For the first time in its 20-year history the event is heading west for a gruelling journey through the Western Australian outback, starting in Kununurra and concluding in Perth on September 1.
Australian Safari is well known in the international world of motorsport and is often described as Australia’s own ‘Dakar’ Down Under.
It is certainly not your typical adventure. Australian Safari is designed to push competitors to their limits as they take on some of the country’s most challenging terrain on motorbikes or in motor vehicles over nine epic days.
The event gets underway with a ceremonial start at Kununurra at the top end of the state and competitors then snake their way down the 5500 kilometre course to the finish line in the WA capital.
The route passes through a host of famous tourist locations and some of the country’s landmark towns, including Broome, Port Hedland, Newman, Meekatharra, Leonora, Kalgoorlie and York.
It is anticipated that nearly 100 world-class drivers, on either two-wheels or four, will participate this year.
The 2007 field looks like being one of the strongest in the event’s history, attracting competitors from the U.S.A, Dubai, Japan and Sweden, as well as from around Australia.
The Safari also includes a non-competitive Adventure Tour category, which allows participants to traverse outback roads and tracks via a route that takes in some of Western Australia’s iconic tourism destinations, utilising the same overnight stops as the main event.
Justin Hunt, Event Director of Australian Safari, is looking forward to the new location for this spectacular event.
“Bringing Australian Safari to Western Australia is an exciting new chapter in the history of this famous event,” Hunt said.
“It’s a fantastic course. Western Australia is an amazing and diverse state – and we are going through the heart of it.
“We’re working closely with Tourism Western Australia to ensure everyone involved has a memorable experience.
“We are confident that the 2007 Australian Safari will be a success given the great support we have already received from the many small towns and communities throughout Western Australia who will be part of the famous adventure.”
Entries for this year’s Safari continue to swell as the looming deadline of July 27 approaches.
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