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 unrivaled 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 2011

Congratulations to Todd Smith (moto), Steve Riley and co-driver John Doble (auto), John Maragozidis (quad) and Rob Herridge and co-driver Tim Batten (safari production), each of whom pushed through seven days of incredibly challenging terrain and distances testing their mental and physical stamina.



Todd Smith on a Honda CRF450X took out the moto prize, leading the race since Leg 2.

The 26-year old from Condobolin NSW has finally made it to first place after finishing second in both 2010 and 2009, winning by 20 minutes over brother Jacob Smith on Honda in second place and Rod Faggotter from Queensland on Yamaha, coming in at 28 hours 40 minutes in third place.



Victorians Steve Riley and John Doble representing the Cairns Coconut Resort Race Team took a cautious approach this week, which has helped them win a trifecta of Australasian Safaris – 2011, 2009 and 2008.

They had a lucky break in Leg 5 when V8 Supercar legend Craig Lowndes rolled the Holden Colorado in its side, putting him out of contention for the podium.



Experienced Quad rider and 2009 Australasian Safari winner South Australian organic almond farmer John Maragozidis won comfortably, about four hours ahead of Colin Lawson who lost nine hours in penalties in Leg 4 after mechanical failure, and Neville Yeatman finishing in third place.

First time entrants, Rob Herridge & Tim Batten showed true Safari grit in getting their essentially showroom spec Subaru Forrester to the end, to win the Safari Production class.

Ninety competitors started the Australasian Safari seven days ago on the coast in Geraldton, Western Australia in auto, moto, quad and non-competitive Adventure Tour category. Today, 69 competitors and adventure tour participants crossed the finish line and they are all winners for making it through 4000km of harsh outback terrain which threw everything at them – rocks, soft sand, mud, trees, severely rutted ground from recent rains, barely visible tracks and tricky navigation.




Standouts

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  • South Australian Shane Diener on Yamaha who won eight of the 17 stages but lost four hours on Leg 5 for not being able to complete the day due to starter clutch failure.


  • UK rider Sam Sunderland competing in his first Australasian Safari who won four stages for Husaberg Rallye Racing but had a shaky start to the race after colliding with a kangaroo on Leg 1 and coming off his bike. He lost 7 hours in penalties that day, and 10 hours the next as he was unable to compete under instruction from the medical team. He lost 9 hours again on Leg 6 for clutch failure.


  • Craig Lowndes and John Panozzo who won an impressive 15 stages of 17 but came unstuck in Leg 5 after rolling the car and sustaining big penalties. 


  • Quad rider Colin Lawson who won seven stages but took a hit on penalty time after losing nine hours in Leg 4.


  • Annie Seel, affectionately known as the Swedish Rally Princess, who has toughed it out as the only female moto competitor placing 13th at the end of the event.


  • Rod Faggotter who placed third overall despite riding with a broken hand for five days, sustained in Leg 2.

Australasian Safari 2012 is scheduled for 21 to 29 September 2012 in outback Western Australia.

A full set of results is available on the results page

Thanks go to all the people and the organisations who helped out in the regions that the Safari travelled through. This includes the City of Joondalup (Hillarys), Geraldton, Mount Magnet, Sandstone, Laverton, Leonora and Kalgoorlie. Also to the pastoralists and other land owners who have been overwhelmingly supportive of the Safari. We are always conscious of the fact that without their cooperation we would have no Safari.

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 2012, the Australasian Safari will take place from 21 to 29 September. If you are thinking about entering the event, send an email via the Safari 2012 page.

Check out the photo galleries, and keep up with the event on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.


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