Fitness Cartel targets 60 clubs by 2030 as WA franchises grow

Queensland-based Fitness Cartel is targeting 60 clubs across Australia and New Zealand by 2030, up from its current 18. The expansion programme includes three Western Australian franchise openings before March 2027 and a search for large premises in several major Australian markets.

A 42-club increase on the current network

Fitness Cartel’s target would add 42 clubs to its existing footprint, taking the gym and wellness company to more than three times its current size. The plans were reported by Realcommercial on 8 November 2026.

Founded in 2020 by Nathan James and TJ Groot, the company now reports more than 60,000 members across its locations. It also reports year-on-year revenue growth of 45 per cent.

Those figures provide context for the expansion announcement, but they measure different aspects of the business. Membership and revenue growth describe the existing operation, while the 60-club figure is a target for the network by 2030 rather than a count of confirmed openings.

Chief executive Nathan James said the company was actively working on 15 clubs to launch over the following year, with a pipeline in place for the remaining locations. That puts a substantial development programme ahead of the business alongside its longer-term ambition.

WA franchise openings form part of the next wave

Four new Fitness Cartel locations are due to open before March 2027. One is in Strathpine, Queensland, while the other three are across the company’s franchise group in Western Australia.

For Australia’s franchise community, the WA programme is the clearest franchise-specific element of the announcement. It places franchise locations within the brand’s near-term opening schedule, rather than solely within its broader 2030 target.

The four scheduled openings also provide a more immediate milestone against which to follow the expansion. They sit within a wider programme that James said includes active work on 15 clubs over the next year.

The distinction matters for anyone tracking the brand’s progress: the company has 18 clubs operating today, a group of openings scheduled before March 2027, and a larger network goal extending to 2030. These are separate stages of development, not interchangeable measures of its current presence.

Search focuses on large sites and parking capacity

Fitness Cartel is seeking premises of at least 2,000 square metres, with space for a minimum of 150 car parking spaces. Its identified search areas are Sydney, the Gold Coast, Brisbane’s Bayside suburbs and Melbourne.

The requirements give property owners and agents a specific starting point for assessing potential locations. Floor area alone is not the full brief: substantial parking capacity is also part of the company’s stated search criteria.

The geographical spread shows that the property search reaches beyond Queensland, where the company was founded. Sydney and Melbourne are both on the list, alongside further opportunities around Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

These search areas should not be read as a list of secured clubs. They identify markets where the company wants suitable premises, while the Strathpine and WA locations form part of the announced near-term opening programme.

Toowoomba opening accompanies wellness development

Fitness Cartel most recently launched a 3,500-square-metre club in Toowoomba. The completed opening adds a concrete example of the scale of premises being brought into the network as it pursues further growth.

Alongside its gym programme, the company is preparing to launch a wellness and bathhouse site on the Gold Coast under its Merse Wellness brand. That project adds a separate wellness development to an update otherwise centred on club numbers, franchise openings and property requirements.

The next milestones to watch are the four openings scheduled before March 2027 and progress on the wider 15-club programme. Together, they will show how the longer-term target translates into operating locations.

Practical takeaway: Prospective franchisees should distinguish operating clubs from scheduled openings and longer-term targets. Property owners considering a site approach can start with the published brief: at least 2,000 square metres and capacity for 150 car parking spaces in the named search areas.