Magic expected at country Victoria rally

The Magical Ironbark Tour rally will mark its third year of competition in style when a 22-strong field tackle a variety of courses across country Victoria.

Beginning in Goornong, a combination of historic and present vehicles will travel through the picturesque Knowsley forest and Kamarooka to complete 290 competitive kilometres across six stages.

More than 40 volunteers are expected to assist at the rally which will feature a combination of navigational and closed road stages.

With a different course created every year since its inception, event director Robert Cranston was pleased with the challenge that the new course will offer competitors.

“Once you have been into an area, the really good navigators know their way around so we will trick them and go to another place they have not been to,” Cranston said.

“It’s called the Magical Ironbark Tour, because we’re trying to follow different places that have ironbark trees.

“They are interesting areas and we cruelly give the crews maps for 1964. They will now find situations where the roads are not on the map and the roads that are on the map don’t exist anymore.”

Last year saw Peugeot 306 S16 pilots Mark Laidlay and Alan Upton claim a tight victory over Steuart Snooks and Kim Harper and their Ford Escort Mk1 RS2000, while Snooks and Matt de Vaus were the inaugural winners in 2016.

Spectator points can be found throughout Knowsley and Bagshot with information available at Goornong Hall from 9am,

The first car will be out at 12pm on Saturday, 21 July, and the rally is expected to be completed by 10pm.

Click here for more information on the Magical Ironbark Tour.