Skating in Australia

The 25 venues here split three ways: ice rinks, roller rinks and outdoor skate parks. Ice is the biggest group. O'Brien Icehouse in Docklands pairs hireable skate aids with a learn-to-skate program, and reviewers single out its Friday night DJ session. The Ice ArenA in Thebarton is, in our verdict, the only ice option in Adelaide, with a separate beginners' rink and a facility that shows its age. Hunter Ice Skating Stadium at Warners Bay is the only rink in the Hunter region and cordons off a beginner area. In Brisbane, Iceworld Olympic Ice Rink at Boondall takes children from four on penguin aids and runs Frozen-themed parties, while its Acacia Ridge sibling Iceworld Olympic Ice Rinks is best hit at session open for the smoothest ice. Sydney offers a contrast: Macquarie Ice Rink in North Ryde is praised for patient instructors and a renovated surface, whereas Ice Zoo Sydney in Alexandria is large, loud and disco-driven, which reviewers say suits teens more than noise-sensitive kids.

Roller rinks trade the cold for games. Caribbean Rollerama in Scoresby and Morley Rollerdrome both run staff-led in-session games with prizes, and Morley's weekend morning classes are pitched at nervous beginners from age four. Skaterz Roller Skate & Blade Rink in Eltham has learning frames but moves at pace, so under-fives need assessing first. Rollerway Skate Centre - Newtown keeps a separate beginners room at the back, and RollerFit in Tempe is class-based, with multi-level sessions that let mixed-ability siblings attend together.

The two outdoor parks, Alice Springs Skate Park and Katherine Skate Park, are free and unsupervised, and our verdict points confident kids around eight and up at them. Note that Xtreme Ice Arena and Penrith Skatel are listed as closed permanently, and Maximum Skating and Rampfest Indoor Skatepark as closed temporarily.