Southern Cross Rally Returns After 36-Year Break

Date: 04.10.2016

The Southern Cross Rally could be your chance to enter a milestone event, only basic prep is required

Southern Cross Rally

Even amongst Unique Cars’ more grizzled readers, there won’t be too many that remember the first running of the Southern Cross rally way back in 1966. That event was run from Sydney to Melbourne and back to Sydney attracting a star-studded field that included Paddy Hopkirk, Timo Makinen and Rauno Aaltonen, as well as the cream of Australia’s rally drivers, Harry Firth taking the honours in the inaugural event. For fourteen years thereafter, the Southern Cross rally was the high point for Aussie rally crews, but the last running was in 1980.

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Australia’s foremost International rally, event director Bob Watson and the Historic Rally Association is organising an event to take place from November 8-19, 2016. Proceedings for this Gold Anniversay event kick off in Albury NSW and finish in Coffs Harbour NSW to coincide with the running of Rally Australia, the final heat of the World Rally Championship.

The course will cover 3000 kms over 12 days and take competitors through Mansfield and Sale in Gippsland then over the Snowy Mountains to Cooma and Canberra, before a half way dinner in Sydney. The route follow roads used in the 1966 Southern Cross Rally and at Coffs the competitors will participate on some of the World Championship events special stages. The anniversary event is open to normal road cars with basic rally preparation. No roll over protection is required.

For further details visit the event web site southerncrossanniversaryrally.com.au or the Historic Rally Association’s web site hra.org.au, or call event director Bob Watson on 0427 201 158.

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