Hi there. Welcome to Visions Fitness Centre.
We’ve proudly been Hawthorn's local gym since 1984. Yes, that puts us well into our thirties - but don't judge us on that because, like our members, we’re full of energy and looking damn fine for our age! Originally, when the fitness landscape was quite different, we actually opened as an aerobics centre (one of the biggest in the country at the time). However, as the fitness world changed and evolved, so did we, gradually phasing out aerobics in the late 90s (along with fluoro lycra) and installing a wide range of quality gym equipment across two levels.
Our goal is to be our members’ second home. Our casual, friendly and fun atmosphere is something we cherish and incorporate into all aspects of our facility and our interaction with members.
So, when you walk in our door you’ll be greeted by a local and a smile! Yes, we house a number of impressive athletes, but we are also the place for people who aren’t that. We’re all about the fit and the not-so-fit, the big and the small, the younger and the older. Health and fitness is a journey, so wherever you’re at in your journey, Visions is your place to feel comfortable and motivated on the way to reaching your goals.
We’ve stood the test of time. Come in and see why. And if you want to whip out your fluro lycra, we’ll probably give you a high-five!
Cheers,
The Visions Team
where we came from
We're proud of our history and where we began - it plays a large part of who we are and what we strive to be today.
It’s been almost four decades since Visions opened, so we’ve been a part of the constantly evolving and changing fitness world. We are very proud that, to this day, Visions remains the same quality, friendly and community-orientated Hawthorn institution that it has been since our founder, Wayne, opened the gym so many years ago. Loved by so many, Wayne remains dearly missed and not a day goes past that we do not appreciate that he created the gym so many of us call our second home.
In February 1984, aged just 24 and a budding physiotherapist, Wayne opened ‘Visions Aerobics Centre’ at the beginning of the aerobics craze (…yes, that was a thing). For a long time only classes were available, accompanied by a huge music video screen and energetic grapevines and step-ups. Like many small businesses, times in the beginning were tough, and we lived on bread and water in these first few years to get by and often slept in the gym's office! But gradually the reputation of Visions grew and it became an established Hawthorn institution known for its fun vibes, quality fitness facilities and just generally as a place where anyone and everyone was welcome to be a part of its community.
Eventually, a few pieces of gym equipment were added to the upstairs area and, in addition to aerobics, circuit classes were run incorporating weights and machines.
Aerobics began to lose some of its popularity in the late 90s, so by the turn of the century we had filled the entire gym space with equipment and said a teary farewell to aerobics at Visions. Sadly, fluoro-lycra began to disappear through this period as well, however thankfully some of our members have refused to part ways with their various 80s activewear choices ever since.
Where did the name 'visions' come from?
When Visions started as an aerobics centre, the focus was for it to be a place where members felt comfortable in themselves and could exercise without feeling self-conscious and worried about body image. To ensure this, Visions’ founder, Wayne, chose to conduct all aerobics classes in semi-dark lighting, where the emphasis was on the exercise - not how you looked doing it! With the addition of an enormous projection screen showing music videos, it only seemed fitting that the name of the gym should be called ‘Visions’.
To this day, the same ethos remains – we provide an environment where people feel comfortable in their surroundings, irrespective of experience, age and fitness level. As a result, your gym experience becomes positive, motivating and fun, making your fitness goals much, much easier to achieve.
With our recent renovations, you might also see some winks to our history and name - classes in the dark? Big screen on the gym floor?
Come in, look around and see why we’ve stood the test of time.
Visions proudly supports the following locals:
