The Thousands

The origin stories of polo are numerous. A personal favourite is that soldiers during the Spanish inquisition would cut off the heads of their adversaries and use them as balls, and their swords as mallets. Well that may or may not be fiction but fact is that bike polo in Brisbane is spreading like herpes.

If you want to learn the lack of laws or just watch a game, join the folks from Brisbane Hardcourt Bike Polo. Their growing crew play every Saturday and Sunday at Musgrave Park in South Brisbane from 2pm until sunset, and at the Powerhouse courts on Wednesdays from 3pm. These times can be changed as often as a player’s buckled rims so it’s best to check the Facebook page or website before coming down.

Here’s a quick how-to if you want to start your own game. Find yourself a basketball court and six people (it’s three on three). Hop on your bike. Pick up your mallet (or get along to one of BHPB’s mallet making parties to make one). Get the ball into the other team’s goal. Easy!

It’s a very casual setup of teams, once a pile of six mallets is made they’re thrown in the air, so wherever your mallet falls that’s where you play. You don’t need any equipment and there is always someone willing to lend you their mallet and bike. And if you want to get serious about it (like you wouldn’t), go visit the boys at Gear Brisbane. Warning – Bike Polo is contagious.