The Australian Open has long been known as the “friendly” grand slam tennis tournament. Formula One drivers have consistently voted the Australian Grand Prix as the most enjoyable round of the season.
And the world’s MotoGP stars are effusive about the picturesque Phillip Island track which is the venue for the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.
But, for once – perhaps for the first time – international sports stars will be leaving Australia tomorrow with a distinctively bitter taste in their mouths.
The World Rally Championship has an enormous following in Europe and elsewhere, attracting hundreds of thousands of people wherever it is held.
Five-times world rally champion Sebastien Loeb is a megastar in the world of international motorsport.
But in northern New South Wales – the centre of ageing hippies and aggressive environmentalists – he and his compatriots in Rally Australia are not welcome.
They have been the target of attempts to stop this inaugural event from the ubiquitous vocal minority ranging from ineffective court action to throwing rocks at competing cars and placing boulders on the roads.
Of course, none of the protesting groups will take responsibility for the rock-throwing. That’s just not on their agenda, they insist.
Someone did it though and it’s unlikely to be any of the pro-rally spectators lining the route.
Police have been on duty to try to prevent trouble and have been outraged that people are prepared to go to such extremes, undertaking activities which surely could endanger lives.
For the first time quite possibly, competitors in a major Australian sporting event have had to be closely escorted to the starting points.
The protesters claim the rally will damage the environment, upset wildlife (which is mainly nocturnal) and disrupt people’s daily routine.
They even complained a school bus was delayed.
Yet this event has brought millions of dollars of business to Kingscliff and the surrounding towns.
It has also focused the world’s media on the area – but not in a good way. The rock throwers were reported in the New York Times and several London metropolitan daily papers, among many outlets around the globe.
Loeb said he did not want to be here but he had no choice; it is his job. And who can blame him?
Imagine the legendary MotoGP star Valentino Rossi or Roger Federer shuddering at the thought of competing in Australia because of a hostile reception.
But that is Melbourne and this is an area unused to hosting world events.
Either it gets used to it or Australia could surrender it to one of many other countries clamouring for a World Rally Championship round.
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