People of all ages can enjoy the sport with children as young as seven competing behind the wheel. Karting teaches these children, both boys and girls, basic driving skills well before they are able to obtain their road license.
Karting is competitive, but it is also fun and family orientated, with involvement in the sport both on and off the track giving it a strong feeling of community. It teaches driving skills and offers people an opportunity to gain a career in motorsport, all in a safe and organised environment.
Kart meetings take place at circuits across Australia every weekend and are either a club, regional, state or national level meeting. Getting into karting is relatively simple.
First you need to become a member of the Albury Wodonga Kart Club and start out on a provisional license. Buying a kart has also been made a lot simpler thanks to a professional trade industry that serves the karters of Australia.
Join Up
Joining the Albury Wodonga Kart Club will gives you access to the track for practice, as well as allowing you to participate in any club championship, social events, working bees and other club activities.
Get a Karting Australia (KA) Licence
Once you are a member of the AWKC, you will need an KA licence. The license comes with an KA Karting Manual, which outlines all the rules, regulations and operations of KA.
Licences are divided into 4 different age group categories:
- Cadet 9 Licence: from 6 to 9 years (maximum age is 10th birthday, must be 7 years old to compete)
- Cadet 12 Licence: 9 years of age to 12 years of age
- Junior Licence: 12 years of age to 15 years of age
- Senior Licence: Minimum 15 years of age
- Karting Victoria 2024 Licence Fees:
- New Competition Licence = $400
- Competition Licence Renewal = $385
- 8 Day Competition Licence = $100
- E Grade Competition Licence = $175
- Vintage Competition Licence = $110
- Karting Activity Controller
(Level 5 Licence for practice control) = $25
Plates
To help distinguish the different license levels:
- Senior drivers use a black on yellow number plate
- Junior drivers use a black on white number plate
- Cadet 9 & 12 drivers use a red on white number plate
A KA License also deals with insurance while racing. To organise your KA license see details on our Join Our Club page.
Get a Kart
The karting industry in Australia is always keen to assist newcomers in entering and enjoying the sport.
The local kart shops will be able to assist you with not only purchasing a kart, but also helping you maintain it and acquire the necessary tools and equipment.
Get Your Safety Gear
Most kart shops will also offer a range of safety gear – that is, full face helmets, race suits, racing boots, gloves and other optional safety gear such as padded rib vests and neck braces.
As well as kart shops, motorsport race gear shops carry ranges of karting gear and even motorcycle shops can be good for things like helmets and wet weather driving gear.
Get a Buddy
Karting is a friendly, family-orientated sport and karters young and old are always happy to help out newcomers.
Make sure you ask lots of questions of local members, state association and local kart shop. It is often a good idea to plan your first trip to the kart track with your kart with someone you know so that they can help you with any questions you may have. Also, while at the circuit feel free to ask other competitors any questions.
So often friends you make in karting will be friends for life