Just when you thought our fair city had it all, a new, shiny activity comes along that you never knew you were missing out on.
Melbourne, welcome to the world of axe-throwing. After winning hearts in Sydney, Maniax is about to open in Abbotsford, to the delight of all those who want to have fun or blow off some steam, Viking-style.
The concept is pretty simple. Pick up an axe, aim carefully, and lob it at a target. Maniax recommend that you book in groups for a two-hour session, where you'll receive one-on-one coaching session then taken through a series of tournaments to find out who is deadliest with a raw steel axe.
At this stage, Maniax are hoping to open their Melbourne branch – which will be located in a warehouse in Abbotsford – in late October or early November (there have been some VCAT issues securing their venue).
Up in Sydney, Maniax attracts everyone from hens and bucks parties to office outings. "Everyone's got a different style," Maniax co-owner Adam Schilling told Time Out Sydney. "Some people are lobbers, some throw it hard, some soft... but everyone puts their own spin on it."
The concept supposedly started when Schilling and his business partner Steve Thomas – both working airline pilots – set up a backyard version of the sport after Steve had encountered axe-throwing in Canada. As you can imagine, there is a strict non-tolerance policy for alcohol and open-toed shows.
Stay tuned for more info on Maniax Melbourne. If this one is anything like Sydney, then you can expect regular league nights and competitions. But save the axe-throwing for your first session: this isn't an activity to practice at home.