The rally took place over 8–11 September, and was based in Coffs Harbour, a coastal city in the New South Wales state of Australia.

Residents' concerns for the event meant that the rally was moved for the foreseeable future to Coffs Harbour.

[2] Ford World Rally Team's Mikko Hirvonen took his third successive Rally Australia victory, after team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala slowed tactically on the penultimate stage, in order to aid Hirvonen's chances for the drivers' championship title.

Khalid Al Qassimi scored a career-best fifth place, ahead of a quartet of PWRC competitors.

[5] Michał Kościuszko, Oleksandr Saliuk, Jr. and Benito Guerra also scored overall championship points by finishing in the top ten.