After a four-year hiatus, the Ballarat Light Car Club's showpiece returns to the calendar, this time to be held in the Daylesford region on August 15.

President Russell McKenzie officially launched the rally at the Wombat Forest, near Trentham, yesterday and was excited about its return during the car club's 60th anniversary _ the rally was first run in "1952 or '53".

"We're proud to bring the Begonia Rally back to the Wombat Forest," he said.

Originally held near Ballarat, the rally has been forced north due to urban sprawl and the loss of access to the region's pine plantations.

Ballarat rally driver and current state champion Mark Fawcett will be competing at his "home" rally, and was fresh from a commanding win by more than five minutes in the first round of the Victorian Rally Championship in East Gippsland on Saturday.

"It's good because last time it ran we won it. We will come back and defend it," Fawcett said.

To be back racing in the rally organised by his local club added some extra spice to the fourth round of the VRC for the Subaru WRX STi driver.

"It builds a bit more excitement," he said.

"You find a bit more support and people come into my business and say, `How's it going?"'

This campaign Fawcett's co-driver is Carrie Morris, the daughter of former state champion Craig Morris.

More than 70 competitors are expected to enter the rally, which is also round five of the Victorian Clubs Rally Series.

It begins at Victoria Park, in Daylesford, and has rally sections around Daylesford, Trentham and Korweinguboora.

Hepburn Regional Tourism Association committee member Ian Williams was happy to welcome the event, which is endorsed by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.

"We need these sorts of events. We need the influx of people," he said.