The nine-day, 4,300 mile (7,000 kilometre) inaugural Dulux Rally was conducted 7 to 16 August 1971, with Allan Lawson as the Director, and it covered three states – New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.

The course:

• Saturday Sydney start
• Saturday Silverdale Hillclimb (practice run then 3 timed runs); overnight Sydney
• Sunday Oran Park circuit racing (6 lap races, 2 races each Groups A and B); overnight Tamworth
• Monday Rally sections on approach to Grafton
• Monday Grafton Hillclimb (run at night – practice run then 3 timed runs)
• Monday Rally sections to overnight stop at Murwillumbah
• Tuesday Surfers Paradise circuit racing (30 lap race for combined Groups A and B); overnight Brisbane
• Wednesday Lakeside racing (1 x 15 lap and 1 x 30 lap for each Group A and B); overnight Goondiwindi
• Thurs/Fri Rally sections via Lightning Ridge, Narromine, West Wyalong, Wagga Wagga, o/night at Albury
• Saturday Hume Weir circuit racing (one race of 45 laps for combined Group A and B)
• Saturday Practice at Calder Raceway; overnight Tullamarine (Melbourne)
• Sunday Calder Raceway circuit racing (6 lap races, 2 races each Groups A and B)
• Sunday followed by 400 mile (650km) rally sections through forests east of Melbourne to the finish