Darts
A target sport in which players throw small missiles, known as darts, at a circular board divided into scoring sections.
The origin of darts can be traces back to England in the 1300s, with the more modern version of the game originating in France during the 19th century.
Darts was introduced to Australia during World War II when British soldiers shared the game with Australian soldiers. 1
Discover more about darts
Clearinghouse evidence base:
- Australian Sport History - history and Hall of Fame information about darts.
Evolution:
- Australasian Darts Council [1927-1975]
- Darts Federation of Australia [1975-2012]
- Darts Australia [2012-]
Participation
An estimated 37,000 Australians [aged 15+] participated in darts at least once in 2025. 2
An estimated 13,000 Australian women [aged 15+] and an estimated 24,000 Australian men [aged 15+] participated in darts at least once in 2025. 2
Explore further participation statistics for darts through the AusPlay online portal., opens in a new tab
Governing body
Darts Australia, opens in a new tab is the organisation recognised by governments at all levels as the national controlling body for the sport of darts in Australia.
History
The Australasian Darts Council was established in 1927 to oversee darts across Australia and New Zealand. In 1975, the Darts Federation of Australia was formed as the sport's first national governing body in Australia. The organisation was renamed Darts Australia in 2012. 3
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.
- Darts Australia Annual Report 2025[PDF • 4.53 mb]
- Darts Australia Annual Report 2024[PDF • 5.28 mb]
- Darts Australia Annual Report 2023[PDF • 533.93 kb]
- Darts Australia Annual Report 2022[PDF • 919.71 kb]
- Darts Australia Strategic Plan 2026-2029[PDF • 209.22 kb]
- Darts Australia Strategic Plan 2014-2017[PDF • 266.92 kb]
- Darts Federation of Australia Strategic Plan 2010-2014[PDF • 1.69 mb]
REFERENCES
- A Brief History of Darts, opens in a new tab, Dart Corner, (accessed 30 September 2026)
- AusPlay Data Portal: Participation by activity, opens in a new tab, Australian Sports Commission, (accessed 30 September 2026)
- The Oxford companion to Australian sport, opens in a new tab, The Australian Society for Sports History
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