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Rally
Tasmania & Heritage Rally |
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| Rally Tasmania and the Heritage Rally are special stage closed-road tarmac rallies conducted in
the North West of Tasmania and centred in Burnie. Whilst Lactos
Heritage Rally is designed for pre-1976 vehicles and Rally Tasmania for more modern
vehicles (including 4WD) both events are run concurrently over the same course. The event
is a closed stage event in its entirety, with stages running from the very short to long
at 25 km. Whilst the event varies a little from year to year in terms of the
actual stage composition, it nonetheless preserves a three day format
which is so popular with competitors.
Reports on previous events
may be found on this site.
The latest information can be found on the event website - the description below, however provides a broad overview of the typical event. |
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The route offer competitors spectacular stages stretching from the ocean to the mountains over country side to the south and west of Burnie very familiar to those who also compete in Targa Tasmania. Many competitors see Rally Tasmania/Lactos as an important step in their preparation for this event. The event itself is spread over three days, with 2 stages on the Friday, 7 on the Saturday and a further 8 on the Sunday. In all there is around 180 km of Special Stages and a total route distance of some 675 km. Rally Tasmania/Lactos is therefore a very concentrated event, packing a lot of action into three days. The event starts at 5.00 pm on Friday in Burnie. Usually two or three stages can be contested, taking advantage of 'daylight' saving which is in force at this time of year. The first car usually returns to Burnie some two hours later around 7.00 pm and all cars are impounded overnight in the new 'multi-storey' security car park in the city centre. In 1999 for example the rally headed towards Cradle Mountain from a 8.30 am start. 'Camena' started the day, followed by stages such as 'Leven Valley', 'Spellmans' and from there to the magnificent mountain stage at 'Molna' which took competitors to a superb hot and cold buffet lunch at Cradle Mountain Lodge on the edge of Tasmania's World Heritage Area. From Cradle Mountain, the route took competitors back towards the coast in the afternoon. Stages included 'Gentle Annie', 'Isandula', 'Hampshire' before the day concluded with a 12 km run through 'Tewksbury'. Saturday, like Friday, finishes back in Burnie with the cars in parc ferme, with the first car back at around 6.30 pm. The Sunday of the event usually involves an early start. In 1999, the event got under way at 8.00 am and to took competitors to the Savage River lunch break and re-group via the famous stages of 'Mount Leslie' (5.5 km), 'Hellyer Gorge' (15.5 km) and the brilliant 26 km 'Savage River' mountain stage. After another magnificent buffet hot and cold buffet lunch in Savage River, it was then another 26 km 'Savage River Reverse' then 'Hellyer Gorge Reverse' before arriving back in Burnie in the early afternoon. Sunday finishes with a gala Prizegiving dinner in the Burnie Town Hall that evening.. A deal has been organised with Brambles Shipping and TT-Line for shipping across Bass Strait. If you wish to accompany your vehicle then TT-Line provide a group booking discount to the organisers for the use of the 'Spirit of Tasmania'. For details and a booking form, contact Tony Wright at the Rally Office on (03) 6436 2333 Brambles Shipping provide a great un-accompanied service on their roll-on roll-off ships directly into Burnie. Under this arrangement, you can ship your car a little earlier and spend more time at work before flying to Burnie prior to the Friday start, then fly back to Melbourne early Monday morning (hangover permitting) for work. For those wishing to enter the event an Application for Entry can be found via the 'Download' or 'Quick Access' pages on this site. This document outlines the costs of entry. If you wish to secure a space in the field contact Tony Wright, the Event Director. Tony Wright Rally Tasmania is one event, you really should not miss. Apart from being well organised and embracing some of the very best closed road special stages you are ever likely to drive, it is also exceptionally good value for money. This has to be the best value for money event in Australia! |
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