Slideways Go Karting Pimpama closes after 11 years

The Gold Coast is about to lose its only outdoor go karting track weeks after council terminated their lease. Find out what’s in store for the site.

Slideways Pimpama is closing after 11 years after Gold Coast City council finally decided to terminate their lease. The Slideways team members after hearing of the announcement. Left to right they are, Harry Nolan, Sam Mulley, Leilani Etheve, Heidi Moitzi, Brayden Jackson, Dan Tuite and Tyrone Abielias. Picture : Glenn Hampson

The Gold Coast is losing its only outdoor Go Karting track to be replaced by an expansion of a recycling facility at Pimpama.

The lot at 232 Old Pacific Highway, Pimpama, has been a Go Karting track for more than 40 years, operated by Slideways for the last 11 years, general manager of Slideways, Dan Tuite said.

But it will be gone within months.

Slideways General Manager Dan Tuite. Picture: Glenn Hampson

“It’s quite attraction for locals and tourist so to not have something like this at all is a bit of a loss for the for the tourist market and the locals,” he said.

“It’s been there since 1983, so it’s been here for a very very long time.

“A lot of people do have fond memories of it.”

Mr Tuite said the Gold Coast City Council had always owned the land, and he always knew their lease would come to an end one day.

“They originally said that we’d have three to five years, but they ended up doing a year by a year lease for us, and we’ve ended up being here for 11.

“We’ve been here longer than what we thought we would be, which has been great.”

Slideways Pimpama is closing after 11 years after Gold Coast City council finally decided to terminate their lease. The Slideways team members after hearing of the announcement. Left to right they are, Harry Nolan, Sam Mulley, Leilani Etheve, Heidi Moitzi, Brayden Jackson, Dan Tuite and Tyrone Abielias. Picture Glenn Hampson

However, he said the uncertainty about the contract length meant they weren’t able to invest as much as they might have liked to into creating a better experience for drivers.

“It’s just more driver comfort,” he said.

“The track’s a little bumpier than it normally would be if we’d resurfaced it and just made it nice and smooth, but you know all race tracks have their bumps.”

A spokeswoman for the Gold Coast city council said council had been liaising with Slideways for about two years, and the lease was set to expire at the end of June.

“The City is constructing Stage 2 of the Pimpama Waste and Recycling Centre (WRC) which includes installing ‘Recycled Street’ and other site improvements,” the spokeswoman said.

The flag comes down and Slideways Pimpama is closing after 11 years after Gold Coast City council finally decided to terminate their lease. Picture Glenn Hampson

“These improvements will add to the existing Green Organics Drop and Go pad at the site to provide further recycling infrastructure and services for our residents and help accommodate the rapid growth of the northern Gold Coast suburbs.

“This expansion includes land used by the go karting business.”

The last day of business for Slideways at Pimpama will be on June 30.