Friday, 17 November 2017: Andreas Mikkelsen has continued his charmed run at Coffs Harbour's Rally Australia, setting the early pace on day one of the World Rally Championship finale.

Andreas Mikkelsen's Hyundai teammates may want Rally Australia shifted from Coffs Harbour, but the defending champion certainly doesn't share that opinion after finishing day one of his title defence with a big lead.

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The northern NSW coastal town is hosting a World Rally Championship leg for the sixth time and will do so again in 2018.

But its place on the calendar is not guaranteed beyond that, despite a three-year funding commitment from the NSW government and a significant crowd increase this year.

Hyundai driver Thierry Neuville and his experienced manager Alain Penasse both agree Coffs Harbour is too remote and low-key to host a leg of the tour that includes Monte Carlo, Argentina and rally-mad Finland.

But Norway's Mikkelsen, who holds a 20.9 second lead over England's Kris Meeke with two days of racing remaining, says the region's jungle-like forestry roads deserve their place on the world stage.

"Yes, definitely; it's a different rally to the others and it's called the World Rally Championship, we should be visiting the world," he told AAP.

"Rally Australia is all about the nature, it's fast and flowing - like driving in the jungle - and that's why it's different to the other places."

Mikkelsen was a surprise winner of Rally Australia in Volkswagen's WRC swansong last season and says he is now coming to grips with the Hyundai in his third rally with the manufacturer.

He was neck and neck with Citroen's Kris Meeke until a mistake from the latter forced him to reverse and give up valuable time to the faultless Norwegian.

"With these roads and this car I can do exactly what I want," Mikkelsen said.

"It's a long rally to go, so we'll wait and see but I had a good road position today and had to take advantage of that as much as I could.

"I just feel very comfortable on these type of roads; very fast and flowing with low visibility (due to dust) so you just have to trust your pacing notes and go for it."

Mikkelsen was the ninth car out of the blocks on Friday, with newly-crowned world champion Sebastien Ogier forced to sweep the roads as the first driver.

Sitting eighth after day one, Ogier is assured his fifth world title regardless of the weekend's result, but will benefit when the racing order is reversed on Saturday.