Parks and Leisure Australia will be hosting our inaugural Leisure Planners Course in South Australia on June 1-4, 2026, at the SANFL High Performance Centre in West Lakes South Australia.
This course will provide participants with the underpinning skills and knowledge required to be a successful Leisure and Recreation Planner in Australia. The Leisure Planners Course has been designed for those early in their sport and recreation planning journey in the public sector, or those transitioning into a planning role. The course is delivery by industry professionals with significant expertise and experience in their chosen fields. Specifically, the course will help participants to:
- Develop / enhance base level competencies of those who plan facilities in order to meet the organisational needs.
- Improve the skills and knowledge of current and emerging practitioners, in line with industry best practice.
- Strengthen capacity to plan, design, coordinate, organise and manage projects.
- Provide networking and potential mentoring opportunities for participants to seek advice, share information and problem solve well after the course has been completed.
- Provide a high quality, industry-based course, that is an extension to formal tertiary / education pathways and work experience.
It will be an intensive four-day course where the following topics will be presented in different modules:
Module 1 – Leisure and Recreation Planning in the local government context
- Introduction to Leisure and Recreation Planning
- What is a Leisure and Recreation Planner?
- Industry challenges and trends
- Influencing Legislations
- Land-use planning Legislation
- Integrated Planning & Reporting Framework
- Council Governance
- Introduction to strategic planning documentation
Module 2 – Resourcing documentation and data for projects
- Situation Analysis
- Gap Analysis
- Developing facility provisions framework for your organisation
- Influences on provision standards
- Other provision and planning approaches
Module 3 – Community and stakeholder engagement within the Local Government context
- Principles of community and stakeholder engagement
- Developing a stakeholder engagement plan for your project
Module 4 – Planning for projects
- Project Governance
- What is a project / project management?
- Developing a project plan
- Site analysis
- Preparing a design brief to inform initial design drawings
Participants on the course will also receive complimentary tickets to the PLA SA/NT Awards of Excellence Evening on Wednesday 3 June 6-8.30pm, where the certificates will be distributed.
Presenters
Hayley Ashworth - Manager Sport and Recreation, Mitcham Council
Hayley currently serves as the Manger of Sport and Recreation at the City of Mitcham. With a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Science (Human Movement & Health Studies) and a wealth of experience in the sector, Hayley is the SA/NT representative on the national board. Hayley’s commitment to the sector has been recognised through her receipt of the 2022 David Aldous Young Professional of the Year award from Parks and leisure Australia. Hayley specialises in infrastruture projects, facility planning, project management and community consultation.
Neil Tredwell - Managing Director at Tredwell Management Services
Neil founded Tredwell in 2003, since then they have successfully delivered hundreds of sport, recreation and open space planning projects to communities in every state of Australia.
Tredwell is noted for excellence in project delivery, reliability and value for money. Their services include – Sport, Recreation and Open Space Planning – Master Planning – Feasibility and Needs Assessment – Trails – Aquatics – Extreme and Hard to Locate Sports.
Melissa Clarke - Community Engagement Coordinator, Adelaide Hills Council
Melissa is the Community Engagement Coordinator at Adelaide Hills Council, with a background in Sport and Recreation Management and experience across community engagement, open space and recreation planning, and community development roles in metropolitan Adelaide councils.
She is passionate about working with communities to create spaces that encourage community connection and support outdoor activity, and enjoys the variety her role brings, especially the opportunity to collaborate with different community groups and council staff on a wide range of projects and initiatives.
Dayle Arblaster - Marketing and Engagement Officer, City of Mitcham
Dayle is a Marketing and Engagement Officer at the City of Mitcham, working closely with teams across Council to support inclusive and meaningful community participation. With a background in strategic planning, advocacy and performance reporting, he brings a collaborative approach to engagement practice.
He is passionate about championing community engagement and creating opportunities for people to have a genuine voice in decisions that affect them. Dayle is also the Chair of the City of Mitcham Diversity and Inclusion Working Group and recently co-hosted the Global Community Engagement Day SA event, reflecting a strong commitment to inclusive and connected communities.
Jarrod Hill - CEO, Director, SPORTENG
Jarrod has over 17 years’ experience planning, designing and overseeing construction of Fields of Play across Australia. These facilities include athletics running tracks, hockey pitches, football grounds (all codes), tennis/netball courts, general purpose facilities, etc.
As a chartered Civil Engineer Jarrod approaches the Parks and Leisure industry from a slightly different angle with a key eye on design, longevity and sustainability.
After almost 10 years with global engineering firm Arup, Jarrod started his company SPORTENG which specialises in the planning, design and construction phase support for all Fields of Play
Tegan Lewis - Senior Consultant, URPS
Tegan is an expert in development facilitation who knows what carries weight with planning authorities.
With extensive experience in evaluating major development projects, this means that Tegan is details focused, attuned to political sensitivities, and compelling – skills honed while in her leadership role with the State Commission Assessment Panel.
Executive managers and the Minister’s office have come to trust her judgment. Her experience working with councils has also built strong networks across all levels of government. Tegan knows how to get the most during negotiations on development proposals. An attentive listener and clear communicator who keeps dialogue open until agreement is reached. Applying her networks, negotiation skills and technical insight to define a clear pathway for your project.
Craig L Grocke (PhD) - Divisional Head for Sport and Recreation, City of Salisbury.
Craig is the Divisional Head for Sport and Recreation at the City of Salisbury. Craig’s work covers tourism, urban and regional planning, economic development, and a variety of fields across Leisure Studies and Community Development. Craig’s special research interest includes ‘Community Agency’ and ‘Place Attachment’ theory, which helps to understand what is shaping leisure choices, where we live, how we live and how it shapes community identity and belonging.
Alicia Clutterham - Head of Infrastructure and Government Relations, SA Cricket
Alicia Clutterham is the Head of Infrastructure and Government Relations at the South Australian Cricket Association, with extensive experience across sport, recreation and local government.
Alicia has built a strong career in infrastructure planning, open space and asset management, with previous roles at Cricket Australia, Adelaide Hills Council, and several metropolitan councils including the City of Marion, City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters and City of Charles Sturt.
Her expertise spans strategic infrastructure planning, government relations and delivery of community-focused sport and recreation facilities across South Australia.
Alicia also brings valued industry leadership experience, having served on the Parks and Leisure SA/NT Board, and is known for her collaborative approach to working with government and sporting organisations to achieve positive community outcomes
Kelly Harding - Senior Project Manager, Mitcham Council
Kelly Harding is a Senior Project Manager at the City of Mitcham, bringing over 20 years’ experience in the sport, leisure and open space industry across both state and local government and private practice.
Kelly has held senior leadership roles including managing the Active Communities Team at the City of Holdfast Bay, where she oversaw a broad portfolio spanning sport and recreation, open space, community development, arts and culture, youth, and community centres. She has also worked within the South Australian Government, coordinating grant programs focused on open space and public realm outcomes.
In addition, Kelly led insideEDGE’s South Australian office, delivering innovative planning solutions across the sport, recreation and community sectors.
With extensive expertise in open space and active lifestyles, combined with strong industry leadership through her time on the Parks and Leisure SA/NT Board, Kelly brings valuable insight and practical experience to the Leisure Planners Course.
