Rally Queensland has a long history dating back to the inaugural Australian Rally Championship and beyond. It has been a round of the ARC for every edition since 1968. Prior to the ARC, it was a round of the QRC, and has also been a QRC round for most years since 1998. From 2009 to 2016 Rally Queensland was also a round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship, during which time it was sometimes known as the Rally of Queensland.

Prior to 1989, the event was generally known by the name of the sponsor. From 1965 to 1976 it was known as the Warana Rally, named after the Warana Festival. From 1976 it gained sponsorship from Lutwyche Shopping Village and carried that name for eight years. It was the James Hardie Rally in 1983 and 84, then the Keema Plastics or Keema Classic Rally for three years before gaining Caltex sponsorship.  Although being called Rally Queensland since 1989, it has often also carried a sponsor’s name, the most recent editions being the Accent Benchtops Rally of Queensland.

The event has always been organised by the Brisbane Sporting Car Club and the names of the various Directors and Clerks of Course represent the cream of Queensland rallying. It was on the Lutwyche Shopping Village Rally that Garry Connelly cut his organisational teeth before ultimately moving to WA to launch Rally Australia. The most prolific and dedicated Clerk of Course was the late Errol Bailey with no less than 22 editions.