After a hard day on the job, I took a few pals to Chill Axe Newcastle to blow off some steam and I have to say, nothing takes the edge off like throwing an axe at a huge wooden target.

As someone who has never considered taking up axe throwing as a hobby, I am extremely impressed with the experience I had at Chill Axe Newcastle. I’m already recruiting more mates to come along and bask in axe throwing glory.

My partner Shaun and mate Erik were thrilled when I asked them to come along and throw solid steel axes to find out who was going to take home the title of lumberjack or lumberjill. I was a little nervous about the situation, but I’ll give anything a go at least once and my goodness I’m stoked that I did.

Opening its doors in 2021, Chill Axe is a hidden gem tucked away in Station Street Waratah. The beautiful, large open shed is furnished with plenty of seating, a huge wall of giant wooden targets and an area to grab snacks and refreshments.

We were welcomed at the entrance by axe throwing coach Beth, who gave us the tour, went through safety procedures and gave us a rundown of the best axe throwing technique.

I was still extremely nervous, but Beth made me feel at ease and gave us all practice throws until we were comfortable. Then, it was game on. I may have been the most nervous on the day, but my competitive side soon took over.

Set up into matches, we competed individually against each other for the highest score. With each throw, the three of us were getting more competitive and by the end we were eager to find out who was taking home the win (also because the loser had to buy the first round of drinks at the pub afterwards).

Beth went to tally the score and returned with the devastating news. I was buying the first round. Shaun knocked the game out of the park to take home the lumberjack title, with what Beth said is one of the highest scores she’s seen.

All in all, we absolutely loved the Chill Axe experience. It was something I never thought I would enjoy, but it’s now one of my favourite activities. I can’t wait for a rematch to show the boys who’s boss!