Australian Open Bowls

The Australian Open Bowls championship is the biggest bowls event in the world, with thousands of world-class competitors coming to the Gold Coast to compete.

Competing for prizes valued at over $300,000, the Australian Open Bowls is open to singles, pairs and groups of four.

Last year’s edition boasts added impetus, marking the 10th staging on the Gold Coast, Queensland, after relocating in 2015, and now lays claims to having the richest prize purse of any bowls event, with over $314,000.

There are over 15 clubs that will assist in hosting the competition from Broadbeach to Coolangatta and many clubs in between. The final two days of matches (the finals) will be filmed and broadcast live on Fox Sports.

Here is a list of the following entry categories:

• – Open: Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Pairs, Women’s Pairs, Men’s Fours, Women’s Fours
  – Under 18: Boys’ Singles, Girls’ Singles
  – Over 60’s: Men’s Pairs, Women’s Pairs
  – Bowlers With a Disability: Vision Impaired Singles – Open, Mixed Disability Singles – Men, Multi Disability Pairs – Open Gender, Mixed Disability Singles – Women, Vision Impaired Pairs – Open Gender

The first match of each day (barring a few minor exceptions during the final two days) will begin at 9am, with 8.45am trial ends. Matches 2 and 3 are scheduled for 11.45am and 2.30pm respectively, with trials ending on the bell.

During sectional rounds, all sections are played at the same club on one day; this means that participants do not need to move from club to club during a match day.

Until the quarter-final rounds, all matches will be run to a 2-hour, 15-minute time limit. From the quarter-finals onwards, Open Singles, Pairs, and Fours matches will be untimed, while all other disciplines will be limited to a maximum of 3 hours.

Some of the features of this year’s event include:

• The biggest prize money pool in tournament history, and the richest event in the world, at over $314,000.
• Open disciplines in Singles, Pairs & Fours, Under-18 Singles (Boys’ & Girls), Over-60’s Pairs (Men’s & Women’s) and various Bowlers with a Disability disciplines.
• Bonus Mixed Pairs and Megabowl Support Events will be held throughout the event.
• 15 host venues with some of the best greens in the world.
• A ‘Player of the Tournament’ cheque for $1,500 which rewards the best and most consistent individual player across all open disciplines.
• An opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new ones, while enjoying the sun and fun-filled destination that is the Gold Coast.

Bowls Australia will again be coordinating a trade display at Broadbeach Bowls Club throughout the event, including shops for several of the biggest bowls manufacturers and some of Bowls Australia’s valued partners. Pop in any day throughout the Australian Open between 8.30am and 5pm! The trade display will operate from 12pm Friday, June 6 until 12pm Friday, June 20.

In 2025, Bowlers Paradise will offer pre-event Australian Open branded clothing sales on its website from Thursday, May 1, to Monday, June 2.

Match times & Time Limits

The first match of each day (barring a few minor exceptions during the final two days) will begin at 9am, with 8:45am trial ends.

Matches 2 and 3 are scheduled for 11:45am and at 2:30pm respectively, with trial ends beginning on the bell. All times listed are local Gold Coast times (AEST).

During sectional rounds, all sections are played at the same club on one day; this means that participants do not need to move from club to club during a match day.

Until the quarter-final rounds, all matches will be run to a 2-hour, 15-minute time limit. From the quarter-finals onwards, Open Singles, Pairs, and Fours matches will be untimed, while all other disciplines will be limited to a maximum of 3 hours.

Format

The match formats for all relevant disciplines are as follows:

• Singles: 4 bowls each, 21 shots up (shots in excess of 21 do not count)
• Pairs: 3 bowls each, 18 ends
• Fours: 2 bowls each, 15 ends
• Para pairs: 3 bowls each, 15 ends

If a jack comes to rest outside the playing boundaries, it will be respotted at the T (see section 2.10 of the CoP).

Getting to the Gold Coast

Gold Coast Airport
Fly direct to the Gold Coast and start your holiday sooner. Gold Coast Airport welcomes over 420 weekly international and domestic flights from across Australia, New Zealand, Asia and beyond. The airport is located at Bilinga, 20 kilometres from Surfers Paradise and one kilometre from Coolangatta and northern New South Wales.

Gold Coast Airport is serviced by an extensive range of ground transport operators, including rental cars, taxis, limousines, rideshare services, and bus operators. Terminal facilities include bars, cafes, alfresco-style dining, duty-free shopping, retail stores, and free, high-speed wireless internet. Over 2,000 parking spaces are also available and can be pre-booked online.

Gold Coast Airport is serviced domestically by Jetstar, Virgin Australia, Qantas, Tigerair, and Jetgo. Flights are available from Melbourne (Tullamarine and Avalon Airports), Sydney, Canberra, Cairns, Newcastle, Adelaide, Perth, Townsville, Hobart, and Rockhampton.

For international flights, Gold Coast Airport is serviced by Jetstar, Air New Zealand, Virgin Australia, Air Asia, and Scoot, offering direct flights from New Zealand (Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown and Wellington) Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Singapore, and Japan (Tokyo).

Brisbane Airport
Brisbane Airport (BNE) is the primary airport serving Brisbane and Queensland. It is located approximately 12 kilometres from the city centre and has two major terminals (Domestic and International) servicing 33 airlines flying to 85 destinations. Transfer time between the airport and Brisbane city is approximately 35 minutes and 90 minutes to the Gold Coast by road.

The Airtrain passenger rail service is another transport option linking Brisbane’s Domestic and International Terminals with the Brisbane central business district and the Gold Coast until 10:04pm every day.

Coach, rail, limousine, and corporate car bookings can be made at the Visitor Information Centres located at Level 2 International or Level 1 Domestic. Taxis and car rentals are also available at both terminals. A free Transfer Bus service is offered between the terminals and to/from Skygate to Brisbane Airport’s retail and dining precinct—just 10 minutes away.

Secure, undercover parking is available just a short distance from both terminals. Remote open-air parking is another popular on-site option with free bus transfers. Both terminals offer free Wi-Fi and a range of specialty retail and food and beverage outlets serving some of the best local produce and products.