Longboard Experts Share Their Prime Aussie Skate Locations

There is probably no better, no more efficient, means of escape than hightailing it with a longboard: the everyman’s skateboard, salt of the earth, helping people escape for
decades to beaches, through traffic and down sweet, sweet hills of
concrete.

There is just something about it. It’s smooth and stable and cruisy. If you’re not a pro it’s super easy to learn: the long wheel base and big wheels take care of that. You’re in for one very relaxing ride.

It seemed only right to team up with the legends at Penny Skateboards for this round up. After consistently nailing the plastic skateboard game, they’ve now, for the first time, dipped their toes into longboard creation. And my have they done a pretty sweet job at it. 

So whether you’re longboarding between meetings or taking it on a 5-day road trip, we’ve paired all your favourite styles with their soul mate destinations to get you hitting the road again. 

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FOR THE CRUISERS AND BEACH BUMS

Beach-side cruising. It’s something longboards just excel at. We scoured the Aussie coastline for some sweet spots to spend lazy days away at, cruising the streets with a posse of mates between dips.

Bondi Beach (NSW) is probs the closest we’ve got to LA’s Venice Beach, and is a stellar all-rounder: whether for a relaxed sail down its shoreline promenade or a more adventurous journey along the paths that cover spectacular cliff tops, past 4 different beaches and all the way down into Coogee. There’s also a skate bowl if you feel like a little sumthin’ extra.

Lorne (VIC) is also a superb winter escape: quiet outside the Falls season (summer) but with excellent paths running above the dunes for the sparkling sea air you’ve been missing in the chilly Melbs CBD.

If you’re craving some proper seaside exercise then Cottesloe Beach (WA) would be sorely missed, the Indian Ocean lapping at OVER 6KM worth of beach-hugging pavement.

But let’s not kid ourselves, the temps have clearly plummeted in recent
weeks so maybe it’s time to head north and soak up the summery
weather. Broadbeach (Qld) has some sweet pathways around the area to explore between dunks in the surf, otherwise Byron Bay (NSW) is just an hour south for a more cleansing escape, with inclines and flats, great food and great vibes.

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FOR THE CITY ROLLERS AND TRAPPED OFFICE WORKERS

Since when could your feet get you somewhere at 20km/h? Never, that’s when. Imagine the efficiency in your day transit skating between destinations. Oh would commuters be jealous.

Take Melbourne. It’s reasonably flat and lends itself well to longboarding in and out of the city, perhaps along the Yarra River or via Royal Park on your way to an after-work drink in Brunswick. Breathe out, breathe in … that beautiful thing is called Fresh Air and it sure beats sharing airspace inside a packed tram.

In Brisvegas you could be scooting home with the sunset over almost a kilometre’s worth of pathways hovering above the river, connecting the CBD to New Farm, or on pavement over the Story Bridge and up to Kangaroo Point Cliffs for a panoramic view back over the city. Trains? Please.

Why stop at the morning and afternoon commute when you could be jetting between meetings and grabbing some much needed oxygen and Vitamin D? Canberra is surely the place, with fantastic routes around the capital’s Lake Burley Griffen and endless roundabouts. After showing his true colours with those sunnies, we can definitely see Tony getting on board. So to speak. 

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In which case there’s probably no better place for this than Sydney’s Inner West, where public transport on weekends can be unreliable but there’s just to many parks begging to be dropped into on your way to second brunch, for a few dancing tricks and glorious cruising. Sydney Park in St Peters is an excellent midway point, perhaps even better as a destination if you grab a few coffees and pastries and coast down through Newtown to set up camp overlooking the CBD.

A photo posted by Tina Walsberger (@tinawalsberger) on Jul 5, 2015 at 11:13pm PDT

Brave the brisk weather in Hobart and get some exercise between your time ensconced, fireside, in the city’s cosy cafes and pubs. Queens Domain connects the main drag to the outer suburbs and has an excellent run of paths to stop off at for a few tricks and just general environmental appreciation. Such things should happen more often.

Even Darwin is a contender, with a little burgeoning hipster
cafe scene, parks and beaches and paths aplenty. And, let’s be honest,
having a longboard at your feet as your skip between catch-ups with
friends seems like a smart idea. Because crocs. One likes to think it’d
help if you had one snapping at your heels. 

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FOR THE ADRENALINE ADDICTS AND SPEED DEMONS

Okay, downhill skating, here’s the legal deal: you can’t skate on roads with a median strip or centre line, or with a speed limit above 50km/h. And, obvs, be on the lookout for pedestrians and vehicles. 

Otherwise, the world is your oyster and we have a few recommendations to keep the blood pumping.

The Barossa (SA) is one. Excellent shiraz aside, the valley has some stellar hills that are perfect for downhill skating. A few professional events have been held on the unmarked roads around Angaston in the past, and their narrow, technical precision keeps boarders of all skills on their toes. Bonus points for the gorgeous scenery too.

Mt Keira in Wollongong (NSW) also has some superb roads for freeriding and downhill racing, otherwise Mt Panorama (home of the Bathurst 1000) will satiate your high-speed cravings for extreme downhill – only for the pros though. 

For something more scenic, and to combine with a well-earned escape from the city, take the Great Ocean Road down to one of the southernmost tips of the country, Cape Otway (VIC). Take out your board as you pull off the highway and cruise all the way down one beautiful bush-lined road to a lighthouse looking out at Antarctica. 

Time to fly the coop guys.