Monday 28 October 2024
In a monumental achievement for local motorsport, the Southern Mallee Kart Club is back on track in Hopetoun after 30 years, thanks to the tireless efforts of the community and significant financial and material support.
Member for Mildura Jade Benham, met with secretary Greg Milburn and treasurer Tom Huf last week to inspect the works and test the track out herself.
More than $350,000 worth of improvements and donations—including materials, volunteer hours, and grants like the Tiny Towns fund—have restored the club’s track to its former glory.
Over two years of hard work this return to the track follows a revival that began humbly in a local pub, where the spark for the club’s rebirth was ignited by a few locals who shared a vision to breathe life back into Hopetoun’s racing community.
That vision quickly gained traction, and now, karts can be heard roaring around the track once more, just as they did decades ago.
The Southern Mallee Kart Club, first established in the 1980s, was a beloved motorsport hub, even hosting high-profile events like the 1988 Victorian Open Sprint Championship and the Southern Mallee Titles, which attracted big names like Russell Ingall, Craig Lowndes, and Jamie Whincup.
The track’s legacy lives on, and thanks to widespread community support—including donations of fencing, gravel, lawnmowers, concrete, and grandstand seating—the facility is now safer, more accessible, and ready to welcome racers from all around Victoria.
“The club’s independent model promises affordable racing for both local and visiting racers, drawing competitors from as far as Mildura, Geelong, and beyond, which will boost tourism and bolster Hopetoun’s economy.”
Plans are underway to meet all necessary standards, the future Southern Mallee Titles and possibly the newly established AASA Victorian State Championship could soon return to Hopetoun.
“As a proud member of the Southern Mallee Kart Club, I am thrilled to celebrate the dedication of our local community in bringing back such an iconic venue.”
“This revival showcases not only our passion for motorsport but also the strength and unity of our region.”
