, community fundraising, careful savings and a landlord contribution. The grants include $60,000 from the NSW Government’s Community Building Partnership program for the new flooring and $20,000 from Gladesville RSL. Movie nights, barbecues, raffles and major trivia nights have raised some $48,000, and fundraising is ongoing.
“This important investment will create a more modern and welcoming environment for our athletes, families, coaches and wider community.”
What the renovation means right now
Work started recently, with completion scheduled for the end of 2026.
Stage 1 (to 29 November): New bathroom and kitchen facilities are being built. Works run on weekdays until 2.30pm, so weekday KinderGym and JuniorGym classes have moved to Gladesville RSL for Term 4. Afternoon classes from 3.45pm, competitive training and all weekend classes are still at the gym as usual. The club’s Term 4 finishes early, on Sunday 29 November.
Stage 2 (30 November to 18 December): The new stairs, mezzanine viewing area and flooring go in and apparatus is moved. The club will be fully closed during this time. It hopes to run holiday camps and holiday training before Christmas once the works are done.
Places are limited while the works are underway, so if you are hoping to join, keep an eye on the club’s enrolment portal for next year.
How to get involved
- Where: Warehouse 1, Unit 1, Building A, 436-484 Victoria Road (corner Tennyson Road), Gladesville
- Email: [email protected]
- Classes and enrolments: gladesvillegymnastics.com.au
- Club news and renovation updates: Club news portal
- Donate to the upgrade (tax deductible): Australian Sports Foundation
Come the new year there will be new floors, a viewing area for parents and a gym that finally feels like a permanent home. Not bad for a club built on cartwheels, barbecues and a lot of volunteer hours.
Disclosure: Gladesville Gymnastics Club advertises with In the Cove at our discounted not-for-profit rate.
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