As hundreds of FIA World Rally Championship teams, officials, media and guests packed up and headed home to Europe, organisers said the 2014 event had taken a significant step forward that would provide a basis for an even better show in 2015 and hopefully beyond.

It was announced by the WRC’s German-based promoters at the weekend that Rally Australia will return next year on  September 10-13 for its 24th edition. Additionally, Rally Australia organisers have begun negotiations for 2016/17/18, including a request to stage the event in November as the season finale.

Rally Australia Chairman Ben Rainsford said feedback from the WRC visitors had been extremely positive.

“It was our goal to deliver the Coffs Coast an event truly worthy of its FIA World Championship status and I think we achieved that,” Mr Rainsford said.

“Coates Hire Rally Australia gave the teams what they wanted - a compact footprint, a good service park layout, excellent promotion, community support and attendances and, above all, a fantastic challenge for the world’s best drivers.

“It was gratifying to hear on several occasions drivers including Jari-Matti Latvala, Kris Meeke, Robert Kubica and Australia’s Chris Atkinson say how much they loved the roads, especially the 50km Nambucca stage on Saturday.

“Nambucca is scenically beautiful and fast. Kris Meeke said it was one of the world’s best rally stages and we take that as a compliment considering there are 13 countries and thousands of kilometres of stages in a WRC season.”

Mr Rainsford said it would take several days to get an estimate of spectator attendance because of the number of remote sales outlets used on the stages, but it was clear many more people visited the ticketed and free venues.

Volkswagen’s historic 1-2-3 finish to claim the FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers was the icing on the cake of a great weekend, he said.

* See the huge photo gallery of race action at Newee Creek at www.nambuccaguardian.com.au.