Skateboarding

Skate parks 

The Riverslide Skate ParkOpens in new tab in the Alexandra Gardens is a five-minute walk from Flinders Street Railway Station. Designed in consultation with skaters, it is the biggest of our skate parks with 1800 m² of skating surfaces. The park has a street-skating focus with ramps and fun-boxes, and caters for beginners, intermediate and advanced skaters. The park’s facilities and services include

• skate lessons
• competitions and events 
• cafe and chill-out spots
• first aid and supervision
• skate shop and equipment hire.

The South Kensington Skate ParkOpens in new tab is a large concrete course located at JJ Holland Park, Kensington.

Skate Safe

We encourage all young people to use the city, including skaters.

The Skate Safe program aims to talk to skaters as peers. A skating code of conduct, skate ambassadors, and other information encourage skaters to consider other footpath users and share the space. It also addresses busy routes and limited access spots to make it easier for everyone to get around our streets.

Skate smart and avoid putting yourself and others at risk; consider others and remember to share the space.

Skateboarding, Inline Skating, Bicycle and Scooter riding are inherently dangerous activities. Users enter and use the skate park at their own risk. The use of safety gear – helmet, wrist guards, knee and elbow pads – is recommended. 

The City of Melbourne, its servants and agents will not be held responsible for any injury, loss or damage associated with the use of the facility howsoever arising.

City of Melbourne Skate Parks are drug, alcohol, smoke and vape free places.

Animals, radio controlled, motorized equipment and vehicles or not permitted on the skate park surface.

Children under the age of 10 must be supervised by an adult at all times.

By following these simple rules and looking out for each other we can help minimise injuries and ensure everyone has a good time.

• Be aware of others using the park and how they are using it.
• Do not block obstacles and take turns when it is busy.
• Follow the direction of traffic, don’t ride across traffic and watch out for blind spots.
• Always give way to people coming up the ramps and allow plenty of space.
• Regularly check your equipment to ensure its safety.

Skate Safe Code of Conduct

The City of Melbourne’s Skate Safe Code of Conduct provides guidelines for skaters and BMX riders to help avoid conflict (or worse, collisions) on our streets. If you are skating respectfully, you are less likely to get a fine.

The code of conduct says:

• Use your head and skate or ride according to your ability.
• Stay in control so you're ready to stop when you need to.
• Slow down when overtaking pedestrians.
• Give way to people in front of and beside you.
• Wear the right safety gear.
• Don't bunch up when travelling in groups.
• Walk through congested areas.
• Slow down when passing young children and older people.
• Avoid sessioning in the CBD and Docklands – keep it for the skate parks.
• Respect sensitive sites and furniture and avoid getting a penalty.
• Some routes get pretty busy – avoid these.

Skate ambassadors

It’s important that skaters skate safely, and follow advice on skating in the municipality.

Primarily during school holidays periods Skate ambassadors visit popular skating spots through the city and promote a skating code of conduct, educating skaters on safe skating practices in and around the central city.

The ambassadors also work at the Riverslide Skate Park and actively promote skating as a healthy and positive recreation through providing opportunities for people to learn and experience skating.

The City of Melbourne has several spaces designed and constructed to accommodate for street skating outside of skate parks. The ambassadors promote the use of these spaces through activation and programming throughout the year to attract skaters away from busy CBD. These spaces include:

• Les Erdi Plaza, Southbank
• Jim Stynes Bridge, Docklands
• Neill St Reserve, Carlton

Skate Ambassadors are also deployed in response to skating issues identified within the city and can help businesses throughout the municipality understand the best way to engage with skaters to reduce confrontations.

Skating and the law

The City of Melbourne encourages skating as a healthy recreation activity, a sustainable form of transport and an activity that brings colour and vibrancy to the city.

Although it might be tempting to try out a new trick when you’re out and out, we ask that you only perform tricks at our skate parks. Some things are just not designed for skating – skating can damage objects like park benches, handrails or private property, and you could be breaking the law.

If you break the law, you risk being fined up to $500 for property damage, causing a nuisance, causing excessive noise or endangering others.

You can avoid this by:

• considering others and their requests if reasonable
• obeying directions of security officers, local law officers and police
• riding safely and responsibly
• not causing a nuisance
• avoiding causing damage to property
• not being drawn along by any vehicle.

Dealing with an emergency

If you are involved in or see an accident:

• work out your location
• assess injuries
• call 000 for police or ambulance.