There may have only been four enduro bikes that joined the cars at Mitta in 2025, but after their successful introduction, organisers hope to see more bikes having a go in 2026.
Winner Corey Banks had the following to say:
“What an incredible weekend at the Mitta Mountain Rally!….It was an unforgettable experience racing against the clock. There were stages that I was consistently mixing it right up with the Rally cars…..A huge thank you to everyone who made this event possible. The Mitta Mountain Rally is definitely one to remember, and I can’t wait for next year!”
Local Wodonga rider Travis Gow reckoned: “It was great to have a real blast on forest roads I was familiar with from trail rides, knowing that they were closed to oncoming traffic.”
There are currently only two Dakar like cross country rallies in Australia; Condobolin and Sunraysia Safari, so here is a close and cheap opportunity to give this format a go in a one-day event based out of Mitta Mitta in north east Victoria.
Motorcycling Victoria have indicated that they are keen to see the event continue for bikes. A suitable MV accredited organizing team is being assembled and it is anticipated that one day licences will be available.
Bikes will follow cars and remain separate from cars on five closed road stages of 14 to 48 km length, with no repeats totalling 142 km, linked up with 130 km of non-competitive roads.
The course is not arrowed, so navigation is necessary, but is nowhere near as difficult as Dakar. A bike equipped with road book reader that handles route instructions on a paper roll would be handy, but the organisers have an alternative basic one page per stage road book in a clear plastic case that can be attached to handlebars or fuel tank and swapped over at controls.
Supp Regs will be released and entries open as soon as Ridernet is set up for the event. Entry fee will be $300, which includes hire of the Rallysafe unit for the day. Besides providing timing, tracking and vital information for organisers if a competitor stops on a stage, these units also tell competitors if someone is about to overtake them, and have a dual distance display and clock. The Rallysafe tracking and timing system requires each bike to have a Rallysafe wiring loom, knuckle mount and antenna. Purchase details available at https://shop.statusas.com/
Keep an eye out for Supp regs.
While accommodation is limited in the Mitta valley, there is a caravan and camping park adjacent to the Rally base, and opportunities to camp there on the adjacent golf course.
The Mitta Mountain Rally for cars has been popular not only for the challenging mountain course, but also for the Mitta Recreation Reserve base for the event, and the presentation dinner at the Mitta Pub afterwards. So, come and join in the fun.
