Good points, but ...... in the same region, means to me within say ~200km, eg. using some recent Ulysses examples:
* 2017 (Wauchope), Nat Rally could've been at anywhere in a rough triangle of Coffs Harbour, Newcastle and Tamworth.
* 2016 (Launceston), Nat Rally could've been anywhere else in Tasmania. Look at the potential savings in ferry fares.
* 2015 (Wodonga), within area roughly bounded by Canberra, Griffith, Echuca and Lakes Entrance. I missed this AGM because it clashed with the Nat Rally.
* 2014 (Alice Springs), this would've been problematic, as would Darwin.
* 2013 (Maryborough, QLD), roughly Gladstone to Toowoomba.
* 2012 (Mildura) ..... plenty of opportunities
* 2011 (Newcastle) .... ditto
* 2010 (Albany), two trips across the Nullarbor per year is more than enough for me.
Anyway, I suppose you get my idea.
Looking forward:
* 2019 (Mornington VIC), by my reckoning, the Nat Rally could be anywhere in the rough triangle of Warrnambool, Sale and Echuca.
So, far enough away so as to not have too much, if any, adverse impact on availability and cost of accommodation, and plenty of smaller, hospitable locations in the above regions. Certainly smaller that Toowoomba which was larger than some Ulysses AGM locations.