The highly anticipated 2026 EROAD Australian Rally Championship season-opening Accent Benchtops Rally Queensland has officially begun its countdown after a special launch in Gympie on Tuesday night.
With a number of representatives from the Gympie Council, Brisbane Sporting Car Club and other town officials in attendance, the official launch kicked off the event in style.
Running as the ARC season opener for the first time, the two-time Event of the Year announced a number of big changes during the launch as it looks to expand its presence within the town, with major rally precincts and activations delivered in the Gympie CBD alongside its regular traditional forest stages in Imbil, Amamoor, Brooyar, and Glastonbury.
The most significant announcement was the introduction of the Campbells Super Special Stage, which will see rally action take place in the heart of Gympie around the streets of the town.
It will be the first time a competitive stage takes place on the streets of a town since the ARC’s visit to Tasmania in 2024.
The Telstra Service Park at Galvaniize Insurance Rally Central will also relocate into the Gympie CBD in 2026, making it even more accessible for fans around the area to see the cars up close and personal.
In addition to the new Campbells Super Special Stage and the relocation of Galvaniize Insurance Rally Central, the third major announcement at the event was the hugely successful Velmec Automotive Wheels on Mary being expanded to two days from the singular Rally Show.
While the Friday night will remain the same with the full field on display, alongside entertainment and food vendors, Saturday’s expanded program will run in a similar capacity with the Cooloola Classic Car Club and South-East Motorsport cars on show instead.
With the Gympie Regional Council getting behind the new-look event, Mayor Glen Hartwig was thrilled to have Rally Queensland bringing in fresh ideas.
“Rally Queensland continues to deliver significant benefits for the Gympie region, activating our CBD, supporting local businesses and showcasing Gympie as a destination capable of hosting major national events,” Mayor Hartwig said.
“Council is proud to partner with Rally Queensland, and we are fully behind the continued development of this unique event for our region.”
ARC Event Director Jill Coppin lauded Rally Queensland event organisers for their continued growth.
“Rally Queensland has set a benchmark for event delivery within the EROAD Australian Rally Championship. Opening the championship in 2026 reflects the confidence in the event’s quality, organisation and spectator experience,” Coppin added.
More details on the 2026 Accent Benchtops Rally Queensland will be released in the coming weeks.
