A brief history of physical literacy in Australia

Abstract

Australia was a relatively late arrival to the physical literacy scene, but has made rapid advances in recognising, operationalising and advancing physical literacy. This chapter details the initiatives and research programmes that laid the foundations for such progress, as well as the cultural and geographic attributes that necessitate a unique approach to physical literacy in Australia. Five thriving research groups and many local sporting and education initiatives converged with a national policy framework that recognised and promoted physical literacy, leading to synergies, collaborations and a shared language that galvanised efforts in promoting physical literacy. From here, the federal (national) government requested Australia-specific defining statements, standards documents and materials to be developed - and this chapter describes the expert consensus process that was used to answer these needs, as well as the outcomes. While these materials were developed for implementation specifically in Australia, the processes, reflections and outcomes hold relevance for those developing physical literacy strategies in other contexts. Most notably, the Australian materials were developed to be non-prescriptive, and not a ‘finished-product’. Rather, materials were developed to engage all users and help them find their own perspective on physical literacy. This philosophy may be useful in contexts far beyond Australia.