With the Flinders Rally now postponed until May 2027, Australian competitors who had planned to take on the new six-day event in 2026 have been left with a sizeable gap in their rally calendar.
But across the Tasman, another major gravel challenge awaits.
The 2026 NZ Silver Fern Rally – The Ultimate Gravel Marathon will run from 28 November to 4 December 2026, presenting Australian crews with the opportunity to finish the year by taking on one of New Zealand’s great endurance rally challenges.
For competitors originally preparing for Flinders, the revised calendar also creates an interesting opportunity to combine some of Australasia’s biggest gravel events.
The Ed Mulligan Cup
The Ed Mulligan Cup brings together four iconic Australian and New Zealand gravel rallies:
🇦🇺 Bega Rally
🇦🇺 Flinders Rally
🇳🇿 NZ Silver Fern Rally
🇳🇿 Rally Otago
With Flinders shifting to May 2027, Australian crews can now look at incorporating Silver Fern 2026 into their campaign before turning their attention to the 2027 events.
Special Australian Entry & Shipping Package
To make the trip across the Tasman more accessible, Silver Fern organisers, Ultimate Rally Group, have put together a special package for Australian competitors priced at A$17,000 (approximately NZ$20,000).
The package includes:
- Entry into the 2026 NZ Silver Fern Rally
- Return vehicle shipping from Melbourne or Sydney to Auckland
- Return shipping based on two competition cars sharing a 40ft container
The standard Silver Fern entry is NZ$11,385, while return shipping for a 40ft container is approximately NZ$18,000. By sharing a container between two competition cars, the shipping component is reduced to approximately NZ$9,000 per car.
It provides Australian crews with a straightforward way to get their car to New Zealand, compete across some of the country's best gravel roads and have it returned to Australia ahead of the 2027 season.
One Trip. Two New Zealand Rallies?
For competitors looking to maximise the opportunity, there could be another option.
Rally Otago is scheduled for April 2027, opening the possibility of leaving a competition car in New Zealand following Silver Fern, returning for Rally Otago, and then shipping the car back to Australia ahead of the rescheduled Flinders Rally in May.
That could turn a single trans-Tasman vehicle movement into the opportunity to contest two major New Zealand rallies, followed by Flinders on home soil.
Silver Fern 2026 Awaits
The postponement of Flinders doesn't have to mean the end of a major gravel rally campaign in 2026.
Running from 28 November – 4 December, the NZ Silver Fern Rally offers seven days of competition, thousands of kilometres, classic rally machinery and some of New Zealand's most memorable gravel roads.
For Australian competitors who had Flinders on their 2026 calendar, Silver Fern now presents a serious alternative — and potentially the beginning of an even bigger Australasian campaign.
Competitors interested in the A$17,000 Australian package are encouraged to contact the NZ Silver Fern Rally team to discuss entry and shipping arrangements.
NZ Silver Fern Rally
28 November – 4 December 2026
The Ultimate Gravel Marathon awaits.
