First look: New Cowboy’s themed venue in Surfers Paradise

A new venue, popular in Queenstown, New Zealand has landed on the Gold Coast, opening their first Aussie venue in Surfers Paradise. FULL STORY.

Popular Queenstown bar Cowboys has debuted its first overseas venture in the heart of party hub Surfers Paradise, promising fun and “maybe a few bruises”.

Owner and company director Ingrid B - her legal name - said after 17 years operating out of Queenstown, the adventure tourism capital of New Zealand, it was time to take it international.

“We are a real inclusive bar, everyone’s welcome, it’s all about coming in, having a good time,” she said.

“It could be anyone from 18 to 80. Surfers Paradise doesn’t have a clique as such, it’s just a tourist spot where people can go and enjoy both the sea, the river.

“We just want to be part of that - everyone can come in here play on our pool tables, our shuffleboard, we’ve got darts and, of course, our mechanical bull.”

Owner Ingrid B as her new bar Cowboys“ opens on the Gold Coast. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Ms B said the mechanical bull was a big attraction along with their range of bar games.

While the bull is not yet running, Ms B was confident it would be soon.

“We’ve got to get it registered, certified and signed off so that, unfortunately, is a process, and we’re just working through that.

“[Certifiers] have to consider the management device and then we just will follow through the process so it can be registered correctly.

“We have gone to a huge amount of putting padding in, even on the ground, the mats are soft. They’ve got the gym level quality, and then we put a soft layer on it, just to make it fall a little bit easier because it is a device that’s designed to dislodge you.

“That being said, no one’s making you go on - possibly there might be one or two bruises, but hey, that’s like anything else.”

Cowboys has opened in Surfers Paradise. Picture: Supplied

The bar games at Cowboys are free with the exception of the bull requiring a gold coin donation - which goes to charity.

“The charity changes all the time, sometimes we donate to the local touch footy team who needs uniforms or they’ve just won a big competition and need to raise money to go interstate,” she said. “We do it back in Queenstown, so we just like to put that money back into the community.

“We like to keep the other games free because we want people to come here and just have fun and enjoy coming here to have a drink with their friends and play some pool or darts.”

Cowboys on Cavill Ave, on the riverside is now open.

New bar Cowboys opens on the Gold Coast. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Originally published as First look: New Cowboy’s themed venue in Surfers Paradise