Leg 11 – the course… 

From the outset of planning the Mobil 1 Trial the organisers were determined that the event would not fizzle out towards the finish and this leg was one of intense competition with 12 special stages to ensure that the pressure was kept on all the way to Brisbane.

The first stage, 40km ‘Kirknie’, conducted by the Twin Cities Auto Sports Club, was a fast-undulating road over shire roads conducted south of Ayr, followed by a short 21km ‘Eton Vale’ west of Bowen, and then into Collinsville for refuelling. The 20km ‘Eungella’ stage travelled to the top of Mount Dingo before descending to the Eungella Dam and followed by a scenic drive to Mackay through sugarcane fields.

After a service at Mackay the route headed south to the challenging 36km ‘Connors Range’ stage which was a mixture of fast, narrow and some rough stretches. After refuelling at Tooloombah it was a 200km run onto Rockhampton for a service and rest break, in preparation for the long night ahead.

The last three stages were conducted by the Whitsunday Car Club.

From Rockhampton it was 211km to the next stage, ‘Bullyan’, a short 22km sharp stage on narrow roads through the forest south of Gladstone, and then transporting through Gin Gin to the 57km ‘Brooweena’ stage to the north west of Maryborough. A superb stage with a variety of types of roads through the forest, this was run by the Central Coast Car Club.

A 170km transport took the field to Gympie for a service and then onto the next six stages through fabulous rally country used for the Australian Rally Championship round each year. All six stages were conducted by the Brisbane Sporting Car Club.

After the ‘Harts’, ‘Elgin Vale’ and two ‘Belthorpe’ stages a service was at Woodford to provide a brief respite before the final two stages, ‘Mount Gee’ and ‘D’Aguilar’.

A very scenic drive to Brisbane through the rain forest over ever-twisting bitumen roads ended the leg.