The Confederation of Australian Motorsport has announced details of the return of Australia’s round of the World Rally Championship, Rally Australia. At a launch in Sydney today it was announced that the Rally will take place around North Eastern New South Wales in and around the Tweed Heads area.

The rally has the support of Events NSW with five events through to 2017 with an option to extend that arrangement for a further five. 

“The World Rally Championship will generate more than $100 million of direct economic benefit for New South Wales over the life of the agreement,” said Geoff Parmenter CEO Events NSW. 

“Hosting the World Rally Championship – the highest profile four wheeled motor sport championship after Formula One - on a regular basis in Regional New South Wales will drive tourism, create jobs and deliver major economic benefits to the community.” he said.

CAMS President Colin Osborne said that “The Australian leg of the FIA World Rally Championship will witness up to 2,000 volunteer officials operating in the field and at the Rally Headquarters to ensure that the event is conducted safely and successfully. 

“Many of those volunteers will be sourced from the local regional community and the specialist training which will be provided by CAMS will mean that the enormous economic benefit which will flow from the event will be compounded by enhanced community capital.” 

Australian automotive accessories retailer Repco will sponsor the event due to take place in September 2009. “Repco’s involvement with motor sport dates back to our partnership with Sir Jack Brabham as he conquered the World Formula One Championship,” said Colin Daly, Executive General Manager of Repco Australia and New Zealand. 

The Rally’s future had been under a cloud since it’s axing by the Western Australian Government, and a still born but ambitious plan to tie the event in with a proposed motorsport complex on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

Faith in the new event was hardly strengthened by a recent call for unpaid volunteers to set up the rally’s website and other media infrastructure. Advertisements for some paid positions were also recently advertised.

The Australian round will alternate with New Zealand’s WRC round each year.