Your guide to karting opportunities in Katherine and the surrounding region.

In the Katherine Region of the Northern Territory, go-karting is purely a grassroots, community-driven motorsport. Far removed from the high-speed commercial tracks of Darwin, karting here is deeply intertwined with the local speedway scene. The focus is exclusively on owner-drivers, outback community events, and the unique thrill of dirt kart racing under the territory sky.

The karting market in the Katherine Region is defined by its speedway dirt track and the total absence of public hire facilities.

1. The Outback Speedway Hub The absolute center of motorsport in the region is the Katherine Speedway. Located on Bicentennial Road, this dirt oval operates its racing season from around April to October each year. The venue is a massive draw for the outback racing community, attracting drivers not just from Katherine, but traveling from Darwin, Tennant Creek, and even Kununurra.

Alongside traditional speedway divisions like Wingless Sprints, Street Stocks, and NT Sedans, the speedway specifically hosts Dirt Karts. This offers local kart owners a chance to race sideways on the clay, providing a raw, high-adrenaline driving style that is completely different from standard bitumen karting.

2. The Hire Kart Reality If you are a tourist or a casual group looking to rent a go-kart for an afternoon, it is important to know that there are no commercial "Arrive & Drive" hire tracks in the Katherine region. The Katherine Speedway is strictly an event venue for owner-drivers with their own custom-built racing vehicles. To experience public hire karting, visitors must make the journey north to Darwin Kart Hire located at the Hidden Valley Motorsport Complex.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

1 kart track

Katherine Speedway Outdoor

Katherine Speedway – Dirt Karts

Katherine South, Katherine Region
Owner/driver

Katherine Speedway – Dirt Karts is the physical karting venue associated with Katherine Motor Sports Club. Katherine’s current kart activity is a dirt-kart division within Katherine Motor Sp...

Go karting in Katherine Region - FAQs

Common questions about go-karting in the Katherine Region, NT.

No. There are no commercial public hire tracks in the Katherine Region. The Katherine Speedway is an event venue strictly for owner-drivers who supply their own dirt karts and safety equipment.

Karting in Katherine is restricted to Dirt Karts. Drivers navigate a dirt speedway oval, which requires a completely different setup and driving technique compared to traditional asphalt circuit racing.

To rent a go-kart, you will need to travel out of the region. The closest major commercial track is Darwin Kart Hire, located at the Hidden Valley Motorsport Complex in Darwin.