Armidale Sport and Recreation Centre
Armidale is halfway between Sydney and Brisbane, just under 6 hours of driving from either.
The regional city isn’t an area you would expect to see a rollerskating rink, but I heard there was one there, so of course I had to visit.
The Armidale Sport and Recreation Centre offers one of the only options for public indoor rollerskating in northern inland NSW.
Here’s what I found when I visited in early 2023.
Contents
About the Venue
Armidale Sport and Rec has been a place of fun for locals for over 35 years.
The centre had a rollerskating rink that previous owners removed in 2006. The current owner, Wayne Clarkson, saw potential in bringing skating back in 2012.
The centre currently offers ten pin bowling, a play area for kids, a well-stocked café, and a 600 square metre rollerskating rink.
Rink Atmosphere
I visited the rink on a Saturday night. It was extremely quiet compared to most rinks on a night session, but this meant I had plenty of space to myself.
A few regulars set up slalom cones to practise with, and there was a very casual feel to the session.
There are a few fun artworks on the walls and the rink barriers are painted in bright colours, but the venue’s high seating, pool table and dim lighting creates a more mature atmosphere.
After chatting with one of the regulars, a former speed skater named Steve, I learnt that the day sessions are much brighter and popular with local kids during the school holidays.
The music was quite varied, a mixture of heavy metal and old pop songs, but the speakers were loud and clear.
Coloured lights gave the rink a great disco appearance after dark. I particularly liked the old light display at the back.
Floor Review
The rink is smaller than average and has some rough cracks and patches to look out for, but despite being dirty, it was nice to skate on when I visited.
A rink regular told me that the flooring is concrete over a wooden base.
I’m not sure how accurate that is or how it works, but that may account for why the floor felt somewhat softer to me when I fell on it.
What’s on at the Armidale rink?
The rink hosts an inline hockey club, occasionally roller derby, and would be open to hosting other rollersports if there were coaches available in the area.
The centre is open 6 days a week with heaps of time available to use the rink.
This makes it perfect for anyone wanting uninterrupted floor time to practice pretty much anything.
Supervised session times for kids and skaters needing assistance are available on Friday nights and weekends.
Why visit Armidale Sport and Rec?
The Armidale skating rink is simple and to be honest, a little rundown, but it’s the best indoor rollerskating spot in the region.
And having ten pin bowling in the same venue could help you lure non-skater friends to the rink.
At a time when there aren’t many rollerskating rinks left in Australia, it’s great to see one still active and offering skating fun for all ages in a regional city.
If you live nearby or are passing through, Armidale Sport and Rec is a great place to skate out of the weather.
The centre can be visited at 227 Mann St, Armidale, NSW or check out their website here.
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