Our Story

The 2020 COVID pandemic proved the surprising inspiration behind Fitness Cartel Health Clubs, in more ways than one. Our founder, Nathan James, had ownership of two clubs – one at Burleigh on Queensland’s Gold Coast and one a few minutes south at Tweed Heads in New South Wales – before the pandemic snapped shut the border between the two. Members and staff caught on the wrong side of the state line joked about smuggling members over the border “like the cartel” to train while the locations were in lockdown. The innocent joke struck an instant chord and Nathan knew he had the solid foundation for our new name and fresh new brand. The forced downtime also offered an opportunity to renovate one of the gyms and develop a strategy for how our fledgling business could grow and flourish once restrictions were lifted.

A business forged in a pandemic, our early months and years proved to be testing times. Our third gym at Aspley – the first of our new, purpose-built health clubs – closed only a few days after its official opening, the result of ongoing COVID-related snap lockdowns. Our Oxley club was decimated five weeks before opening when floodwaters inundated its building. Rather than admit defeat, Nathan and our team used the tests to steel our determination, build our resilience and emerge stronger and more focused.

It is the same ethos we impress upon our more than 60,000 members, encouraging and enabling them to challenge themselves and push beyond their comfort zone to achieve their goals. In August 2026, we opened our 19th club, joining our growing network of premium, purpose-fuelled health clubs across three Australian states and in New Zealand. We have also created more than 1,000 jobs for passionate fitness professionals and dedicated support staff.

From our early days as a pair of cross-border gyms, we have grown to become a brand where wellness works hand in hand with fitness. Each of our clubs is stocked with state-of-the-art equipment and designed thoughtfully across Zones so members of all abilities and fitness goals can optimise their workouts. We understand that wellness and recovery are as important as fitness and training, offering our members saunas, spas and cold plunge pools alongside personal training, group fitness, studio classes and free weights. Our commitment to holistic wellness saw the launch of three Merse Wellness Spas by 2025, dedicated wellness experiences attached to Fitness Cartel health clubs where members and visitors can restore their body and mind.

Our success story continues to unfold as we plan exciting new chapters. We continue to expand across Australia and New Zealand, aiming to open our 60th health club by 2030.