Epic Skate Rink, located in Tweed Heads, NSW, is a vibrant skating venue that is a great addition to the Northern NSW rollerskating scene.
In this article I’ll tell you all about the rink’s past, how it looks, what it offers, and about it’s exciting future.
Contents:
Epic Skate’s Past
The Epic Skate Rink developed from the love of skating and the necessity of a new training ground for an inline hockey loving family.
When the old Coolangatta rink closed in 2001, there was a hole left in the local skating community. To fill this gap Leanne McMahon opened Epic Skate Rink in 2006 with help from friends, family, locals and the Brisbane inline hockey community.
Leanne McMahon owned the rink for well over a decade until selling just before the Covid pandemic rocked Australia.
A Promising Future
Nik Petricevic skated as a kid and was a casual skater when the previous owner of Epic Skate wanted to step back.
Nik wasn’t looking for a new business, but during a visit to the rink one session he left his number with Julio Espin, a prominent inline skater in the area who knew the owner at the time.
This led to Nik taking ownership of Epic Skate Rink in November 2022.
Having owned one of the first 24-hour gyms during the 2000s (back before they spread across Australia like a plague), Nik is no stranger to overcoming challenges and running an unconventional business.
He’s approaching owning Epic Skate Rink with this can-do attitude and a passion for all things skating.
‘Our goal is to revolutionise the rink.’ Nik
Helping him achieve this goal is Julio Espin, the managing director. Julio is just as passionate about skating and runs the socials for a popular Gold Coast rollout group.
Adult Skate Nights
Part of the new direction for Epic Skate is to introduce more opportunities for adults to enjoy rollerskating indoors.
The rink hosts regular adults only (16+) sessions each Saturday night, as well as special events for adults once a month.
I visited one of these events recently so if you’re wondering what makes adult skate nights special, check out my top 5 reasons to visit an adults night at Epic Skate Rink.
Another great option for a more mature skate is the Sunday 2-4 pm sessions. While they’re still open to all ages, these sessions notably don’t include party bookings.
Parties mean a busier rink filled with reckless kids, so without them you get a lot more free-flowing and enjoyable session.
Other than these sessions Epic Skate hosts inline hockey, roller derby, artistic (figure) skating, learn to skate lessons, birthday parties, functions, and general skating sessions.
They host special events for major holidays and occasionally run themed nights, like their recent Valentine’s day skate.
Rink Appearance
Epic Skate Rink is a bright, open venue with a spacious skating floor.
Graffiti art of various styles scattered around the large venue give it an early 2000s pop punk aesthetic and the mix of bright colours on the rink walls, skate hire and café add to the youthful atmosphere.
The venue has no air-conditioning, but a huge fan above the rink and several around the seating areas keep air flowing around the large building surprisingly well.
The night sessions light up brilliantly which make for an exciting skating experience.
White and blue Christmas lights are strung over and around the rink adding to the dazzling display from 2 shining disco balls and various other lights.
The speakers are loud and clear. When I visited on a day session the music was a good mix for a general audience, not sounding too dated or boring.
The rink floor is smooth concrete sealed with a skating specific paint. When I visited in January 2023 it was due for a resurface.
In hard wheels you can feel several cracks and there are some nasty rough patches around the edges of the rink that catch your wheels if you’re not careful.
But the surface was level, had a gentle grippiness, and was predictable enough to be enjoyable to skate on.
It’s also cleaned regularly– that’s always a plus.
Unique Features
I was a little disorientated when I first entered the building. In most rinks the counter to pay for entry is near the front door. But at Epic Skate the first thing you see is the rink and a fantastic view of skaters already on the skating floor.
It’s not until you walk around one end of the rink along a narrow laneway that you get to the skate hire counter, café and main seating area.
There is another of these long laneways going the other direction around the rink to the party area. These long laneways at both ends of the rink allow people to line up inside when waiting to pay, so no one is left outside in bad weather.
They also make it easier to separate party guests from other skaters creating a smoother process for everyone.
The rink itself was built with inline roller hockey in mind so one of its most notable features are the booths along one side.
During hockey games, gates in the rink wall of each booth provide protection from stray balls or pucks while allowing players, coaches, and officials quick access to the rink.
In general skating sessions the booths create private sections for groups to sit together and store their stuff. Clusters of teens particularly love the novelty of them.
Encouraging Attitude
Julio Espin, Epic Skate’s managing director, believes rollerskating rinks are a great place for new skaters to be inspired both to skate more and to improve their skills on wheels.
‘We want everyone leaving here feeling like they’ve had an awesome time and they’re inspired.’ Julio
Julio talked about encouraging Epic Skate’s staff to, within reason, show skaters in the general sessions the sorts of impressive moves that are possible on skates.
The staff at Epic Skate are a mix of inline and quad skaters skilled in different disciplines. There are hockey, artistic, slalom, and derby skaters, plus those with skills they developed outside of a particular discipline.
As well as being encouraged to safely show off their skills, the staff monitor the floor and run games during the day and night sessions.
These include classics like Limbo and speed skating, plus a few lesser-known games. Occasionally they spice up a session by bringing out inflatable balls and tandem boards for skaters to push each other around on.
What else do they offer?
If you need a break from skating, there’s still plenty to keep you entertained at Epic Skate.
Near the seating area is an air hockey table and a couple arcade games to play.
The display of skate gear for sale is set up nicely and if you’re looking to upgrade your skates the experienced staff are happy to help you pick the right products.
Plenty of tables and chairs fill the seating area, providing a nice spot to chat with friends or to watch the 2 TVs nearby that play videos of various roller sports.
Even if you weren’t skating for some reason, I reckon it’d be entertaining enough to enjoy a snack from the cafe while watching clips from old roller hockey games or artistic performances.
Food and drink options
The café offers coffee and cold drinks as well as a great selection of lollies, ice creams, savoury snacks and some unique hot food options. While there are no hot chips or fryer food, there are pizzas, toasties, sausage rolls and even 2-minute noodles.
Parties
Nearly all rollerskating rinks have setups for parties, but Epic Skate’s party area is one of the nicest I’ve seen.
It’s in the opposite corner of the building to the main seating, providing privacy while maintaining a good view of the skating floor.
With the birthday themed artwork and fairy lights, the space looks awesome for group photos.
Where to find Epic Skate?
Epic Skate Rink is a fantastic skating venue run by a team passionate about growing skating in the Gold Coast and Northern NSW. It is truly for all ages and I encourage anyone who loves a bright, well-setup rink to check it out.
Epic Skate can be visited at 20/23 Enterprise Ave, Tweed Heads South NSW or check out their website here.
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(For further info about the history of rollerskating rinks on the Gold Coast, including Epic Skate Rink’s predecessor in Coolangatta, I recommend you check out this fantastic article: Rollerland Skating Rink )
