The former Queensland gold mining town of Gympie, 165km north of Brisbane, could become the base for Rally Australia in 2007, according to information leaked to RallySport Magazine today.
According to our sources, the route and the plans for the rally were set at least 18 months ago, with Gympie chosen as the event base.
The event would be held on gravel, with day one of the rally heading west of Gympie to the Glastonbury area currently used for the Cooloola Classic Rally. Day two would head south to Beerburrum and the Glass House Mountains, while day three would be concentrated around the Imbil forests currently used in the Australian Rally Championship round.
FIA officials were seen in the Imbil area some months ago flying around the areas planned to be used for the event, and were reportedly happy with the roads on offer. However, it is believed they were less than impressed with some of the infrastructure.
Gympie has a population base of 15,000, yet it would struggle to cope with the influx of people and would lack the hotel beds required for a round of the World Rally Championship. In that regard, perhaps the tourist attraction of Noosa Heads, some 65km south east of Gympie, would be utilised.
However, yesterday’s announcement that the event would have a permanent base within 50km of the Brisbane CBD could mean that the Gympie plans have since been shelved.
Nobody from the promoters, IQG Rally Events, was available to confirm or deny the rumours.
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