Urban Axe Throwing At Sydney's Maniax

An ancient Celtic tradition, a pastime enjoyed by boy scouts and the main event at lumberjack competitions, today the sport of axe throwing is open for anyone to enjoy recreationally in commercial centres across the Western world. We visited Maniax in Sydney, Australia to try the high-adrenaline activity for ourselves.

“People generally are a bit frightened when they come in here; they’re not really sure what to expect,” venue manager Dee Cotter told us. “But after about half an hour, we get a lot of shouting, screaming, primitive sounds.”

It certainly might not seem like a sport everyone will enjoy, but Maniax has seen groups ranging from bachelorette parties to work colleagues getting stuck in to the experience.

The sport requires participants to lob a hatchet at a wooden target board. It takes a bit of practice to control your throw and land the axe successfully, but even those who aren’t pro axe-throwers seem to enjoy the opportunity to let off steam.

About the author

Grace Beard

A writer and editor covering global travel and culture, Grace joined Culture Trip in 2015 after graduating with a literature degree and is now Assistant Editor.