Colosso Makes Padel Melbourne’s New Social Fix
Brighton and Southland have a new reason to look smug. Colosso has officially rolled into town with two glistening padel clubs that feel less like sports centres and more like the kind of lifestyle playground Melbourne tends to invent when it decides to reinvent something. Tennis and squash have had a baby and Melbourne has immediately given it good lighting, good coffee and a crowd that knows the difference between activewear and athleisure.
Padel has been creeping up on us for a while, popping up in travel feeds and Euro summer reels. What Colosso has done is drop it straight into Melbourne life with the polish of a boutique gym and the energy of a social club. You can head in for a morning ST. ALi coffee, meet mates for a hit, or enjoy an end-of-day drink that conveniently cancels out your workout. The whole place works because it sidesteps the usual sports-centre vibe and leans into design, comfort and a sense of community that doesn’t feel forced.
Players can book courts by app, jump into social matches or test the waters with free weekday intro classes. These classes run for half an hour and give you enough tips to look confident without needing to pretend you’ve watched hours of YouTube clinics. Kids get their own Colosso Cubs program and adults can join tournaments, Ladies Nights and coaching built for every skill level. It’s active living without the pressure of perfection.
Both new sites land later this year. Brighton opens September 2025 at the end of Breen Drive and Southland follows in November 2025 on the corner of Chesterville Road and Jamieson Street. Each club blends considered design with international-standard courts and equipment, finished with curated areas to hang out before and after games. The idea is simple: the sport is fun, the spaces are sharp and the people are the heartbeat.
Colosso soft-launched earlier this year with a pop-up at the Formula 1 Louis Vuitton Australian Grand Prix in Albert Park. Anyone who wandered through during the madness of race week will remember the fusion of high speed and padel rallies as a very Melbourne collision of interests. According to Colosso, that was just the warm-up. More pop-ups are incoming, with permanent clubs ready to anchor the brand’s growing community.
If you’ve never played, that’s half the point. Padel is fast to learn, easy on the ego and perfect for Melbourne’s love of sport, socialising and gear. Grab a racquet, recruit your group chat and try not to become obsessed after your first rally. It happens quickly.
Book a court or check out programs via the Colosso app. Melbourne, padel has arrived.
