FAQs

What if I don’t know how to curl?

The Queensland Curling Club will assign a mentor to new curlers to make sure that they get on a team and get their training they need to enjoy the sport. We conduct a New Curlers Clinic at the beginning of the year to show new curlers the ropes (how to curl, rules, etiquitte, etc.).

Do I need special equipment to curl?

All that you need to curl is the right clothing and a broom. Except for the right clothing, everything that you need is available right at the curling club. As you get more involved in the sport, you may want to purchase curling shoes and your own broom, but to start, all that you need is warm clothing, appropriate footware and the desire to have fun.

How long does the season last?

We have two seasons per year during the seasons with a few weeks break in between..

Can People of all ages curl?

Curling is a sport for all ages. The Queensland Curling Club has active curling members from age 14 to 65. We have junior teams for those under 18. Curling is truly fun for the whole family.

How much does it cost?

The cost per season depends on the amount of members we have per season. the more people who attend, the cheaper the cost. A general rule is $20 per night. For beginners we offer two nights of free curling to those who want to try the sport out.

On which nights do you curl?

Wednesday nights at the Boondal Ice World at 8pm during the seasons.

What are the sweepers for?

The reason you see curlers running like mad after the stone is that seeping slightly melts the ice, which reduces the friction between the running stone and the ice surface. The result is the stone will curl less and slide farther. The skip often makes the call on whether or not a rock needs to be swept, and will yell things like “hurry” or “hard” if he wants the rock to be swept or “off” if the rock is going too quickly and doesn’t need any help. You may also hear the sweepers give information to the skip, saying things like “heavy” or “light” to indicate how fast the rock has been thrown and how it is reacting to the ice.

Why do you pebble the ice?

Pebbling is a key part of preparing a sheet of ice for each curling game, and refers to when a fine mist of water droplets is sprayed onto the ice. They freeze almost immediately, helping rocks to slide faster. The curling action of rocks also changes during a game as the pebble evens out from wear.

What is so special about the rocks?

The curling stone or rock used in the game weighs approximately 45 lbs and has a special feature on the bottom. The bottom of the rock is not flat, but concave and the actual running surface of the rock is only 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide on the rim of the concave bottom. This small running surface allows the pebble applied to the ice to have an effect on the action of the rock. The stones are made of polished granite, which is quarried only on Ailsa Craig, an island off Scotland’s coast.