The Northern Loch Recreation Reserve was an important part of EH Lascelles efforts to open up the
Mallee for broadacre farming in the late 1880’s. As semi-permanent water, a pumping station and
orchard was established to demonstrate the viability of farming in the area. The new railway line of the
early 1890’s and the channel system in the early 1900’s meant water no longer flowed into the reserve.
The reserve was then used for coursing events up until the mid 1960’s when go-karting began in
January 1966. In 1968 the reserve together with the Hopetoun Go-Kart Club held the Victorian Dirt
Championships. In the 1970s a pony club was established at the reserve, utilising open ground and also
the expanses of the reserve for a well-respected cross-country track.
In the early 1980’s, go-karting was started again as the Southern Mallee Kart Club, and the club together
with Karkarooc Shire laid a bitumen track. In 1984 the first Southern Mallee Titles were held which
included a champions race including Russell Ingall, John Pizzaro and Drew Price. Many future
professional drivers would race at the track up until the club stopped karting in April 1994. These
included Cameron McConville, Stephen Ellery, Todd & Rick Kelly, and Jamie Whincup. The reserve
hosted the 1988 Vic Open Sprint Championships, with over 400 entrants travelling from as far as
Queensland for the event.
The pony club stopped operations at the track in the mid 2000’s.
The go-kart track was used intermittently by drifting clubs over a number of years, however it started to
be misused by people travelling to Hopetoun as it was publicly accessible. In 2021, police and DEECA
looked to have the track locked up and halted any drifting activities at the club.
At the same time, local interest in karting had led to the reforming of the Southern Mallee Kart Club, and
works began in January 2024 to restore the track. The local community has contributed around $350,000
worth of works not including labour to the restoration. Karting began in practice form only in March 2024,
and thanks to more funding recently, official licensed racing is expected to begin again in March 2025.