Where to experience the fun and thrill of axe throwing on the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast boasts a lot of activities for all folks to indulge in, from indoor recreational hobbies to thrilling sports in the wilderness.
However, one stands unique for its novel appeal and rising popularity among the city’s night-goers: axe throwing.
What first started as a sport among lumberjacks in the 1960s has spread even to the Gold Coast as more people become captivated by its more physical approach to darts.
Interested? Then, this article is for you.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced veteran in the sport, axe throwing on the Gold Coast offers fun exciting twists for everyone to discover.
The appeal of axe throwing on the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is a diverse city with residents hailing from all parts of the world. As such, socialization plays a big part in the city’s culture.
It wasn’t a surprise a social activity like axe throwing appealed to many people on the Gold Coast. It’s like darts or bowling—two popular bar sports in the city—but with axes.
Most axe-throwing spaces are also paired with bars and restaurants—the perfect places to continue the fun with friends while recharging from the activity.
Top spots for the best axe-throwing experience on the Gold Coast
Excited now? We’re just starting.
To ensure a fantastic time axe throwing on the Gold Coast, here are some of our team’s top picks for the best spots in the city.
From hobby shops to competitive leagues, the city offers a thrilling experience for beginners and the experienced looking to hurl axes at a target.
1. Maniax Axe Throwing
– Media credit: maniax.au
Location: Paradise Centre, Level 1 Cavill Ave, Surfers Paradise
Contact: [email protected], 1300 217 583
Hours:
- Monday to Thursday: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
- Friday: 11:00 AM – 12:00 AM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Cost:
- $250 – One night
- $475 – Two nights
Perfect for corporate parties or small celebrations, the Maniax shop at Surfers Paradise allows people to enjoy the thrill of axe throwing without the pressure.
New players can learn quickly with help from professional coaches, and those in sandals or open shoes can rent boots and disposable socks.
Except for weekends and holidays, Maniax’s Gold Coast branch shop is spacious with many lanes available for hours.
After sweating out on the lanes, players can relax, refresh, and enjoy at Maniax’s food and drinks bar. Like a true Viking, customers can brave its signature meads, including a 12.5% alcohol spicy mead to get the blood pumping.
For those looking for more challenge, there’s the Maniax Axe League and tournaments for players across Australia to test who has the sharpest throw.
People can join the league at any Maniax hub. The tournament is open to everyone, giving beginners the chance to learn from the best while professionals and long-time players battle to win massive prizes each week.
Pro tip:
If you’re going in as a group, plan each player’s rotation to speed up the admission process and maximize time on the lanes.
2. Axe Throwing Gold Coast
– Media credit: zerolatency.goldcoast
Location: 34a Smith St, Southport
Contact: [email protected], (07) 5630 3700
Hours:
- Monday to Thursday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Friday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 10:30 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Price: $33 per person
Axe Throwing Gold Coast set itself apart from similar axe-throwing spots in the city for its commitment to hosting group events and celebrations.
Customers can receive a 10% discount if they arrive with 17 to 24 players, while a 12% discount is eligible for groups with 25 to 32 members. The shop also has a premium discount package for corporate events and big parties, a 15% off voucher for 33+ players.
Party groups won’t need to worry about refreshments and food because Axe Throwing has its bar and catering services for coffee, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and such.
Just a heads up: players are only allowed two alcoholic drinks while participating in the axe throwing.
The moving virtual reality (VR) targets also provide a fun twist to the usual sport, focusing more on accuracy and timing.
This is in addition to the wide selection of themed targets and mini-games involving flying axes, including a zombie hunter, tic-tac-toe, and a lineup-4 mode.
Customers can also explore other attractions at Zero Latency—where the Axe Throwing Gold Coast is part of—if there’s still enough energy after axe throwing.
Its most popular attractions include escape rooms and VR-powered shooters. Some are even based on popular game titles like Warhammer 40k and Far Cry.
Pro tip:
While the place offers drinks and catering services inside, it’s best to bring your food and drinks as the beverages and food sold can be pricey, especially the alcoholic drinks.
3. Lumber Punks Axe Throwing
– Media credit: lumberpunks_axethrowing
Location: 9 Ozone Parade, Miami
Contact: [email protected], +61 413 787 248
Hours:
- Monday to Saturday: 11:00 AM – 8:30 PM
- Sunday: 11:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Cost:
- $115 – 1 night
- $230 – 2 nights
- $345 – 3 nights
Located in Miami Beach, Lumber Punks Axe Throwing is a popular amusement center for locals and tourists looking for dating spots near the night markets.
Customers won’t need to bring anything, as all equipment and uniforms are provided as part of the Lumber Punks experience.
Like Maniax, players also have the opportunity to compete with experienced and professional axe throwers with Lumber Punk’s annual and seasonal league competitions.
If the tournament leagues feel overwhelming, visitors can still enjoy a more relaxed time at Lumber Punks, thanks to trainers ready to guide beginners in the sports.
Players can even step up the good vibes at the place with the Lumber Punks refreshment bar with chocolate snacks, chips, ciders, and non-alcoholic beers courtesy of Heaps Normal.
Of course, customers are free to bring their food or order from external delivery services.
After all the fun and games, people can take memorabilia of their experience in the Lumber Punks via custom-made accessories and clothes available in the center’s online store.
Pro tip:
It’s best to keep chatting and intermingling to a minimum. The allotted time per group is short and the staff are constantly monitoring for players trying to interrupt others.
Important reminders when experiencing axe-throwing activities
Before experiencing the thrills of axe throwing on the Gold Coast, here are some practical and safety reminders to enjoy your time to the fullest.
Wear enclosed shoes
Accidents can always happen in sports involving sharp objects. The handle breaking off or the axe head detaching could easily result in an injury.
The toes and the feet are often the most vulnerable. As such, wearing enclosed shoes provides extra protection for the players and minimizes potential damages from accidents.
Bring extra clothes
Your time throwing axes might be short, but it doesn’t mean the activity isn’t physically taxing. Just a few minutes in the lane can still cause people to sweat buckets.
There’s also the fact that some axe-throwing venues have limited ventilation, causing staying on the lanes an uncomfortably hot experience.
To avoid a sweaty afterparty or—even worse, heat stroke—try wearing comfortable and breathable clothes during plays. Bringing extra shirts is also a good idea to stay fresh.
Keep the 16-feet safety distance
Staff and facility trainers could often be heard repeating this advice to spectators: keep a 16-feet safety distance from the player when throwing their axes.
This is to avoid incidents, like the axe slipping away from the player’s hands, that could cause injuries to anyone standing near them.
Don’t catch the axe
This may seem obvious in hindsight, but enough incidents have happened to warrant repeating this safety reminder to everyone.
If the axe didn’t lodge on the target, players are prohibited from catching the axe until it fully landed on the ground. The precaution is intended to prevent people from cutting themselves—or worse, dismembering, from the axe’s blade.
Some shops even have an indicated line marker preventing players from crossing it to avoid the axe bouncing to where the player stands.
Only bring kids aged 14 and older
While axe-throwing centers don’t restrict how old their players can be, it does have rules on how young they can be allowed to play.
Kids aged 14 and older are generally allowed to participate in axe-throwing sports but only with close supervision from staff, coaches, or parents.
Parents can still bring children under 13 within the premises, although they must be attended to at all times to avoid disrupting other players or causing an accident.
Avoid wearing gloves while axe throwing
While some professionals prefer using it, avoid wearing gloves, especially fingerless ones to prevent potential disasters.
Non-rubber handles can easily slip from the glove’s fabric to cause the player’s shots to miss, or worse, hit other people.
Coaches and staff will usually teach newer players the proper ways of handling and throwing axes, so there’s no need to worry about loose grips.