Timeline

First Deaf Mutes Cricket Club was formed in Melbourne in the 1880’s. This club is now called the Melbourne Deaf Cricket Club and is one of the oldest deaf sport clubs in the world, if not the oldest.   It was the beginning of a fascinating journey for the development of Deaf sport that continues…

Deaf Sports Australia became affiliated with the International Silent Sports of the Deaf (CISS) in 1955 (now called International Sports Committee of the Deaf).

Deaf Carnivals brought deaf people from all over Australia together, which started after WW2, with interstate rivalry in sport competitions that included cricket, tennis, chess, table tennis, draughts and lacrosse. In summer 1964/65, the first Australian Deaf Games were held in Sydney and these Games have continued to this day with 15 sports including basketball,…

Australia participated in the World Games for the Deaf in 1965 with two participants and won two medals. Now called the Deaflympics, where both summer and winter Games are held, deaf Australian teams have regularly participated and done well.

The Australian Deaf Sports Federation, now Deaf Sports Australia (DSA) has played an important coordinating role in the development of deaf sport administration and participation on a local, national and international level.   Pioneers like Eli Noble and John Lovett played an integral role in highlighting the importance of deaf people having the opportunity to…

Australia was nominated and successfully hosted its first ever Deaflympics in Melbourne in 2005.   This event had an impact on the Australian Deaf Community, helping build confidence in deaf people’s ability to facilitate an event of over 3,500 participants, increase community awareness about deaf and hard of hearing people and build a strong profile…

Deaf Sports Australia successfully delivered its ‘Active Deaf Kids’ School Education Program (ADK) across Australia. Since this started, over 4,500 deaf and hard of hearing students attended. Significant funding from Sports Australia allowed this to happen.   Main objectives of the program was to mainly share increasing awareness among deaf and hard of hearing students…

Active Deaf Sports Club (ADSC) is a program that was established to provide mainstream sports organisations and clubs the opportunity to integrate inclusion practises for their deaf and hard of hearing sports participants.   This program is still active today.

All 16 National Deaf Sport Organisations and 6 State Deaf Sport Organisations agreed to join DSA as one incorporated organisation allowing them to focus on their sport programs and less on administration and legal requirements.

The 18th Australian Deaf Games was held in Albury / Wodonga and it was the first time two cities have shared a hosting role. Almost 1000 deaf and hard of hearing athletes including invited countries (New Zealand and Fiji), their families, friends and the deaf community went along to enjoy a week of sport, culture…