Australian Safari

NEWS

Welcome to Safari 2012

Date: 06-Jan-2012
Its with great pleasure that we announce that Expressions of Interest are now open and the Pre Event Guide Edition 1 has been published online. For 2012 we have an entirely new course, we will visit a number of new towns in some simply stunning regions. At this stage the event will be focusing on the Perth, Murchison and Gascoyne regions of Western Australia.

Dates Announced for Australasian Safari 2012

Date: 05-Jan-2012
Event owner Justin Hunt, of Justin Hunt Management announced the dates 21 to 29 September 2012 at last night’s event competitor briefing. “We understand what a huge effort it is to plan ahead to enter an event of this nature and commitments need to be made months in advance,” Justin said.

Watch the highlights of the 2011 Australasian Safari

Date: 13-Oct-2011
Relive all the action of the 2011 Australasian Safari on Channel Ten. A one hour highlights show will be run on Ch10 on Saturday 19th November between 1pm & 2pm. If you miss it then, it will be repeated on ONEHD on Tuesday 22nd November, also between 1pm & 2pm. If you can't wait until then, or can't watch Channel 10 or OneHD, then check out the party tape on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwu2VUIDU6U&feature=channel_video_title.

The spirit of Safari 2011

Date: 04-Oct-2011
It’s well known that only the toughest survive the gruelling seven-day race that is the Australasian Safari. The annual off-road race for four-wheel drives, motorbikes and quad bikes is set in outback Western Australia across often treacherous terrain that demands the full attention of competitors. Without exception, every year there are mechanical causalities as man and machine come up against Mother Nature.

Convincing wins in the Asia Pacific’s toughest motorsport event

Date: 30-Sep-2011
The Australasian Safari has been won by Todd Smith (moto), Steve Riley and co-driver John Doble (auto) and John Maragozidis (quad), each managing to push through seven days of incredibly challenging terrain and distances testing their mental and physical stamina.

There’s no room to relax in final leg of Australasian Safari

Date: 30-Sep-2011
The mood was pensive in the Australasian Safari camp this morning before the final leg of the race from Leonora to Kalgoorlie, and despite some strong lead times, the fastest competitors are not relaxing.

Safari throws everything at competitors today - Despres out of the race

Date: 29-Sep-2011
Australasian Safari lived up to its reputation as the Asia Pacific’s toughest motorsport event today for its 50 remaining competitors. Frenchman Cyril Despres is out of the race after injuring his foot in the first stage, understood to be tissue damage after connecting with a fence post.

Safari lead tips over as Lowndes lands Colorado on its side

Date: 28-Sep-2011
V8 Supercar legend Craig Lowndes has lost his four-leg lead in the Australasian Safari today in Western Australia, after tipping the Holden Colorado on its side during a manoeuvre around a tree on the course on the first stage of the day, one of many obstacles in today’s challenging race.

Safari tips on its side today - Lowndes lands Colorado on its side & Diener out with mechanical problems after huge day yesterday

Date: 28-Sep-2011
V8 Supercar legend Craig Lowndes is likely to lose his four-Leg lead in the Australasian Safari today, after tipping the Holden Colorado on its side during a maneuver around a tree on the course on the first stage of the day, one of many obstacles in today’s challenging race.

Soft sand and fast flowing stages test competitor endurance

Date: 27-Sep-2011
Today was the longest distance travelled for Australasian Safari competitors as they raced in three stages totalling 662 competitive kilometres in a looped course around Laverton in Western Australia’s northern goldfields on the edge of the Great Northern Desert.

All the challenges of offroad racing thrown at competitors in one day

Date: 26-Sep-2011
- Grabham out with mechanical failure, Despres loses time due to navigation errors, Smith brothers retain the lead - Craig Lowndes and John Panozzo retain auto lead Today’s Leg of the Australasian Safari from Sandstone to Laverton threw everything at competitors.

Long flowing tracks provide some relief and even fun for Leg 3 of Safari - Todd Smith and Craig Lowndes stay in the lead

Date: 25-Sep-2011
The tall grasses that gave grief to competitors over the last two days have cleared and the pace increased as Safari headed further inland from Mt Magnet to Sandstone today on 326km of competitive stages. The lead in the motos has been held by brothers Todd and Jake Smith on Honda, closely followed by Ben Grabham and Matt Fish, both on KTM. Dakar winner Frenchman Cyril Despres, also on KTM, said he had a better day and moved up one position to fifth.

First two Legs of Safari take their toll

Date: 25-Sep-2011
Although only three days in following the Prologue and first two Legs, the Australasian Safari has lived up to its reputation as Australia’s toughest motorsport event, with several competitors dreams of winning already gone for the 4000km race from Geraldton to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

Leg 1 terrain - State Barrier Fence

Date: 24-Sep-2011
Today’s leg of the Australasian Safari took competitors along 3km of Western Australia’s State Barrier Fence, which is an outback icon and an integral part of the State’s history.

Wild times in the wildflowers

Date: 24-Sep-2011
While dazzling to look at for tourists, the carpets of wildflowers in the Western Australian outback proved treacherous for competitors on Leg 1 of Australasian Safari.

Dates announced for Australian Safari 2012

Date: 24-Sep-2011
On the strength and quality of the field, and sponsor and community support for this year’s Australasian Safari, organisers have announced dates for the 2012 event. Event owner Justin Hunt, of Justin Hunt Management announced the dates 21 to 29 September 2012 at last night’s event competitor briefing.

Safari Prologue provides a taste of the challenges ahead

Date: 23-Sep-2011
The stage has been set for an exciting seven days of racing following today’s Australasian Safari Prologue in Geraldton, Western Australia. Long grasses from a wet winter provided challenges for both two wheels and four, making navigating and slipping amongst the biggest hurdles of the 19km course which sets the start order for Leg One of the race tomorrow.

Thousands come out to cheer off their Safari heroes

Date: 23-Sep-2011
Thousands of motorsport enthusiasts gathered yesterday (Thursday) in the afternoon sun at Hillarys Marina to get a closer look at the Australasian Safari vehicles in their pristine condition and chat to competitors about their expectations for the event.

Excitement builds -- international competitors meet

Date: 23-Sep-2011
On the eve of the Australasian Safari, our international competitors came together with the event’s top moto, quad and auto drivers and riders, most meeting face to face for the first time. With their vehicles on display excitement was building, as the competitors were clearly eager for the racing to get underway.

Dakar champ discovers Western Australia ahead of Australasian Safari

Date: 22-Sep-2011
Three-time Dakar Champion and international motorsport celebrity Frenchman Cyril Despres is in Perth experiencing WA’s extraordinary coastal wonders before taking on the gruelling eight-day, 4000 kilometre outback motorsport challenge, the Australasian Safari.

Ben set to grab Safari success with both hands

Date: 18-Sep-2011
Three-time Australasian Safari winner and off-road moto champion Ben Grabham is back in the action for the 2011 Australasian Safari, which takes off from Perth next week. He has only been back on the track for a month after breaking his hand in the Finke Desert Race in June, which he then went on to win for the third time. Now Ben is looking forward to conquering the 4000km Safari course of open, mainly off-road tracks.

Haydn Redfern

Date: 18-Sep-2011
Australasian Safari competitor Haydn Redfern will be remembered today at a funeral service in Cairns. He was tragically killed in a helicopter crash last week in Northern Queensland. Redfern last competed in Safari as a codriver alongside Geoff Olholm in 2009, and was due to compete again in 2011.

Lowndes and PRW Holden team ready to tackle the wild West

Date: 17-Sep-2011
The PRW Holden team of Craig Lowndes and Paul Weel, with co-drivers John Panozzo and Kees Weel, have finished testing their cars and are ready to take all that the Australasian Safari in outback Western Australia will throw at them.

Australasian Safari’s heading to Geraldton - and you can witness the action!

Date: 15-Sep-2011
Competitors in this year’s Australasian Safari will be in Geraldton next week for the start of Australia’s toughest motorsport challenge. On Friday 23 September competitors will complete the Prologue that takes off at Glengarry Station and finishes at the Geraldton Safari Show on the foreshore.

Australasian Safari fever hits with the KTM Safari Party!

Date: 14-Sep-2011
Europe’s leading sport motorcycle manufacturer KTM is celebrating the start of the 2011 Australasian Safari and would like their customers and fans to join them at the KTM Safari Party.

Sam Sunderland – Dubai’s desert racer

Date: 12-Sep-2011
Sam Sunderland is a young talented rider who is fast making a big name for himself and will be doing his best to continue his string of firsts when he makes his Australasian Safari debut at the end of the month.

Introducing the Mitsubishi Challenger

Date: 08-Sep-2011
The 2011 Australasian Safari will see Mitsubishi Motors campaign a brand new current model Challenger in the hands of Robert Inall from NSW along with co driver Harvey Smith. The team will be competing for production class honours with the focus specifically being on the diesel category.

Quad Under Construction

Date: 08-Sep-2011
QUAD competitor Heath Young sent us some photos of his preparation of the CPW KTM XC Rallye quad. Like many of the competitors that phone the Safari Office, at the moment he is racing against the clock and his work commitments to have it built in time. But there is no doubt that it will be ready, and that it will fly.

Who to watch in Australasian Safari 2011

Date: 06-Sep-2011
International motorsport legends, motor racing 'royalty' and national champions will be up against local competitors in the 2011 Australasian Safari from 22 to 30 September.

Sneak Peek at Craig Lowndes' 2011 Safari Vehicle

Date: 03-Sep-2011
This will be the machine to beat for the 2011 Australasian Safari AUTO competitors - Craig Lowndes' Holden Colorado 4WD V8 Ute, prepared by Kees Weel and his team at PWR Performance Products. It is the same model that Lowndes drove to victory in his first attempt at the Safari in 2010, distinctive with its day glow orange colouring.

Mamma mia! More great international competitors join Safari 2011

Date: 24-Aug-2011
We welcome our first Italian competitor for several years to Safari 2011 - professional rally racer & moto journalist Manuel Lucchese. Manuel is an experienced and skilled moto rally competitor who regularly contributes to the Italian off-road electronic and print media.

Maximum Take on the Australasian Safari

Date: 23-Aug-2011
Maximum Motorsport has formally announced its entry into the Australasian Safari at the end of September. Not only will the Safari be a new event for the Perth-based rally team, it will also debut a current model Subaru Forester XT prepared specifically for the event. Maximum Motorsport's Dean Herridge said there were a lot for 'firsts' for them with this event.

Celebrate with Australia’s toughest motorsport competitors as they finish the gruelling Australasian Safari

Date: 23-Aug-2011
Witness the action and excitement of the Australasian Safari first hand as the riders and drivers race home on the final leg of their seven-day off-road marathon. Get a rare glimpse of the Safari action when the final two stages of the event are completed and a podium finish held at the stunning new Kalgoorlie Golf Course. Congratulate the weary competitors who have made it to the end. There should be some famous faces amongst them with three-time Dakar moto champion Cyril Despres and V8 Supercar hero Craig Lowndes entered in 2011. All the vehicles that made it to the finish will also be on display in a festive atmosphere.

Holden Rally Team Hot to Trot

Date: 11-Aug-2011
If the dazzling colour of the twin HRT Colorado Spacecab Utes is any indication, they’re both fully prepared to give the Australasian Safari ‘a red hot go’ as the late Peter Brock was wont to declare.

Cairns Coconut Holiday Resort Rally Team Up For 2011 Australian Safari

Date: 01-Aug-2011
The Cairns Coconut Holiday Resort Rally Team is again up for the challenge of the 2011 Australasian Safari. The Cairns Coconut Holiday Resort Rally Team sees the return of its strong two car challenger line-up: - twice outright winner of the Australasian Safari and former Australian Motorcycle champion Steve Riley, once more partnered with long time veteran navigator John Doble; and Geoff Olholm, also a former motorcycle champion and Australian representative - turned off road racer, partnered by regular navigator Haydn Redfern.

Three-time Dakar winner Cyril Despres confirmed for Australia’s toughest offroad event

Date: 21-Jul-2011
Three-time winner of Dakar, Frenchman Cyril Despres, will make his Australian debut at this year’s Australasian Safari, Western Australian Minister for Tourism, Dr Kim Hames, said today. “Despres is currently the most accomplished long distance off-road motorbike rider in the world and has finished on the Dakar podium an incredible seven times in the last eight years”, Dr Hames said.

2011 HA YOUNG PLUMBING YILGARN RALLYE

Date: 05-Jul-2011
Although 3 time Australasian Safari champion Ben Grabham was absent due to his Finke wrist injury a quality field including several Safari podium placers such as Damien Grabham, David Schwarz and Matt Fish made the trip to Southern Cross for the 2011 HA Young Plumbing Yilgarn Rallye.

Goldfields, ghost towns, salt lakes and bull dust in store for this year’s Safari competitors

Date: 05-Jul-2011
Competitors in this year’s Australasian Safari will be cheered off in Perth before they travel approximately 4000km, first heading north to Geraldton then east through Western Australia’s golden outback to finish seven days later in the infamous gold mining town of Kalgoorlie.

PWR Holden Rally Defends The Safari Title With A Two Car Team In 2011

Date: 27-Jun-2011
PWR Holden Rally will defend the 2010 Australasian Safari this year with a two car team. Piloted by current V8 Supercar driver Craig Lowndes and former V8 Supercar driver Paul Weel these two drivers will go head to head with their skills put to the test in the bush by the unique challenges that the Safari throws at its drivers.

Australasian Safari Adventure Tour - The ultimate extreme ‘Mancation’!

Date: 14-Jun-2011
If you’re bored with holidays lolling on beaches or mooching around museums, the Australiasian Safari has the perfect antidote with its adrenalin-packed Adventure Tour.