Finke Desert Race death to be examined by NT Coroner in August

The NT Coroner will hold an inquest into the death of Nigel Harris, who died at last year’s Finke Desert Race when he was struck by a race vehicle.

THE NT Coroner will hold an inquest into the death of a spectator at last year’s Finke Desert Race.

Sixty-year-old Nigel Harris tragically died when he was struck by a vehicle that veered off the track while competing at the event on June 14, 2021. The inquest will be held in Alice Springs over three days in August.

Mr Harris, who lived in Canberra and had retired earlier that year, died on impact when he was struck by the vehicle about 9.35am on Day 2 of the main event.

Another spectator in his 50s sustained serious injuries, while a woman in her 50s, the navigator of the vehicle, was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

On the day of the crash, the Canberran had been photographing race vehicles as they travelled over the crest of a hill about 35km from the finish line in Alice Springs. Witnesses said the competing vehicle’s suspension system bottomed out as it landed from the jump and darted left.

It is believed the vehicle drove over the top of Mr Harris, who was dragged for several metres across the dirt.

Nigel Harris was tragically killed when a vehicle veered off the road and into spectators at the Finke Desert Race on Monday. Picture: Facebook.

One witness told the NT News she was standing next to the photographer as the events unfolded, which she described as “probably a bad spot” to be watching the race from.

NT Police, NT WorkSafe, and Motorsport Australia are continuing to carry out investigations into the incident.

Mr Harris’ heartbroken daughter Melina said her father had been on “the trip of a lifetime”. “He is such a loved husband to Sheryl, father to Melina and Mark, and poppy to his granddaughter Evelyn,” she said at the time. “He died at the end of a trip of a lifetime travelling around Australia after retiring just last year.”

Emergency services were at the scene of the crash at Finke Desert Race where one person died and two were injured. Picture: Supplied

Mr Harris had shared dozens of the photos he took of competitors in action during a pre-run at the Finke track to Facebook.

Instead of asking for payment, he wrote a post encouraging people who liked his photos to consider making a donation to a fundraiser for Beyond Blue.

The Finke Desert Race will return in June 2022, with new minimum driving and riding standards introduced to “enhance the safety for all involved in the event”.

Originally published as Finke Desert Race death to be examined by NT Coroner in August