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The Amazing Race Australia

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The Amazing Race Australia
Company typeTelevision series
IndustryReality competition
Founded2011
FounderSeven Network (original), Network 10 (revival)
Headquarters
Australia
Area served
Australia, International
Key people
Grant Bowler (host, Seven Network era), Beau Ryan (host, Network 10 era)
ProductsReality television show
Website10play.com.au/the-amazing-race-australia

The Amazing Race Australia—titled The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition starting from its seventh season—is an Australian adventure reality competition inspired by the American original, The Amazing Race. The show features pairs racing internationally as they tackle various challenges and navigate through diverse destinations. Teams are progressively eliminated at the conclusion of each leg, with the first to arrive ultimately claiming a grand prize of A$250,000.

The program premiered on the Seven Network, which secured the format rights in 2010 and continues to hold Australian broadcast rights for the American version as of 2025. The initial two seasons, aired in 2011 and 2012, were produced by activeTV alongside ABC Studios. After a break in 2013, the third season aired in 2014 under the title The Amazing Race Australia v New Zealand, featuring teams from both countries and produced by Seven Productions. This season also broadcast on New Zealand’s TV2. Actor Grant Bowler served as host for Seven’s iteration. The network did not continue with a fourth season.

In June 2019, Network 10 brought the series back, with production handled by Eureka Productions and hosted by ex-rugby league athlete Beau Ryan. The fourth season premiered late that year. Due to international travel restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the fifth season (2021) was confined entirely within Australia. The sixth season (2022) marked a return to the traditional international race format.

On 28 April 2023, Network 10 announced renewal for a seventh season featuring celebrity participants competing for charitable causes. A subsequent celebrity edition was confirmed on 24 October 2023, slated for broadcast in late 2024. The third celebrity installment was officially declared on 28 January 2025.

The Race

The Amazing Race Australia is a reality competition where duos race globally across multiple legs each season. During these legs, teams travel between locations completing tasks that provide clues directing them toward Pit Stops where they rest. Typically, the first team to reach a Pit Stop receives a prize, while the last team is eliminated unless it is a non-elimination leg where penalties are imposed. The final three teams vie for the grand reward of A$250,000 (or A$100,000 in Celebrity Editions).

Teams

Each team comprises two people connected by a relationship. To date, a total of 202 contestants have participated in The Amazing Race Australia.

Route Markers

Route Markers are flags colored yellow and red that designate key locations teams must visit. These markers often identify clue boxes or task sites and help guide teams along their course.

During the second leg of the first season, Route Markers were yellow and green instead to avoid confusion with South Vietnam’s flag; however, this adjustment was not maintained during the Vietnam leg of season four.

Clues

Clues are typically found inside sealed envelopes within clue boxes and instruct teams on upcoming tasks and directions.

  • Route Info: Provides general directions that may include mandatory tasks before obtaining the next clue.
  • Detour: Offers teams a choice between two different tasks; switching between options is allowed.
  • Roadblock: A challenge performed by only one team member, selected based on a brief hint.
  • Fast Forward: Permits one team per season to bypass all remaining tasks and proceed directly to the Pit Stop.

Challenges

Throughout the competition, teams face various challenges that can hinder their advancement:

  • Intersection: Two teams are required to collaborate on tasks until instructed otherwise.
  • Yield: Introduced in the second season; permits one team to force another to pause before proceeding.
  • U-Turn: After completing a Detour, a team can mandate that another team complete the alternative option.
    • Season two introduced the "U-Turn Vote," enabling teams to decide who must face the U-Turn.
    • An "Anonymous U-Turn" allows a team to impose this penalty without disclosing their identity.
  • Stowaway Teams: Added in season five, where new teams join at random points during the race.
  • T-Junction: Planned for season five, this divides remaining contestants into two large teams for the leg; the second group to finish must eliminate one member.

Race Legs

At the beginning of each leg, teams receive a cash budget, generally in Australian dollars, to cover expenses except for airline tickets, which are paid using show-issued credit cards.

Contestants follow clues and Route Markers directing them to destinations and challenges, traveling via commercial or chartered flights, boats, trains, taxis, buses, rented vehicles, or on foot. Each leg concludes at a Pit Stop where teams rest; the last team to arrive is usually eliminated progressively until only three remain. Legs typically include three or more tasks such as a Roadblock, Detour, and Route Info challenge. The leading teams at each Pit Stop often receive prizes sponsored by partners.

Advantages and Rewards

Occasionally, teams arriving first gain competitive benefits:

  • Express Pass: Available since season 1, this pass allows holders to bypass any single task. In the Australia v New Zealand edition, the first leg winner was awarded two passes—one for themselves and one to share with another team.
  • Salvage Pass: Introduced in season 2, this pass enables a team to either rescue the last-place team from elimination or earn a one-hour time credit for the subsequent leg.
  • First Class Pass: Launched in season 5, it permits skipping an entire upcoming leg while enjoying a special luxury experience. Awarded to first-place finishers on non-elimination legs. Holders also assign The Salvage and The Sabotage penalties to the bottom two teams.

Non-elimination Legs

Certain legs are designated as non-elimination rounds where the last-place team avoids elimination but faces penalties in the following leg:

  • Marked for Elimination: In seasons 1 and 2, penalized teams were required to reach the next Pit Stop first or incur a 30-minute time penalty.
  • Speed Bump: Two variants appear in the Australian series:
    • Seasons 3, 7, and 8: An additional task that penalized teams must complete before continuing.
    • Season 4: Increased difficulty added to the first task of the next leg, similar to a Handicap penalty used in other versions. This format also reappeared in season 6 as a sanction for teams returning from COVID isolation.
  • Season 5 introduced delegation of The Salvage (an advantage) and The Sabotage (a penalty) by leg winners to the bottom two teams.
    • The Salvage advantages include personal drivers, extra funds, or prior knowledge of Roadblock details.
    • The Sabotage penalties consist of handicaps like blindfolding team members, monetary deductions, or performing tasks barefoot.
  • Season 6 did not feature any penalties associated with non-elimination legs.

Marathon legs

Marathon legs compel teams to keep racing beyond the designated Pit Stop without any compulsory rest period. The clue states "Grant/Beau Awaits" but does not indicate elimination. This particular format was featured once per season in Seven's iteration and was subsequently incorporated into Network 10's second season.

Rules

  • During the first season, each team member was permitted to complete up to six Roadblocks; a comparable regulation seemingly applied in season two despite some Roadblocks not being aired. Season three implemented a 5-5 Roadblock distribution, with the final Roadblock available to either teammate. Season four eliminated this limitation altogether.
  • Except where explicitly stated (such as during Roadblocks), team members are required to remain within six meters of each other and their assigned camera crew.

Penalties

Penalty rules differ between the original Seven Network seasons (1–3) and the Network 10 seasons (season 4 onward).

Seven Network Version
  • Not completing a Roadblock, Detour, or Speed Bump results in a four-hour penalty.
  • Failure to finish an Intersection task leads to either a two- or four-hour penalty, depending on whether the team withdrew voluntarily or was forced to quit.
  • Hitchhiking or utilizing private vehicles carries a twenty-minute penalty.
  • Using an incorrect class of transportation incurs a ten-minute penalty (for example, traveling second-class instead of third-class).
  • Selling personal belongings to raise funds results in a thirty-minute penalty.
  • Tampering with another team's possessions inside a taxi leads to a two-hour penalty.
Network 10 Version
  • Speeding while driving oneself results in a one-hour penalty, which is more severe than the American version's 30 minutes plus any time gained.
  • Failing to complete any task triggers a thirty-minute penalty.
  • Hitchhiking or using private vehicles in season five leads to a ten-minute penalty.
  • Not completing an Intersection task results in a one-hour penalty.

Series overview

The inaugural season debuted in May 2011 and concluded in August 2011. The second season launched in May 2012 and wrapped up in August 2012. Although casting for a third season commenced in August 2012, it did not appear on the 2013 schedule and was replaced by the revival of The Mole. A new edition began airing in August 2014, featuring teams from New Zealand under the title The Amazing Race Australia v New Zealand.

In May 2019, a casting call for an "Adventure Travel Competition" fueled speculation about a reboot. Produced by Eureka Productions, applications were open to both Australian and New Zealand citizens and residents. Network 10 officially confirmed the show's return in late June 2019, with the new season broadcasting later that year.

No.[lower-alpha 1] Race Details Winners Host Contestants Additional Information
Start Date Starting Point End Date Finish Location Distance Countries Visited Legs Teams
Seven Network Era (2011–2014)
1 5 November 2010 (2010-11-05) Melbourne Cricket Ground,
Melbourne, VIC 		29 November 2010 (2010-11-29) Heirisson Island,
Perth, WA 		50,000 km
(31,000 mi) 		11 12 11 Tyler Atkins & Nathan Joliffe Grant Bowler Civilian Edition
2 18 November 2011 (2011-11-18) Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney,
Sydney, NSW 		13 December 2011 (2011-12-13) Lake McKenzie,
Fraser Island, QLD 		65,000 km
(40,000 mi) 		9 Shane Haw & Andrew Thoday Introduced Anonymous U-Turn, Yield, U-Turn Vote, and Salvage Pass
3 7 March 2014 (2014-03-07) Uluru, Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, Northern Territory 30 March 2014 (2014-03-30) Loch Ard Gorge,
Port Campbell National Park, VIC 		90,000 km
(56,000 mi) 		10 10 10 Daniel Little & Ryan Thomas 'Australia v New Zealand'
Included five teams from both Australia and New Zealand
Introduced Speed Bump penalty and second Express Pass
Network 10 Era (2019–present)
4 20 August 2019 (2019-08-20) Seoul Plaza, Seoul, South Korea 12 September 2019 (2019-09-12) Nitmiluk Gorge, Nitmiluk National Park, Northern Territory 45,000 km
(28,000 mi) 		8 12 11 Tim & Rod Sattler-Jones 'First season to commence outside Australia'
5 2020|10|6|} Newell Beach,
Queensland 		November 14, 2020 (2020-11-14) Mount Kosciuszko, Kosciuszko National Park, New South Wales 17,000 km
(11,000 mi) 		1 24 16Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content Brendon Crawley & Jackson Dening 'Entirely set within Australia due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Introduced First Class Pass and Stowaway Teams.'
6 5 March 2022 (2022-03-05) Flemington Racecourse,
Melbourne, Victoria &
Hickson Road Reserve, Sydney, NSW 		16 April 2022 (2022-04-16) Gantheaume Point, Broome, Western Australia 55,000 km
(35,000 mi) 		7 21 20 Heath Curry & Toni Hilland 'Implemented split Starting Line.'
Scott Tweedie guest-hosted four episodes during Beau Ryan's COVID-19 isolation.
7 8 June 2023 (2023-06-08) Sunder Nursery, Delhi, India 2 July 2023 (2023-07-02) The River of Life Lookout,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 		10,000 km
(6,200 mi) 		3 12 11 Alli Simpson & Angie Simpson
Darren McMullen & Tristan Dougan
Emma Watkins & Hayley WatkinsCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content 		'Celebrity Edition'
Featured celebrities paired with loved ones competing for charity.
First season concluding outside Australia.
Set entirely in Asia.
8 May 7, 2024 (2024-05-07) Plaza de Mayo,
Buenos Aires, Argentina 		June 1, 2024 (2024-06-01) Hua Lamphong Railway Station,
Bangkok, Thailand 		25,000 km
(15,500 mi) 		4 Tai "Bam Bam" Tuivasa & Logan Tuivasa 'Celebrity Edition' competing for charity.
get=9 Template:Start date 2025 03 18 df=y TBA Template:End date 2025 04 14 df=yes colspan="4"|TBA 13 TBA 'Celebrity Edition' competing for charity.

Notes

Broadcast information and audience ratings

Season Broadcaster Number of Episodes Air Time Premiere Details Finale Details Peak Viewership Average
Ranking 		Source
Air Date Viewership Ranking Air Date Viewership Ranking
1 Seven 12 Monday 8:30 p.m. 16 May 2011 1,258,000 #5 1 August 2011 1,195,000 #6 1,125,000 #7 [1][2]
2 Wednesday 9:00 p.m.[lower-alpha 2]
Monday 7:30 p.m.[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 3][lower-alpha 4] 		30 May 2012 886,000 #10 15 August 2012 976,000 #8 905,000 #10 [3][4]
3 Seven (AU)
TV2 (NZ) 		10 Monday 8:40 p.m. (AU)Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
Tuesday 8:30 p.m. (NZ) 		4 August 2014 (AU)
5 August 2014 (NZ) 		588,000 #18 25 September 2014 (AU)
7 October 2014 (NZ) 		416,000 #<20 607,000 #16 [5][6]

|- ! colspan=17 style="background:black;"| |} |- ! 4 

| rowspan=5 | Network 10 
|12 
| Monday &
 Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. 
|28 October 2019 
|716,000 
| style="background:#F0F8FF"| #8 
|3 December 2019 
|670,000Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
805,000Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content 
| style="background:#F0F8FF"| #7
#3 
| style="background:#FFFDD0"|682,000 
| style="background:#FFFDD0"| #7 
| [7][8]

|- ! 5 

|24 
| rowspan=2 | Sunday, Monday &
Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. 
|1 February 2021 
|596,000 
| style="background:#F0F8FF"| #11 
|28 March 2021 
|656,000Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
752,000Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content 
| style="background:#F0F8FF"| #7
#6 
| style="background:#FFFDD0"|584,000 
| style="background:#FFFDD0"| #9 
| [9][10]

|- ! 6 

|21 
|29 August 2022 
|841,000 
| style="background:#F0F8FF"| #13 
|9 October 2022 
|628,000Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
744,000Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content 
| style="background:#F0F8FF"| #12
#9 
| style="background:#FFFDD0"|622,000 
| style="background:#FFFDD0"| #13 
| [11]

|- ! 7 

|12  
| Wednesday &
 Thursday at 7:30 p.m.  
|  
|909,000  
| style="background:#F0F8FF"| #7  
|9 November 2023  
|763,000Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
833,000Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content  
| style="background:#F0F8FF"| #9
#7  
| style="background:#FFFDD0"|749,000  
| style="background:#FFFDD0"| #10  
| [12][13]

|- ! 8 

| Sunday at 7:00pm
& Monday at 7:30pmCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content  
|9 September 2024  
|979,000  
| style="background:#F0F8FF"|#5  
|20 October 2024  
|763,000  
| style="background:#F0F8FF"|#9  
| style="background:#FFFDD0"|762,000  
| style="background:#FFFDD0"|#9  
|[14][15]

|}

Additional Notes

Countries and regions visited

By 2024, The Amazing Race Australia has explored 38 nations spanning all six continents inhabited by humans. This total accounts solely for countries where teams encountered route markers, tasks, or finish lines; mere airport layovers are not counted.

Typically, routes commence and conclude within Australia, with notable exceptions:

  • The fourth season launched in Seoul, South Korea.
  • Due to COVID-19 travel constraints, the fifth season remained exclusively inside Australia.
  • Season six initiated with separate groups in Sydney and Melbourne, converging in Morocco during the third leg.
  • The seventh season started in Delhi, India, with all travel confined to Asia, finishing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
  • Season eight began in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and wrapped up in Bangkok, Thailand.

Oceania

Rank Country Season(s) visited Pit Stops
1 Australia 6 (Seasons 1–6)[lower-alpha 5] 29[lower-alpha 6],[lower-alpha 7]
2 New Zealand 1 (Season 3) 1

North America

Rank Country Season(s) visited Pit Stops
1 Belize 1 (Season 6) 3
Cuba 1 (Season 2) 2
Canada 1 (Season 2) 2
Mexico 1 (Season 6) 3
United States 1 (Season 3) 0

South America

Rank Country Season(s) visited Pit Stops
1 Argentina 2 (Seasons 3, 8) 4
2 Colombia 1 (Season 6) 3

Europe

Rank Country Season(s) visited Pit Stops
1 Turkey[lower-alpha 8] 2 (Seasons 2, 6) 5
2 Croatia 1 (Season 3) 1
Czech Republic 1 (Season 1) 2
France 1 (Season 2) 0
Greece 1 (Season 6) 3
Netherlands 1 (Season 1) 0
Poland 1 (Season 1) 1
Portugal 1 (Season 3) 1
Russia 1 (Season 3) 2

Africa

Rank Country Season(s) visited Pit Stops
1 Namibia Seasons 3 and 8 4
South Africa Seasons 1 and 8 5
3 Malawi Season 4 2
Morocco Season 6 3
Zimbabwe Season 4 1
Zambia Season 4 1

Asia

Thailand Seasons 3, 4, and 8 5[lower-alpha 9]
Cambodia Seasons 3 and 7 4
Seasons 1 and 2 2
Seasons 2 and 7 5
Seasons 1 and 4 3

Australia

Seasonal visits to each Australian State and Territory:

Israel Season 1 2
Indonesia Season 1 1
Malaysia Season 7 6[lower-alpha 11]
Mongolia Season 4 2
Philippines Season 2 1
Singapore Season 1 0
South Korea Season 4 2
Sri Lanka Season 1 1
United Arab Emirates Season 2 1

Continent visits

The Amazing Race Australia has journeyed through various continents throughout its seasons, broadening its international footprint. The inaugural season included four continents (excluding Australia, three continents). The second season introduced North America to the itinerary, while the third season marked the show's first foray into South America and expanded Oceania beyond just Australia. Antarctica has yet to be featured.

Rank Jurisdiction Seasons Visited Pit Stops
1 Northern Territory 3 (Seasons 3, 4, 5) 4
New South Wales 3 (Seasons 2, 5, 6)
6
Rank Continent Seasons Visited
1 Asia[lower-alpha 12] 7 (Seasons 1–4, 6–8)
2 Oceania (Australia and Pacific Islands) 6 (Seasons 1–6)
3 Africa 5 (Seasons 1, 3–4, 6, 8)
4 Europe 4 (Seasons 1–3, 6)
5 North America 3 (Seasons 2–3, 6)
South America 3 (Seasons 3, 6, 8)

Awards and nominations

Overview of significant awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominee(s) Outcome
2011 Asian Television Awards Best Adaptation of an Existing Format Series 1, Episode 1 Template:Won
Best Director Michael McKay for Episode 1 Template:Won
ASE Awards Best Editing in Television Non-Drama Joel Page and Tom Meadmore Template:Nom
2012 International Emmy Non-Scripted Entertainment Series 1 Template:Won
Asian Television Awards Best Adaptation of an Existing Format Series 2 Template:Nom
2013 AACTA Awards Best Director Michael McKay for Episode 1 Template:Nom
Best Reality Television Series Matthew Kowald and David Gardner Template:Won
2020 AACTA Awards Best Reality Television Series Paul Franklin, Chris Culvenor, Sophia Mogford, Stephen Tate Template:Nom
2021 AACTA Awards Best Reality Television Series Sophia Mogford, Rikkie Proost, Evan Wilkes & Cathie Scott Template:Nom
2022 AACTA Awards Best Reality Television Series Paul Franklin, Rikkie Proost, Chris Culvenor & Sophia Mogford Template:Nom
2024 'AACTA Awards' 'Best Entertainment Program' 'Rikkie Proost' 'Template:Nom'


See also

External links


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