INTRODUCTION – START OF THE WYNN’S SAFARI

The Wynn’s Safari was conducted between 1985 and 1988; thereafter it became the Australian Safari, managed by Tom Snooks and Bob Carpenter. In 1993 Snooks moved to be associated with Targa Tasmania whilst Carpenter continued with the Safari until 1997. In 1999 Advantage International took over the event and engaged Snooks as the Event Coordinator and Carpenter as the Clerk of Course (Road Director). This arrangement lasted until 2002 after which Snooks went off to Adelaide to assist with building up Classic Adelaide into a major international bitumen rally. Under new management the event became the Australasian Safari and was conducted in Western Australia from 2008 with the last event being conducted in 2014.

The Wynn’s Safari was about people. A sheet of the results did not explain the euphoria for the finishers, nor the pain of the losers who were beaten by distance, time and machine failure, not to say driver/rider error resulting in a crash.

It had its characters – many of them – both human and machines. It’s not surprising as the camaraderie of this unique event was such that even the shy became gregarious under the strain of the endurance competition which presented a challenge to self-reliant and adventurous souls. Much of the competition was conducted through terrain not normally seen by Australians.

Keen competition, friendship, and sheer satisfaction of achieving, or trying to achieve, the goal of reaching the finish under trying and arduous conditions were the objectives to be gained by those participating in the event.

The Wynn’s Safari was an event for both the experienced motorsport fanatic, and the average motorsport enthusiast who knew his vehicle and had some ability to drive or ride competitively.

But how did it start?