Chill out and glide at the top spots for great ice skating on the Gold Coast
Nothing can beat the feeling of going to an ice rink on a hot summer weekend. The cold air across the complex with the thrills of an ice hockey game can energize any kid.
I’m already an adult, but the yearning never stops, especially during sweaty workdays. And I’m sure many people feel the same.
While the Gold Coast might not be everyone’s idea of a winter wonderland, it still offers great ice rinks and facilities to help shape Queensland’s next Sharon Burley.
It’s time to stretch those legs and wear your ice skates because here is your best guide for top ice skating on the Gold Coast.
Fun-filled ice skating rinks on the Gold Coast for friends and family
Since the Gold Coast is in Australia’s subtropical region, it’s nigh impossible for snow to fall upon the city and its beaches, much less for lakes to freeze.
That said, people can still enjoy a good ol’ fun time in the cold with some of the best ice skating rinks in the city. Bonus: it’s all family-friendly!
Planet Chill Ice-Skating Rink
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Location: 122 Ferny Ave, Paradise Resorts Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise
Contact: [email protected], +61 7 5579 4482
Hours:
- Monday and Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM
- Tuesday and Thursday: 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Friday and Sunday: 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM
- Saturday: 9:30 AM – 7:30 PM
Admission price: $20
As part of the Paradise Resort Gold Coast’s popular attractions, Planet Chill Ice-Skating Rink is open to kids and adults looking to enjoy a day out on the ice.
The 10 x 15 m rink has guide railings and neon lights on the floor to help beginner skaters grasp the sport’s fundamentals.
Children aged 3 to 5 will particularly appreciate the guide penguins to help them balance, while older kids delight in playing mini-ice hockey with other visitors.
Visitors won’t need to worry about equipment, as the facility will provide rentable skating shoes and helmets for free.
Customers can also buy ankle socks if they or their children aren’t wearing one. Low-cut and half socks aren’t allowed as the shoes can easily chafe into the exposed skin.
Although the ice skating rink doesn’t offer cancellation refunds, customers can still reschedule their session if they can’t make it on the initial date.
Pro tip:
Bringing your ice skating shoes is better than renting from the facility. The blades of leased shoes are blunt and show signs of aging from multiple uses, making the rink more slippery and dangerous.
If you don’t have one, try looking for second-hand shoes on online marketplaces. Most items sold are still in good condition and cheaper than first-hand products.
Gold Coast Iceland
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Location: 15 Strathaird Rd, Bundall
Contact: [email protected], +61 7 5539 9899
Hours: Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Admission price:
- Children: $20
- Student: $24
- Adult: $30
Although primarily catered to children, Gold Coast Iceland provides more space for visitors to run around the rink freely.
Children and adults can enroll in the facility’s skating and ice hockey lessons while still allowing space for other visitors to enjoy their time.
One of Iceland’s regular skating teachers even includes Queensland’s first and only Olympic figure skater, Sharon Burley-Sullivan. Students are guaranteed to master ice skating under a professional’s guidance.
With cold air blasted across the complex, visitors won’t need to worry about getting sweaty after running around the ice rink the whole day.
If you visit the ice rink around November or December, you can also participate in Iceland’s annual costume event party and win special treats and prizes.
The Christmas event is particularly popular among visitors as Santa Claus descends into the ice rinks to guide and mingle with children. And yes, he can do some sick tricks!
Parents can book the child’s party room for their kids’ birthdays and special events to enjoy snacks after running around the ice. Customers would still need to bring the food from outside, but Iceland will provide some decorations and furniture for the party.
Pro tip:
Avoid the wet spots on the rink, as the melted ice has likely made the area uneven and may cause accidents. Most wet spots are near the rink’s edge, so skating around the center or beside the railings should be safer.
Iceworld Olympic Ice Rinks
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Location: 1179 Beaudesert Rd, Acacia Ridge
Contact: [email protected], (07) 3277 7563
Hours:
- Sunday to Thursday: 10:30 AM – 3:00 PM
- Friday: 10:30 AM – 10:00 PM
- Saturday: 11:30 AM – 10:00 PM
Admission price:
- General admission (15 yrs and older): $29.50
- Children (6 to 14 yrs): $24.50
- Toddler (3 to 5 yrs): $13
The Iceworld Olympic Ice Rinks is the biggest ice skating rink in the city. As such, it also holds the most ice-related activities.
For one, Iceworld is the only ice rink on the Gold Coast hosting several winter sports like figure skating and curling at a similar scale in the Winter Olympics.
If winter sports seem a bit too active for you, the ice rink also offers facilities and accommodations for birthday parties and corporate events. These include reserved rink-side seats for the whole group and a full set of equipment for everyone.
With such a huge facility, the ice rink offers multiple ice skating lessons, too!
Children as young as 3 can enroll in its nationally accredited Aussie Skate School program to receive quality classes on fundamental skating skills, free skating, ice hockey, and ice dancing.
Of course, adults also have dedicated classes and co-op classes with their kids after passing Tests 5-6.
The courses usually run 30 to 45 minutes per session and cost around $200 per student. Enrollees can, of course, request personal training in addition to the regular course packages.
Best of all, all facilities and services are available in both Iceworld locations in Boondall and Acacia Ridge.
Pro tip:
It’s common to see more kids progressing faster in skating lessons than beginning adults and teenagers. Not being afraid of falling affects the progress enrollees usually take through the courses.
That said, always be careful on the ice as a bad fall could permanently affect the hands, knees, or hips.
Choosing the right ice skating lesson for you
Getting on the ice rink is easy, but moving into one is a different beast. Thankfully, the Gold Coast offers great facilities and instructors to guide your path to professional levels.
Fundamental skills
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Across all ice skating disciplines, the basic fundamental skills are often prioritized during practice and training.
It was no wonder that these skills were taught across most ice skating rinks. Gold Coast Iceland and Iceworld particularly offer industry-standard basic ice skating lessons with various levels for different skills and experiences.
Primary lessons often include simple ice walks, drifts, and stops as beginners try to balance themselves on the ice. This is also why learning the proper falling technique is part of many ice skating lessons.
If you can stand and move on the ice unassisted, you can move next to practicing pivots, lunges, and foot hops to move across the rink.
Basic training usually takes several days or weeks to master. It’s only after these that aspiring skaters can focus on jumps and quick turns as they choose specific disciplines and sports.
Figure skating
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Far beyond the usual skating experience, figure skating tests people’s flexibility and balance to their limits as they perform more complex routines.
These often include one-foot glides, pirouettes, and spins while timing your movement with the music or a partner.
That said, not all figure skating routines require back-breaking poses. Most lessons offer fundamental skills and techniques similar to ballet.
Best of all, ice skating remains accessible regardless of body type and weight. If you can balance yourself on the ice, you can learn most of the routines used in competitions.
Even adults with no prior experience can feel the joy on the ice after a few weeks of training if they’re willing
Gold Coast Iceland and Iceworld offer ice skating lessons, although Iceland’s lessons are catered towards children beginning their first steps into ice rinks.
Ice dancing
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While figure skating draws inspiration from disciplines in ballet and gymnastics, ice dancing is closer to ballroom dancing.
For one, ice dancing rarely uses jumps. Instead, it leans more towards lifts and drags.
It is also often performed in pairs or groups in contrast to solo performances in figure skating.
Outside of its core disciplines, ice dancing differs from other ice sports, as it requires core strength and posture to execute its lifts perfectly.
As such, its practices usually include proper lifting forms and knee bends for better balance during swings and speed turns.
Ice dancing group lessons are available at all ice rinks in the city, with some choreography classes held on solid ground first.
Synchronized skating
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Synchronized skating differs from figure skating and ice dancing because it usually involves more than two people performing on the rink.
This also means the routines are comparatively simpler than figure skating, focusing more on team coordination than impressive solo moves.
Plus, synchronized skaters often move faster than figure skaters to provide enough space for each performer.
Like other ice skating disciplines, synchronized skating is open to performers as young as 5. However, most competitions group all under ages 13 and 14 in one category.
Iceworld Olympic Ice Rinks in Boondall and Acacia Ridge are the only places on the Gold Coast that offer lessons and facilities to host professional synchronized skating.
Ice hockey
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Ice hockey is about speed, precision, and fast turns. Most of its lessons focus on speed and quick turn drills, rather than stick handling and puck control.
You will also experience more falls and crashes in hockey than in other sports, making protective gear paramount.
Hockey lessons for kids and adults are also usually distinct, with kiddie lessons held in smaller spaces in contrast to older players being given speed at Olympic-sized rinks.
All ice rinks on the Gold Coast offer ice hockey venues at varying degrees and age levels, with Planet Chill exclusive to toddlers and children under 9.