This action was instigated by a group of Melbourne traceurs, who found themselves 'teaching' newcomers as parkour started to grow in popularity, and were thus seen as responsible for their 'students'.

"[3] Another reason for the formation of the APA was to establish a nationally recognised body to promote a positive and accurate portrayal of parkour in Australia.

[4] [5] [6] Globally, there has been significant controversy regarding the philosophical underpinnings of parkour,[7] with many feeling that important principles were being left out of mainstream media representation.

Following discussions initially localised in Melbourne, similar groups in Sydney and Canberra were contacted and quickly included, their contributions refining and completing the concept of what is now known as the APA.

[4][6] Many APA members have featured in media appearances in recent years, with the aim of positively and accurately representing parkour to the wider community.