By La Shawna Griffith
Before the age of smartphones and social media, the children of St. George made their own magic. Long before “outside” became a nostalgic phrase, young boys and girls would rush home from school, and head straight to the gullies. Their mission? To build the perfect kart.
Affectionately known as karting in the gully, this rite of passage became a defining part of growing up in St. George. It was not just a hobby; it was a culture of its own. A celebration of friendship, creativity, and the pure joy of freedom on four wheels, even if those wheels were sometimes borrowed from old prams or salvaged trolleys.
For many, the best gullies were tucked between Dash Valley, The Glebe, and Walkers. Smooth enough for speed, but rough enough to test your courage. The aim was simple: build a kart that could fly down the gully faster than anyone else’s, hold your balance, enjoy the fun.
The memories flood in like snapshots of barefoot children pushing karts to the top of a hill, bursts of laughter echoing through the trees, and the unmistakable zing of a kart picking up speed. And of course, the ending was almost always the same: someone tumbling into the grass and the giggles from their friends nearby.
It was a time when fun was raw and real. The karts were homemade with scraps, wooden boards, old nails, and whatever wheels you could find. Helmets were unheard of, and every scratch or scar became a badge of honour.
The adults of today speak about those days with a twinkle in their eye. Ask any man or woman who grew up in St. George during the 70s, 80s, or 90s, and they will tell you about karting in the gully as if it were yesterday. They remember the feeling of wind in their faces, the thrill of competition, and the way the grass stung after a fall. But most of all, they remember the laughter, the kind that only comes from youthful freedom.
St. George’s gullies were not just landscapes; they were raceways, runways, and realms of imagination. And while time has changed with the electronic games children play today, the legacy of karting in the gully remains etched in the hearts of those who lived it.
In a parish known for its breathtaking views, quiet charm, and strong sense of tradition, karting in the gully was one of the many ways that St. George showed its soul, simple, joyful, and deeply connected to the land.
