S
outh Australian children aged three to 16 will have the chance to try new sports and recreational activities for free during the upcoming Term 3 school holidays, as the state government expands a programme designed to encourage young people to spend less time on screens.
The Growing for Gold programme will offer come-and-try sessions across metropolitan Adelaide, Port Lincoln and the Riverland during the holidays. The initiative forms part of the Malinauskas Government’s $75 million commitment to encourage children and young people to take part in physical and recreational activities.
The programme will initially operate across selected areas before being rolled out statewide in 2027. It builds on Growing for Gold, which has operated in Adelaide’s northern suburbs since 1999.
The existing programme covers the City of Port Adelaide Enfield, City of Playford, City of Salisbury and City of Tea Tree Gully, with local councils and sporting clubs working together to give children opportunities to try different activities.
Additional sessions during the upcoming holidays will include programs in Port Lincoln from 26 to 30 September, a Riverland session on 6 October, athletics at the SA Athletics Stadium on 2 October, and Olympic and Paralympic sports at the same venue on 9 October.
The state government says Growing for Gold is one of several measures being introduced or expanded as part of its efforts to encourage children to spend more time participating in activities outside phones, tablets and gaming devices. Other measures include an expanded sports voucher scheme and free before and after-school activities.
Rhiannon Pearce said the programme was intended to give children enjoyable alternatives to screen time while connecting them with local sporting clubs.
“This is about providing fun and engaging alternatives to screen time, ones that support healthier outcomes for young people and connect them to local sporting clubs which can last for years to come,” she said.
She also pointed to research linking regular physical activity with children’s physical health, mental wellbeing, social development and learning.
The expansion has been welcomed by the councils that have supported Growing for Gold in Adelaide’s north.
City of Salisbury Mayor Gillian Aldridge OAM said the programme had remained useful to local communities since it began in 1999.
“Growing for Gold was born in the City of Salisbury back in 1999 and has continued to serve our community and clubs well,” she said.
“It was a good idea then and it’s a great idea now.”
City of Port Adelaide Enfield Mayor Claire Boan said her council had supported the programme for 10 years alongside Salisbury, Playford and Tea Tree Gully.
She said the expansion would give more children access to sporting opportunities and the social benefits associated with joining a club.
The City of Playford has also backed the statewide expansion, with Mayor Glenn Docherty saying northern Adelaide councils had worked with local sporting clubs to reduce barriers to participation.
Mayor Marijka Ryan of the City of Tea Tree Gully described Growing for Gold as a long-running collaboration between the four northern councils, saying it had helped sporting clubs increase participation while allowing children to try a range of sports.
Sporting clubs involved in the programme have also reported benefits from introducing children to their activities.
Ashley Thompson, president of North East Hockey Club, said the club had participated in Growing for Gold for three years and viewed it as an opportunity to introduce children to hockey in a welcoming environment.
“Seeing children build confidence, develop new skills and enjoy being active is incredibly rewarding,” Thompson said.
The holiday programme will give children the opportunity to explore different sports before the broader statewide rollout planned for 2027.
Parents and carers can register for sessions and find participating locations through the Growing for Gold programme website.
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