When it comes to fun activities in Melbourne during winter, in addition to skiing and hot springs, ice skating is also not to be missed.
If you don’t want to travel far on the weekends, taking your children to ice skate in the city is also a great option!
Best Roller Skate Rink in Melbourne
O’Brien Group Arena
The full name of the ice skating rink is O’Brien Icehouse, located at 105 Pearl River Road, Docklands, VIC3008, right next to the Docklands Costco. If you have a Costco membership card, you can park your car in the Costco car park. If not, there is a car park opposite the ice rink where you can park for $10 on weekends.
It’s recommended to wear long socks and long-sleeved pants when skating. The ice rink can be a little cold, and in case you fall, the long-sleeved pants can provide extra protection. As soon as you enter, you can see the place to rent ice skates. We rented a pair of ice skates that were one size larger than my normal shoe size to avoid discomfort. They also provide helmets in sizes ranging from XS to XL, which are located next to the orange lockers. There are two rinks in total, and we randomly chose one to begin our first ice skating journey.
Address: 105 Pearl River Road, Docklands
Phone: 1300 756 699
Olympic Ice Skating Centre
The ice skating rink in the southeast area may not be as luxurious as the one in Docklands, but it’s much closer to home! Usually, we attend group lessons, which cost $20 for children and $30 for adults, and then have free practice time. For those who don’t attend lessons, the prices are $15 for children and $25 for adults.
Public sessions are available on Wednesdays and Fridays from 12pm to 2:30pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:45am to 11:45am and 12pm to 2:30pm. The ice skating lessons are held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 4pm to 5:30pm and 5:45pm to 7pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 8:45am to 11:45am.
The coaches are all very nice and highly skilled, and those who perform well may be recommended to join the club.
There’s also a cafe at the rink that serves delicious coffee and large servings of fries. After skating for a while, it’s nice to warm up with a cup of coffee. Additionally, the rink can host birthday parties.
Address: 1080 Centre Road, Oakleigh South
Phone: (03) 9579 3755
IceHQ
IceHQ is a very “friendly” ice rink for families with young children or beginners. The rink is a bit smaller, which makes it more reassuring for kids or friends who are just learning to skate.
Additionally, there are games to play during the session, including Limbo, which the kids will love. Most importantly, children under 8 only need to pay $12, students and concessions are $20, and adults are $24.
Address: 1 Blake Street, Reservoir
Phone: (03) 9478 2876
Caribbean Rollerama
This is Caribbean Rollerama roller skating rink. Each session is two hours long and costs $13 per person. Skate rental is $3, but you can bring your own skates to avoid the rental fee. The schedule varies slightly depending on the day of the week, so it’s best to check their official website.
On Sundays, the sessions are from 12:30-2:30pm and 4:00-6:00pm. It’s important to arrive on time as the two-hour session goes by quickly. There are also small games to play, such as speed skating for children under 13 and a speed skating competition for adults over 13. Today, some disco elements were added towards the end, and everyone had a great time.
Address: 1298 Ferntree Gully Road, Scoresby
Phone: (03) 9763 9122