Rally of Bathurst
14 March 2026 · NSW
Michael had never driven gravel in his life. Rachael's a seasoned gravel navigator who'd been pushing for it since day one. Rally of Bathurst 2026 was the result — our first gravel rally together, and here's how the car fought us the whole way to 26th.
About the Rally of Bathurst
The Rally of Bathurst — officially the 2026 Shamrock Haulage Rally of Bathurst — is a single-day gravel special stage rally held on Saturday 14 March 2026, based in Bathurst in the Central West of New South Wales. Organised by Rally Car Club Incorporated and affiliated with Motorsport Australia, it opens the 2026 NSW Rally Championship (pacenoted) and NSW Clubman Rally Series (roadbook) as Round 1. The event runs 11 special stages totalling approximately 164.65 km of competition across the Bathurst, Blayney and Cabonne Local Government Areas, with a route that includes Mt Panorama gravel stages.
- Championship
- Motorsport Australia NSW Rally Championship (NSWRC) and NSW Clubman Rally Series
- Organiser
- Rally Car Club Incorporated
- Base
- Bathurst
- Surface
- Gravel
- Format: Single day, 11 special stages, approx. 164.65 km competitive (total route approx. 469 km including liaison). Event promo material cites approx. 175 km pacenoted. Stages include Mt Panorama 1 & 2, Cashens Lane, Sibleys, Egan Rd, Cupitts…
- Terrain: Gravel. A Special Stage Rally over public, private and forest roads - described as a blend of open shire gravel and technical forestry (forest) roads
- Notable: Held in Bathurst, a town synonymous with Australian motorsport (Mount Panorama); the 2026 route even includes 'Mt Panorama' gravel stages. Long-standing base for NSW and Australian championship rallies; attracts a strong competitive field