7th to 14th February 2026
Dunedin - Invercargill - Cromwell
NEW ZEALAND

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EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST - NORTHERN MEMBERS

The Otago-Southland Centre is hosting the next national rally in February next year, and have a really interesting-looking programme lined up for it.  It has an excellent mix, with something for everyone:

• Touring (The Catlins, and Central Otago)
• Competitive (Otago Peninsula trial, Teretonga, Highlands), and of course …
• Several social events

Initial feedback shows that, as in the past, there is a lot of interest from we northerners and if we are going to get the best deals for getting there and accommodation we need to start planning now.

To that end I have been doing some initial scoping of options to and from the rally.  In summary there are three options:

• Drive directly there and back
• Drive a more interesting, less direct, touring route there and back
• Send your car on a transport and fly there.

All these can be done either individually or with a group of other MG-ers.  

Touring route: In the past there has been a substantial group of members team up for a great touring road trip to the South Is rallies, with much entertaining camaraderie along the way.  These touring road trips have been as much enjoyed as the rally itself and are really good value. 

Transport and fly:  Being constrained for time due to work commitments I have used this option in the past.   Cost-wise, by the time fuel, ferry, accommodation en route is taken into account, it was similar.   For 2026, MG New Zealand is arranging  some really great rates via their own contractor, which are about 30% less than the going rate.   This option  also saves about 5 days (return) of grind driving directly there and back on SH1 if you don’t have the time to do a more enjoyable and relaxing route with the touring group. The following pricing is based this on getting the car to and from Christchurch and driving from there, as this gives more options for flights and is generally more economical for both truck and flights.   The return costs for two people of the Auckland-Christchurch part of the trip it looks like this:

Drive direct (= option 1 above)
Ferry - car plus two people	700
Fuel at 30mpg (1300 miles)	600
Other immediate running (tyre wear, servicing) at 20c per mile	260
Accomodation (2 nights, two people/unit)	1000
Total	2560
Transport and drive.
Truck with MG NZ contractor, return costs as at 27-3-25	1700
flights (two seat+bag return fares, Air NZ as at 27-3-25)	508
Total	2208

(Ferry and flight fares are the usual mix of options, I have taken a representative middle option at the time of search in each case.  Driving with a single night’s accommodation each way is do-able – two long days of travel but saves $500 accommodation.  Trucking arrangements place emphasis on care of transported vehicles.)

To assist planning further it would be good to have an idea of numbers interested in each of the options above, so we are calling for expression of interest. 

Note that an expression of interest is just that: an expression of interest and no more than that.  It neither commits you, nor books you, to a particular course of action - it simply shows you like the idea and may wish to do it.

If you wish to lodge an expression of interest, email Paul Walbran at: mgparts.nz@outlook.com.  All you need to note is which of the above three options is of interest (more than one or undecided is also OK) and whether you’d like to be part of a group or go solo.