Finke Desert Race border reprieve for regional Victorians
The Northern Territory government has reopened its borders to regional VictoriaRegional Victorians hoping to get to Alice Springs for the Finke Desert Race have been given a last-minute reprieve, with the Northern Territory government reopening its border.
Up until last night, all of Victoria was considered a COVID-19 hotspot, meaning competitors, spectators and volunteers from the southern state were unable to travel to Alice Springs.
But with lockdown restrictions easing, the NT government has had a change of heart, and has opened its borders to regional Victorian. Greater Melbourne is still considered a COVID-19 hotspot.
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Competitors who had originally withdrawn from the event have been given an amnesty of sorts, and will be allowed to re-enter the event before 5pm this afternoon.
However, with the famed desert race set to take place in a matter of days, travel to Alice Springs will not be without its challenges for regional Victorians.
South Australia is still closed to Victoria, meaning that would-be competitors hoping to make a last-minute dash by road will likely have to find an alternative route.
Competitor registration in Alice Springs technically ends at 6pm on Thursday, while scrutineering is due to take place on Friday. It generally takes 2-3 days of driving to get to Alice Springs from most parts of Victoria.
Spectators and volunteers hoping to fly to Alice Springs might have more luck, however many have already cancelled travel plans under the belief that they would not be allowed to enter the NT.
The 2021 Finke Desert Race has been hanging by a thread as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause travel issues around the country. But thanks to the hard work of the FDR committee and the NT government, the event appears set to run again after the 2020 cancellation.
Prologue for the 2021 Finke Desert Race will take place on Saturday, June 12, while the race proper will run over two days from Sunday, June 13 to Monday, June 14.
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