The Amazing Race Australia 1 is the first season of The Amazing Race Australia, an Australian reality competition show based on the American series The Amazing Race. Hosted by Grant Bowler, it featured eleven teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, in a race around the Eastern Hemisphere to win the grand prize of A$250,000. The show was produced by activeTV Australia. This season visited four continents and eleven countries and travelled over 50000 km during twelve legs. Starting in Melbourne, racers travelled through Indonesia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Macau, South Africa, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Poland, Israel, Sri Lanka and Singapore before returning to Australia and finishing in Perth. The show premiered on Australia's Seven Network on 16 May 2011. The season finale aired on 1 August 2011. Best friends and surfers Tyler Atkins and Nathan Jolliffe were the winners of this season, while models and friends Sam Schoers and Renae Wauhop finished in second place and father and son Jeff and Luke Downes finished in third place.

Production

Filming and Development

Filming began on 5 November 2010 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne. The season travelled across four continents, 11 countries and 23 cities. Some of the countries visited during the series include Indonesia and Israel.

Casting

Application deadline for the first series closed on 17 September 2010 (extended from 6 September 2010 ) initially with the applicants required to be at least 18 years old with citizenship or permanent residency. However, due to insurance issues overseas, the minimum age for applicants was raised from 18 to 21.

Marketing

The Amazing Race Australia was sponsored by Canon, National Australia Bank, Honda, Vodafone and Gloria Jean's Coffees.

Cast

The cast included married fitness entrepreneurs, farmers, friends of Egyptian descent, models, Big W workmates and reunited sisters. Notably, Nathan, who teamed up with Tyler, is the boyfriend of 2006 Miss Australia, Erin McNaught. Renae was also the runner up of Miss Universe Australia 2010. Entrepreneurs Richard & Joey Marc were the authors of Please Mum, Don't Supersize Me! Ryot & Liberty were the brother and sister of Rebel Wilson. Nathan Joliffe later competed on the second season of The Celebrity Apprentice Australia. Richard & Joey had a television show on Foxtel called Feel Good TV. After this season, Mel Greig replaced Maude Garrett as a co-host of the Hot30 Countdown on the Today Radio Network, where she later gained international notoriety for her role in a controversial prank call to an English hospital that was treating Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge for morning sickness. Subsequently, she also appeared on the fourth season of The Celebrity Apprentice Australia. Mo El-Leissy had a role on a Muslim sketch comedy show on SBS called Legally Brown. In 2019, Sam Schoers competed in the sixth season of Australian Survivor.

Results

The following teams are listed with their placements in each leg. Placements are listed in finishing order.

Race summary

Leg 1 (Australia → Indonesia)

Leg 2 (Indonesia → Vietnam)

Leg 3 (Vietnam → Hong Kong → Macau)

Leg 4 (Macau → South Africa)

Leg 5 (South Africa)

Leg 6 (South Africa → Netherlands → Czech Republic)

Leg 7 (Czech Republic)

Leg 8 (Czech Republic → Poland)

Leg 9 (Poland → Israel)

! scope="col" rowspan="2" |Questions ! scope="col" colspan="5" |Answers ! Dave & Kelly ! Jeff & Luke ! Matt & Tom ! Sam & Renae ! Tyler & Nathan ! scope="row" |Which team's relationship do you envy? ! scope="row" |Which team would be first to lend you a helping hand? ! scope="row" |If the Race were a foursome, which team would you pair up with? ! scope="row" |Which team has been the most strategic? ! scope="row" |Apart from your own team, which team most deserves to win?

Leg 10 (Israel)

Leg 11 (Israel → Sri Lanka)

Leg 12 (Sri Lanka → Singapore → Australia)

! scope="col" |Nation ! scope="col" |Flag ! scope="row" | Australia ! scope="row" | Indonesia ! scope="row" | Vietnam ! scope="row" | China ! scope="row" | South Africa ! scope="row" | Netherlands ! scope="row" | Czech Republic ! scope="row" | Poland ! scope="row" | Israel ! scope="row" | Sri Lanka ! scope="row" | Singapore ! scope="row" | Australia

Ratings