About Us
Australasian Safari is a partnership between Justin Hunt Management, a specialist motorsport event company, and Tourism Western Australia
Australasian Safari, with its long history of competition throughout Australia and more recently Western Australia, is modernising to reflect our aims and targets to place this event at the forefront of motorsport competition within the region.
Western Australia will again play host to this exciting event, frequently referred to as Australia’s version of ‘Paris to Dakar’, showcasing the incredibly diverse landscape the state has to offer. Providing Australasian Safari competitors and entrants with an unrivalled backdrop this off-road rally course will rank amongst the most spectacular in the world.
As part of the Australasian Safari adventure competitors will traverse outback roads and tracks via a route that takes in a great variety of geographical challenges. The inclusion of varying vehicles types, participating in either a competitive or touring element, allows for a spectacle like no other in Western Australia’s amazing Outback.
Our aim stays the same “to provide the best, safest and most challenging long distance off-road race in the Asia Pacific region”.
Australasian Safari 2012
Congratulations to Jake Smith (moto), John Hederics and co-driver Kees Weel (auto), Paul Smith (quad) and Dakar Challenge winner Brett Cummings, each of whom pushed through seven days of incredibly challenging terrain and distances testing their mental and physical stamina.
Jake Smith, 24, from NSW won the Australasian Safari moto division as he did in 2009. He held the lead for the entire event on his Honda CRF450X and finished with a comfortable 31 minutes to spare.
With brother Todd Smith, last year’s Safari moto winner, they have a combined seven podiums in seven events in WA on three different marques - Honda, Yamaha and KTM.
John Hederics (NSW) and Kees Weel (Qld) in the Holden Colorado finished a comfortable one hour 24 minutes ahead of their nearest rivals and drove a steady race over the past eight days. Hederics holds the record for most Australasian Safari wins on a moto and in an auto.
Hederics is arguably the event’s most experienced competitor. He has won six out of seven Safari attempts on a moto and four out of seven attempts in an auto. It is Weel’s second win as a navigator and the fourth win for the car.
Victorian Paul Smith, 35, won the Australasian Safari convincingly from start to finish on his Honda TRX700XX. He has contested each Australasian Safari since quads were introduced five years ago and won in 2010.
South African rider Brett Cummings (29) won the Dakar Challenge in his first marathon event.
115 competitors started the Australasian Safari and after a Prologue and seven legs there were 92 competitors crossed the finish line.
The Australasian Safari, from 21 to 29 September 2012, is an eight-day endurance race that sees competitors travel mainly off-road tracks through the outback of Western Australia. The event is known as one of the toughest and most challenging motorsport events in the world. The 2012 course was approximately 3500km through the mid west of Western Australia.
Similarly without the hard work of our officials we couldn’t run the Safari and our thanks goes to them. This includes the Stage ‘Tango’ teams who we hardly see during the event because they travel from Selective Section to Selective Section camping out each night, the medical team, pilots, course cars, communications, media, the admin & sporting team and the CAMS & MA officials.
In 2013, the Australasian Safari will take place from 19 to 27 September. If you are thinking about entering the event, send an email via the Safari 2013 page.
Check out the photo galleries, and keep up with the event on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
