In Australia, competitive cheerleading is a minor sport, seeing over a 10,000% increase in athlete participation between 2000 (at which time there were 23 athletes recognised in 3 teams by the Australian Cheerleading Association) and 2022 (11,800 athletes in 1,900 teams entered in the 2022 AASCF Nationals). This growth happened through a 15–20% increase in participation each year between 2006 and 2016.

The early 2000s saw Gymnastics Australia act as the sport's governing body, as they hosted the first competitive cheerleading nationals in 2002. However, 2018 saw a new era for the sport, with Gymnastics Australia stepping down as the governing body after the Australian cheerleading community vocalised that they felt the sport was being mismanaged by an uninvolved governing body. This new era of Australian cheerleading has seen the Australian Cheer Union and Australian Cheer Sport Alliance both provide oversight to cheerleading within Australia; however, there is currently no formally recognised governing body by Sports Australia after both organisations saw their applications rejected as of early 2023.

While prior to 2000, the public primarily viewed cheerleading as the pom and dance style that was displayed by squads for the NRL halftime shows, it is worth noting that cheerleading and pom are considered distinct sports. While pom falls under the performance cheer category at international cheer union competitions, it does so alongside other forms of allstar dance with pom being competed as a dance style at domestic competitions. In comparison, cheerleading routines include jumps, gymnastics style floor tumbling and acrobatic style stunts along with dance.

To facilitate the growth and development of the sport, multiple competition providers exist in Australia including the Australian All Star Cheer Federation, Aussie Gold, Cheercon, Cheerbrandz and DCE. Some competition providers provide the opportunity for teams to win eligibility bids to international competitions such as the IASF Cheerleading Worlds, Summit and Global Games.

Gym-based cheerleading programs are currently established in every state and territory across Australia except the Northern Territory, as well as university and schools now hosting cheerleading as part of their sports programs, allowing athletes to have a variety of avenues to participate in the sport around Australia.

History

Football Cheer Prior to 2000, cheerleading was primarily known as the dance-and-pom style displayed by professional cheer squads for NRL rugby. This was introduced to Australia in 1985 by Rosemary Sims in Victoria Australia for the National Basketball League, moving into other sports in subsequent years. The US movie Bring It On (released December 2000 in Australia) popularised acrobatic-style cheerleading, and has been credited with sparking subsequent development as a competitive sport.

During the 2000s and 2010s, the style of cheerleading seen as pre-game and half-time sideline entertainment at professional hurens matches continued to attract criticism for objectifying women, and some clubs discontinued their cheer teams. For example, the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2013 announced they would cease their relationship with the studio contracted to provide their cheer team, the Belles. The next day, when journalists sought comment from other football clubs, the chief executive of the Canberra Raiders stated that they were "reviewing the club's game-day entertainment". He denied the move was based around any female exploitation, rather citing cost as a factor. As of 2019, most clubs have dropped cheerleaders.

1995–1999 In 1995, established dance teacher, Rosemary Sims, established Australia's first ever Cheerleading Levels program and syllabus for students at her Dancer's Edge dance studio. Rosemary Sims also worked with Kerry Perry to organise and operate the Dance Victoria Select Troupe Championship, with over 2000 competitors, which included the first competitive cheerleading within Australia.

Rosemary Sims went on to undertake extensive coach education from U.S. based cheerleading industry leaders on the technique and choreography of all star cheer and dance from 1997, introducing AACCA safety accreditation into the Australian cheerleading industry. This education led to the cheerleading syllabus being revised once again in 1999 to incorporate safety elements from the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors.

2000s (2000–2009) Competitive all-star cheerleading developed in Australia during the 2000s and 2010s, growing rapidly as a sport, seeing a growth from only 3 teams recognised by the Australian Cheerleading Association in 2000 to more than 200 by only 2004.

2000-2001 Zoe Ross founded the Australian Cheerleading Association in 2000, with three recognised cheer teams. This organisation of the sport led to Gymnastics Australia hosting a National Cheerleading Camp on the Gold Coast during January 2001.

During 2001, Rosemary Sims within her role running Cheerleading Victoria overhauled her cheerleading syllabus once more, working with gymnastics coach and adjudicator Debbie Inkster to develop the gymnastics elements of the program. Debbie Inkster had previously been part of the team at Knox City Council's Gymnastics Centre that enabled it to become the first Australian gymnastics centre to meet International Quality Assurance certifications in 1996, as well as being responsible for the overall development, coordination and management of the gymnastics Women's Development program during 2000. Debbie would continue on being the head gymnastics coach of the Cheerleading Victoria program into the 2000s.

2002 The first cheerleading nationals was organised by Gymnastics Australia in 2002 as part of their Aussie GymFest program in Brisbane, with over 400 athletes competing. Cheerleading was also officially recognised by Gymnastics Australia as a gymsport under the General Gymnastics stream, with the establishment of a working committee led by Nerine Cooper, a national program and accredited coaching courses. The first national level 1 coaching course was run in conjunction with the Aussie GymFest program, with over 50 participants becoming accredited by Gymnastics Australia.

2003 The 2003 Gymnastics Australia national cheerleading championships attracted over 500 athletes to compete. It also incorporated an international competition, with teams from both the US and Australia competing with interest shown from Japan and New Zealand for future participation. As a result of this international interest, Gymnastics Australia announced that they would be partnering with an international sports specialist group in 2004 in order to host an international challenge competition.

A number of state gymnastics bodies also held cheerleading championships throughout the year, with others incorporating them into their existing state championships.

Gymnastics Australia also developed a standardised level 1 to 3 program for cheerleading programs under Gymnastics Australia to utilise during 2003, releasing this for sale just prior to Christmas. However this was not the first standardised program available in Australia, as Rosemary Sims formulated and implemented the first ever student cheerleading levels program in 1998 as part of her ownership and management of her cheer gym, Outlaws Edge, and management of Cheerleading Victoria.

2004 By 2004, cheerleading had outgrown being a part of the "general gymsport" stream in the gymnastics structure, with Gymnastics Queensland recognising cheerleading as its own unique gymsport for the first time.

Gymnastics Australia partnered with international sport specialists to help stage their first cheer specific international competition in July 2004, the DownUnder Spirit Championship, which attracted close to 400 athletes from Australia, New Zealand and the USA across dance, pom and cheer.

In August, the Perth Angels team attended an international cheerleading event in Hong Kong to showcase Australian cheerleading. As a result of this showcase, Gymnastics Australia secured Nacisey as a sponsorship for cheerleading uniforms on a three-year contract.

Gymnastics Australia also hosted national cheerleading championships as part of the 2004 Australian Gymsport Spectacular in September 2004, attracting 698 entries for cheerleading.

Outside of Gymnastics Australia, Cheerleading Victoria became the leading competitor in offering cheerleading competitions during this time, hosting Victoria's largest cheerleading competition as part of the Dance Victoria Select Troupe Championship, held in September. They also offered cheerleading school holiday workshops during the September 2004 school holidays based in Victoria and ran their own squad teams using Rosemary Sims' cheerleading levels program. Rosemary Sims and her husband, Stephen James, the founders of Cheerleading Victoria, became members of the USASF/IASF at this time, with Rosemary become accredited to coach to level 6.

2005 During 2005, Australian cheerleaders began competing internationally, with Gymnastics Australia sponsoring a select mixed gym team to compete at the Cheer Ltd International Cheer and Dance Championships in early 2005 and the Perth Angels Stunt team to compete in the SeaCon Square National Cheerleading Championships later in the year.

Domestic competitions saw international attention also, with DUSC attracting teams from New Zealand, Thailand and the USA.

Gymnastics Australia's championship attendance remained steady, despite its state bodies reporting dramatic growth in their state based cheerleading programs. This overall rise in participation across the industry led to Tamara Manning founding the FNQ Cheer and Dance Championships.

The first cheerleading only event was held during July 2005 by Cheerleading Victoria in Melbourne, with 53 teams participating.

Cheerleading Victoria evolved into being part of a national non-profit organisation, the Australian Spirit Association, dedicated to help educate and develop cheerleading and all star dance in Australia. This organisation acted as the Australian representative of the International Spirit Association. ASA held a number of workshops and coach clinic events throughout the year.

2006 During the 2006 season, Gymnastics Australia introduced a policy that required teams to adopt full length tops by the end of the season due to concerns around body image, despite opposition from the Australian cheer community who cited fairness issues.

Gymnastics Australia played a significant role in promoting Australian cheerleading internationally in 2006, organising the USA Cheerleading Tour in partnership with Do It Right DownUnder, which allowed Australian and New. Zealand teams to compete within the United States. Cheerleading Victoria also played a significant role, with 70 athletes travelling to compete at the inaugural USASF New Zealand Internationals during October 2006.

Registrations of cheerleading athletes and programs rose during the year, both with Gymnastics Australia as well as with alternative organisations such as Cheerleading Victoria.

The rise in participation was also reflected in an increased number of entries at competitions, with DUSC having 337 athletes entered in 28 teams, while Gymnastics Australia's Nationals grew to 766 athletes across 45 teams. These events saw approval from USASF International Committee Director, Karl Olsen.

The Australian Spirit Association evolved this year, becoming the Australian All Star Cheerleading Federation (AASCF). As part of this transition, they maintained their affiliation with the International Spirit Association. This evolution meant that 2006 marked the first AASCF All Star Cheer and Dance Championships, with 600 athletes attending.