Planet X
The coastal city of Port Macquarie on the mid north coast of NSW is a gorgeous place to visit for a holiday
It has beautiful beaches and rainforest views, but best of all- it has a rollerskating rink!
Planet X is a family fun centre that offers a dedicated skating rink, arcade games, and is the only indoor paintball (speedball) facility in regional NSW.
Read on to learn more about what Port Macquarie’s only rink looks like, how it’s run and why you should check it out.
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What's on at Planet X?
Planet X isn’t a busy venue unless there are parties or events booked.
While this can mean it’s understaffed at times, a quiet, casual rink is great for new skaters wanting a safe space to practise.
The venue runs skate fitness and learn-to-skate programs, sponsors an inline hockey club, and are looking to host roller derby training very soon.
About the Venue
Planet X’s target audience is generally kids and young teens, so the sessions are casual and inclusive.
The venue’s manager, Amaya has been skating for around 6 years and the former roller derby player loves introducing people to skating.
Amaya goes out of her way to help new skaters understand the basics during general sessions, as well as during regular learn-to-skate classes.
‘You spend 5 minutes helping someone to skate then they can get it, and for the rest of the time they’ll work on those things and probably love it.’
The skating games are another standout feature at Planet X.
Games are run mostly during the night sessions and are modified to be more inclusive.
For example, in the classic rink game of Corners (known by many other names) large dice or similar are used to pick a corner and skaters in that corner leave the floor. This repeats until a winner is left.
But at Planet X, skaters in the chosen corner then have to skate backwards, or with other variations that don’t make them leave the rink.
‘I wouldn’t want to pay money to come to a skate rink and then have to sit off for the game because I was in the wrong corner,’ Amaya said.
Rink Floor Review
Planet X’s rollerskating rink is on the small side and has padded support beams in the centre of the floor.
The skating surface is a type of interlocking plastic tiles commonly referred to as sports court.
Sports court flooring has its pros and cons; generally most people with quad skates hate it, inline skaters don’t mind, and inline hockey players like it.
It felt bumpy and somewhat uneven under the hard wheels I wore on my quad skates.
This type of floor is known to be grippier than other surfaces. It can be good for some types of skating but can also feel slippery on humid days or when dirty.
Between skating sessions the rink doubles as a Speedball arena.
This type of indoor paintball uses little rubber balls as ammunition.
The rink is swept after these sessions, but I still found the floor to be dirty and littered with debris.
Amaya pointed out that this less than perfect floor makes the flat, open space at Planet X perfect practise for new skaters who want to eventually skate outdoors.
This type of flooring is also impact resistant so can be safer and less daunting to fall on than concrete.
Appearance and Atmosphere
Planet X is an open and airy space with a colourful, modern look.
Above the rink lights and two mirror balls create a vivid disco atmosphere during the night sessions.
There’s plenty of seating, and the green furniture ties into the business’ green alien, galaxy theme.
Spectacular murals add to this theme by giving the rink a youthful pop of colour.
I picked out new details in these large cartoon artworks every time I skated past!
Other Details
Planet X prefer that you book online, but walk-ins are welcomed just the same.
For those hiring skates you’ll find relatively new ones available. Most of which came from the recently closed Stafford rink in Brisbane.
Planet X sells a basic array of skating gear and are happy to order in new skates or accessories if requested.
If you’re hungry or hanging for a coffee you can find a good selection of hot food, drinks, and snacks at the kiosk.
Why visit Planet X?
Planet X in Port Macquarie is a good beginner’s rink. It has all the standard features of a rollerskating rink, plus other fun activities to keep anyone entertained.
The venue is a perfect place to try skating for the first time, to practise skills, or for families and teens to go for a fun day out.
It’s worth visiting for a chill skate, or I recommend going to one of the special event nights for that classic disco atmosphere.
Planet X can be visited at 10 Chestnut Rd, Port Macquarie, NSW or check out their website here.
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