A brief run down of the event is as follows:
The start is at Melbourne Showgrounds on the 8th of August and the first destination as in 1979 is Tooborac, this time for a reunion lunch as the forest used then has been taken over by the Army. We are encouraging people who competed in or have an interest in the Repco to attend the lunch if they can't make the rest of the event.
The event will traverse as many of the original stages as possible, some 12 of the 16 competitives which were run between the start in Melbourne and Kingoonya where the event swung west across the Nullabor.
In line with the event being held as a TRE, these stages won't be timed but there will be manned controls at the majority of the original locations and missed controls or observations will result in penalties.
The navigation will be mostly in the form of route charts, as far as possible we will use the original instructions as issued to competitors in 1979. At times there will be simple map reading required, mainly in towns and along highways and in the night time sub event on private property at Broken Hill, once again very simple.
There is an optional untimed navigational event on day two, this is planned to be challenging, but it won't count towards the overall placings. There will be an award for the winning navigator.
On top of the 1979 stages the event will offer a wide variety of special tests, these include some really great speed events at various autocross venues along the route, some khanacrosses and only one motorkhana, although this will be at a truly unique venue. There are also sub events near Burra, Broken Hill and at Kalabity Station, run to the TRE regulations for timed road sections.
Although the morning starts at times will be early, each day's proceedings are planned to finish by nightfall leaving time for socialising and we have functions planned for most nights.
Legendary competitors such as Bob Watson, Barry Ferguson, Dave Johnson and John Bryson have entered and will be among those relating their Repco experiences at the rally forum planned for the Mount Gambier stopover.
Cars entered include the Bell/Ferguson/Boddy Commodore from 1979 and the Bond/Riley/Dawson-Damer Cortina TE. There are other original cars from 1979 including The Bega entered Commodore and an Austin 1800, plus the ex Tony Fall 1800 from the 1968 London Sydney.
Others, such as the Graeme Alexander Escort and the Jim Reinders FJ Holden in original livery are planned to make an appearance.
The competitive event finishes with a presentation dinner at Parachilna on the 14th of August but there is a further 2 day tour, taking in the Muddy Detour Trial Stage from 1979, this ran from Marree to Coober Pedy, 422km in one hit with no road closures or officials apart from the start and finish controls!
The final day takes in Kingoonya, where the original event turned right and headed off across the Nullabor and a run around the western side of Lake Gairdner through Mt Ive and Iron Knob to Port Augusta.
Entry fee is $1800 and this includes 4 meals per crew member including the presentation dinner at the iconic Prairie Hotel.
For those short of time, a problem with so many other events being held around that time, we are offering a three day event taking in the route as far as Renmark.
This will cost only $600 and include two meals per crew member. The third day is possibly the most challenging of the event, running up the border from Mt Gambier and including some unique and spectacular scenery.
Although the 1979 event was renowned as the toughest Round Australia Trial of them all the rerun is allowing considerably more time and the roads used for the rerun are in the main, excellent. We have deleted some stretches which proved to be unsuitable, in most cases due to no maintenance for many years or in the case of a portion of the border track, overuse by bikes and SUVs.
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