MacGregor Mayhem: A Quick Guide to The Epicenter of Fun and Leisure in Queensland's Capital
For this post, I am taking a (hopefully) brief detour from describing Infinite Space III: Sea of Stars and will discuss something of greater relevance to real life. I'm talking about the cluster of leisure and activity centers on Kessels Road in MacGregor, which is a suburb of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland. During my two-year tenure as a student at the University of Queensland, I was a frequent visitor to Macgregor, and always enjoyed my time there. So why, you might think, is this part of the city worth visiting?
For starters, there's the sheer number of recreation centers lining this major road, and there are even a few more facilities nearby. You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to filling your free time here, and always end up coming back for more sooner or later. Another advantage of Kessels Road is that it is near the Mount Gravatt and Nathan Campuses of Griffith University, and just a short walk westbound from Westfield Garden City, which is serviced by most bus routes and is no more than a 15-minute drive from downtown Brisbane under ideal conditions. Finally, these recreation centers are usually open for long enough for anyone to visit more than one of them on the same day.
I will now describe each center going east-to-west. The first one is Sky Zone MacGregor, which is primarily a trampoline park (complete with foam pit, wall run and Slamball court) but also contains a trampoline dodgeball court and a Laserforce arena spanning three floors (the latter also has locations in Woolloongabba and Strike Wintergarden, with the former being the first such site of its kind anywhere in the world). You can book an hour of jump time there for A$18 per person, and add one Laserforce game for an extra A$5 (individual games can be bought one or two at a time for A$10 or A$17 respectively). However, it is highly recommended for safety purposes that you buy a pair of specially branded socks for A$16 a pair.
In addition to freestyle jumping, Sky Zone MacGregor hosts parties, trampoline training programs, fitness courses, and dodgeball tournaments. On most of my visits, I booked two consecutive hours of jump time plus one Laserforce game for each hour, and usually took part in a few dodgeball games as well - definitely worth the extra cost, although really fit individuals might want more, while newcomers should start out with one-hour sessions. However, due to the lack of proper air-conditioning inside the building, it is recommended that you bring a spare set of clothes to change into when you're finished. The Laserforce arena was the key highlight for me - as a Laserforce expert, I made mincemeat of any and every other player I went up against, scoring tens of thousands of points each time and thereby making the most of my 10 minutes inside the Alice In Wonderland-themed arena (which rotates players on a continuous basis - up to 20 or so are sent in at a time every few minutes, before leaving the arena after 10 minutes).
Further west is AMF Mount Gravatt, one of the best bowling centers in the whole city, if not the state, even though I never visited it while I was in Brisbane. Its main draw is the bowling alley, but like Sky Zone MacGregor, it also has a Laserforce center and, unlike Sky Zone, a video game arcade. The latter contains a very wide selection of games, ranging from classics like Daytona USA (rereleased and remastered for PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2011) as well as modern hits such as Deadstorm Pirates (ported to PS3 in 2010), Transformers: Human Alliance and Batman. As a long-term veteran of each game, I would have little trouble getting a top score (or best race time for Daytona) in each one. Tokens for the arcade can be bought 20, 35 or 85 at a time for A$15, A$25 and A$60 respectively.
The Laserforce arena at AMF Mount Gravatt also has capacity for more than 20 players, but has a darker science fiction theme, which contrasts nicely with the lighter fantasy theme at MacGregor. It is, in fact, very similar to the Laserforce Headquarters at Woolloongabba, except that you cannot buy memberships there. Entry to individual games costs A$14.90 (or A$16.90 during the peak period lasting from 3:00 pm Friday until 6:00 pm Saturday), with a A$2 discount for underage customers and those with concessions. It is also possible to buy entry to three separate sessions for $19.90 from 7:00 pm between Monday and Thursday (or from 6:00 pm on Sunday); alternatively, you can buy entry to two games for A$16.90 from 9:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, or one game for a family of four during the peak period for A$49.90.
As for the bowling alley itself, pricing follows the same pattern as the Laserforce arena, except that bowling shoes (at A$2 a pair) are bought separately and the peak period discount is greater by A$1. In addition, a family of four can book one game outside peak hours for A$44.90; this offer includes a pair of bowling shoes for each player. Considering that I have bowled only once in my lifetime thus far, this activity would be a nice change of pace. But no matter what you prefer to visit AMF MacGregor for, you will be guaranteed to have a blast.
The previous destinations appeal to all people of all ages and are specifically marketed towards families. However, the next location I will mention is different because, being male, I would most likely be turned away immediately. Of course, I am talking about the State Netball Centre, which isn't actually on Kessels Road, but is on the westbound side of nearby Klumpp Road. I mentioned this site, however, because I will use it for my idea for a hypothetical reality TV series, which I will describe in the next post.
Normally, netball is reserved exclusively for women, but since the establishment of the National Netball League (formerly the ANZ Championship), 18-49 males throughout Australia and New Zealand have been watching matches for the netballers' short skirts (or making them into WAGs - an abbreviation of wives and girlfriends). The national side, the Diamonds, practices here, as does the Queensland Firebirds; both were captained by Laura Geitz, whom I met (and even had a picture taken alongside) during my last semester at the University of Queensland. I used the past tense here because of Laura Geitz's pregnancy, which has forced her to take the next year and a half off, although she vows to return as soon as possible after giving birth. On the other hand, the swimming pool nearby can be used by anyone regardless of gender or age.
Returning to Kessels Road, Crank Indoor Climbing is highly recommended for anyone with a head for heights. However, as part of its safety policy, all customers must sign a waiver before completing the registration process, which costs A$5. In addition, climbing shoes, a harness and a chalk bag all cost a further A$5 each, while a comprehensive training session is mandatory. Finally, a climbing session costs A$20 (A$16 for students and under-18s), while a parkour session costs a flat A$16. It's well worth the price, though; even so, if visiting on weekdays, the best time to do this is after 5:00 pm, when most people have returned from work.
When you finally get a chance to try the climbing wall, you'll be confronted with a challenge that will test your body and mind. It's certainly one worth attempting, though, regardless of age or gender. Low impact, great safety and an emphasis on "technique, balance and flexibility" makes it just as much fun as the other activity centers mentioned previously, if not more so. There's even a parkour course which requires one to avoid obstacles and reach the finish line as fluidly and efficiently as possible. All things considered, this and the nearby Sky Zone are great choices if you want to burn some calories while blowing off some steam in the process.
If you prefer a change of pace, consider the two billiards halls: Rack City on the westbound side and Q9 Billiards on the eastbound side. Each of these venues house a large number of tables, allowing many games to be played simultaneously. Usually, patrons tend to play the most common game types such as snooker, 8-ball or 9-ball pool, although one can also play cutthroat pool (a three-player game in which players are eliminated as sets of five balls are sunk until one remains) or 10-ball (9-ball with 10 balls), among other games. You can also try trick shots for a more unusual challenge. OK, so you won't become the next Efren Reyes or Allison Fisher overnight, but these venues clearly have their appeal to someone unable (or unwilling) to try the more exciting stuff on offer nearby.
In short, when you've already ticked off (almost) everything there is to see and do in central Brisbane, Kessels Road in MacGregor is worth a look. With so many leisure venues, it's a guarantee that you'll never get bored visiting it. The presence of a Mr Toys outlet there (for when you want to fulfill your hobby needs) and the proximity of the whole cluster to Westfield Garden City is just a bonus. In the next post I will explore how these venues could be used for a hypothetical reality TV series, before finally returning to the Sea of Stars.
Returning to Kessels Road, Crank Indoor Climbing is highly recommended for anyone with a head for heights. However, as part of its safety policy, all customers must sign a waiver before completing the registration process, which costs A$5. In addition, climbing shoes, a harness and a chalk bag all cost a further A$5 each, while a comprehensive training session is mandatory. Finally, a climbing session costs A$20 (A$16 for students and under-18s), while a parkour session costs a flat A$16. It's well worth the price, though; even so, if visiting on weekdays, the best time to do this is after 5:00 pm, when most people have returned from work.
When you finally get a chance to try the climbing wall, you'll be confronted with a challenge that will test your body and mind. It's certainly one worth attempting, though, regardless of age or gender. Low impact, great safety and an emphasis on "technique, balance and flexibility" makes it just as much fun as the other activity centers mentioned previously, if not more so. There's even a parkour course which requires one to avoid obstacles and reach the finish line as fluidly and efficiently as possible. All things considered, this and the nearby Sky Zone are great choices if you want to burn some calories while blowing off some steam in the process.
If you prefer a change of pace, consider the two billiards halls: Rack City on the westbound side and Q9 Billiards on the eastbound side. Each of these venues house a large number of tables, allowing many games to be played simultaneously. Usually, patrons tend to play the most common game types such as snooker, 8-ball or 9-ball pool, although one can also play cutthroat pool (a three-player game in which players are eliminated as sets of five balls are sunk until one remains) or 10-ball (9-ball with 10 balls), among other games. You can also try trick shots for a more unusual challenge. OK, so you won't become the next Efren Reyes or Allison Fisher overnight, but these venues clearly have their appeal to someone unable (or unwilling) to try the more exciting stuff on offer nearby.
In short, when you've already ticked off (almost) everything there is to see and do in central Brisbane, Kessels Road in MacGregor is worth a look. With so many leisure venues, it's a guarantee that you'll never get bored visiting it. The presence of a Mr Toys outlet there (for when you want to fulfill your hobby needs) and the proximity of the whole cluster to Westfield Garden City is just a bonus. In the next post I will explore how these venues could be used for a hypothetical reality TV series, before finally returning to the Sea of Stars.
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