The BMW Safari first rode into the sunrise back in 1994 when 130 participants travelled from the Gold Coast to Fraser Island. The event began with a test-ride programme, at what was then the BMW Performance Driving Centre - the base for the BMW' motor racing team's assault on the Touring Car Championship. The actual ride started as a police escorted cavalcade through the Gold Coast resort of Surfers Paradise. Various ferry crossing's saw the on and off-road participants eventually arrive at the Kingfisher Resort on Fraser for a formal dinner and long-into-the-night celebrations.

In 1995 it was the turn of South Australia to benefit from the largesse of the BMW Safari group which had now swelled to 350 participants. Leaving with a police escort from Sydney, it took in the Superbike Championships at Philip Island on the way to Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road. A test-ride finale was held up in the picturesque hills at Birdwood.

In 1996 the excitement and adventure of the BMW Safari had spread far and wide. Distance, it seems was no object as close to 650 participants from every corner of Australia signed up for the trip to Cooktown in Far North Queensland. It was a spectacular success with the Adventure riders in particular enjoying the challenging dirt roads.

A short break followed until 1998 when both reserved crossings on the Spirit of Tasmania were fully booked by the 600 BMW riders and pillions who made their way to the Apple Isle. The trip took in almost the whole island and participants threw themselves wholeheartedly into the social events. The finale was the "Farewell Dinner" in the imposing old exhibition building in Launceston.

It was another gap of two years until Queensland was again revisited in 2000 with the "Cape to Capricorn" BMW Safari. Byron Bay was the starting venue as the band of 630 zig-zagged their way up the coast and then inland to Emerald before finally reaching Yeppoon for a spectacular "Farewell Dinner" evening by the pool at the Capricorn International Resort. The night was capped off by an impressive rooftop firework display with the ocean crashing on the beach in the background.

Click on images below to read a review on these BMW Safaris: