Highlights

This year was notable for the announcement in September by Hancocks Plantations that Victoria’s pine forests would no longer be accessible for rallying. This was a bitter blow to the sport and arguably removed up to half the available areas for competitive events.

The Victorian Rally Championship, which was won by David Stannus and Peter Campbell in a Nissan Pulsar GTi-R, was casualty of the Hancocks ban with the series shortened to just four events with the cancellation of the North Eastern, which had been planned for October in the pine forests around Myrtleford and Beechworth. The inclusion of Rally of Melbourne was not possible because at that time in Victoria’s rally development, the VRC comprised non-pace noted events.

However, a highlight of the year was the revival of a traditional Alpine, which despite the Hancocks ban, was able to run effectively as a special stage event with a Bright base, but only utilising the hardwood forests.