The NSW Parliament has passed legislation giving the green light to the hosting of the World Rally Championship in the NSW Northern Rivers region in September.

The FIA World Rally Championship will now be staged biennially in the NSW Northern Rivers region, beginning in September and continuing through until 2017.

The event is expected to generate up to 69,000 visitor nights in the Tweed-Kyogle region to the benefit of local tourism providers and, according to Events NSW, will generate over $100 million for the NSW economy between now and 2017.

“This is a great event for NSW and particularly the Northern Rivers region," Minister for State Development Ian Macdonald said.

“Over the five events to 2017, the rally is expected to create the equivalent of around 40 new permanent positions, or between 1,500 to 2,000 part-time and casual jobs, during the weeks it is held."

The FIA World Rally Championship is considered the highest profile four-wheeled motor sport championship after Formula One.

Minister for Tourism Jodi McKay said: “It is estimated that over 816 million people around the world watched the televised World Rally event in 2007 so this will also be a chance to showcase the spectacular Northern Rivers to the world.”

The first World Rally event - the Repco Rally Australia 2009 - will be held from 3-6 September and involve about 35 competition stages in the Kyogle and Murwillumbah areas.