Welcome to: Benny's Brisbane Skateboard Directory The site for skaters in Brisbane, Australia Compiled by Mark Brimson     Lawnton Skate Ramps   Far North Brisbane   Built: 1998   Address: Casuarina Dr (in sports grounds)   Lawnton and the general area has been without any kind of real facilities for a while now, (think Strathpine, where the old Skate City used to be from the eighties) but now they have somewhere to go that has both ramp and bowl. The main Lawnton Sports Centre is where they are hidiing, a fair way away from the main road or anything else to see. Finding Casuarina Drive first, it is easy to see the sports area, and just drive around in there until you find it. There are a few roads between fields and buildings, so you can drive right up to the ramp, with the bowl a little further back and more out of view. I think there were taps and other things nearby, but don't hope for a shop or canteen in the sports place to be open.   The bowl is a 6 to 7 foot concrete construction rising out of the ground, unlike most others being set into the ground with the lip level with the surface. It is completely round, with a keyhole cut out, which makes it a little harder to skate from the usual half pipe structure but you will get the hang of it soon enough and start carving like all the old style skaters. The coping is pretty good from what I can recall but there are quite a few bumps that you need to be aware of. A broom would be good to take too, as there are trees constantly dropping leaves into the bowl, not to mention idiots breaking bottles or throwing clumps of dirt into it.     Now the ramp that is here, I am sure a few of you would remember as the old Arana Hills half pipe. Remember the one with perfect curves, smooth ply, about 4ft high, 5ft extensions, offset platform area and what not? Before you go on about how good it was and jump in your car right now to get out there, you should know this: Firstly, it is now metal surfaced making it a bit slippery but generally ok, that is not too bad but now you hear the bad news... Think of the best distance between transitions 2-3 metres (as in the way it was), then cut most of that out so the transition edges are about ONE METRE APART, now do you want me to get you a box of tissues? It is still ok to ride but you have to be super quick in moving your feet to the right positions you want them in for the next trick on the other side or you end up with your nose on the coping (almost). I really do not know what happened to the ramp when it was being moved or anything, but I guess it is just another cost cutting measure of the council at the skater's expense, turning one of the best mini ramps of the eighties into the almost useless hunk of metal it is now. Go pay your respects and remember the good old days...   Pic of the ramp     email me at:   mbrimson@yahoo.com ***** (click here to send me mail) *****   Click the "BACK" button to return to the previous menu.