Bocce
Bocce is an Italian boules sport where players roll solid balls along a court to finish closest to a small target ball.
With roots in ancient Rome, bocce was developed in Europe before being introduced to Australia by Italian migrants in the early 1900s.
Bocce became a competitive sport in Australia in the late 1960s, with the first national championships being held in 1970. 1
Discover more about bocce
Clearinghouse evidence base:
- Australian Sport History - history and Hall of Fame information about bocce.
Evolution:
- Bocce Federation of Australia [1971-2020]
- Bocce Australia [2020-]
Participation
An estimated 3,000* Australians [aged 15+] participated in bocce at least once in 2025. 2
*estimate has a relative margin of error between 50% and 100% and should be used with caution
Explore further participation statistics for bocce through the AusPlay online portal., opens in a new tab
Governing body
Bocce Australia, opens in a new tab is the organisation recognised by governments at all levels as the national controlling body for the sport of bocce in Australia.
History
The Bocce Federation of Australia (BFA) was established in 1971 as the sport's first national governing body. 1 The organisation became known as Bocce Australia in 2020.
Documents
The Clearinghouse for Sport has sought permission from relevant organisations for the inclusion of their documents in this archive. Copyright ownership remains vested with the organisation and as such permission from the copyright owner should be sought if you wish to communicate, adapt or reproduce these documents.
- Bocce Australia Annual Report 2025[PDF • 15.95 mb]
- Bocce Australia Annual Report 2024[PDF • 7.33 mb]
- Bocce Australia Annual Report 2023[PDF • 5.28 mb]
- Bocce Australia Annual Report 2022[PDF • 11.32 mb]
- Bocce Australia Annual Report 2021[PDF • 3.65 mb]
- Bocce Federation of Australia Annual Report 2013-2014[PDF • 628.91 kb]
- Bocce Federation of Australia Annual Report 2012-2013[PDF • 129.96 kb]
- Bocce Federation of Australia Financial Statement 2007-2008[PDF • 166.2 kb]
- Bocce Federation of Australia Financial Statement 2006-2007[PDF • 321.2 kb]
- Bocce Australia Strategic Plan 2026-2028[PDF • 143.33 kb]
REFERENCES
- History of the sport, opens in a new tab, Bocce Australia, (accessed 30 September 2026)
- AusPlay Data Portal: Participation by activity, opens in a new tab, Australian Sports Commission, (accessed 30 September 2026)
Content disclaimer: See Clearinghouse for Sport disclaimer
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