Sue Robinson, a trained fitness instructor of 17 years, is driving a campaign for a community gym in her Nundle, after identifying a lack of services in the tiny town 59km south-east of Tamworth.

Mrs Robinson approached Nundle Bowling Club about 18 months ago to build her own gym onsite, which would service the entire community.

It took 12 months to get the building approved through council, but she has since enclosed a 6m by 8m veranda of the club and purchased some refurbished gym equipment about four months ago.

“Nundle has little to no services,” she said.

“You can feel really isolated.

“I was out to create a place where I could train people and he could be there too.

“This space needs to service the elderly, the young and older farmers, the farmers wives and the children.”

Mrs Robinson has poured $70,000 into the project, but needs community support for it to be finished. 

She has launched a GoFundMe page to fundraise the last $4000 needed to buy the remainder of the equipment, including gym flooring, a recumbent bike for the elderly, a rower and light hand weights in order for it to be finished ahead of an open day on Australia Day.

Mrs Robinson tuned her life around when she lost 30kgs and became a fitness instructor 17 years ago.

She taught classes in Muswellbrook for 10 years, before moving back to her Nundle property with her husband. 

But it was then, while Mrs Robinson spent three years travelling four days a week to other towns more than an hour to get the services needed to help their six-year-old autistic son, that she put back on 17kgs.

She vowed to make a change – not just for herself, but also the community.

So she lost the weight, became a trainer again and realised Nundle needed its own dedicated place to exercise, having run group fitness classes in rented spaces.

“Over a year, I’ve got a solid 12 people who don’t miss a class,” she said.

“Being able to not have to drive to Tamworth one hour and back (is great).

“It’s a big significance (having a community gym in Nundle) because everybody needs someone to help motivate them.”

Mrs Robinson said it was easy to feel isolated in the country – especially if you have a child with a disability –but that the gym would provide the elderly with a place and a trainer to help them, as well as be a social environment for farmers, wives and children to meet, train and make friends.

To help fundraise the last $4000, head to www.gofundme.com/community-gym-for-a-country-town