Andreas Mikkelsen has completed a Volkswagen one-two at the powerhouse team's last World Rally Championship event, beating home teammate Sebastien Ogier by 14.9 seconds on the NSW north coast.
However the team missed out on their fourth consecutive one-two in the drivers' championship, after Hyundai's Thierry Neuville finished Australia's 23 stages in third place to clinch the runners-up title.
"Its been such a perfect end to the season,"Mikkelsen said
"Coming here I had nothing to lose. During all this year I really drove for the championship, but coming here I just went for the win."
The event is the Volkswagen team's last, after the organisation shocked the sport earlier this month by announcing their departure following the brand's emissions scandal.
Mikkelsen dominated the rally, leading the overall standings after all but one stage and overcoming a bizarre incident on Saturday when his clutch become stuck on his brake pedal midway through a stage.
However he said the final day of the season as bittersweet, after he arrived with hopes of claiming second spot in the championship by winning the event and claiming points in the final power stage.
Those hopes were dashed though when Kiwi Hayden Pardon suffered a puncture on Sunday morning, dropping him out of third and promoting his teammate Neuville onto the podium.
"The plan was to try and win the power stage because I would like to try and beat Thierry for that second place but I'm still happy about this," Mikkelsen said.
Mikkelsen started the day two seconds clear of teammate Ogier.
That gap was extended on the first stage of the day, before the Frenchman spun on the 20th stage, costing him 19.6 seconds in the race for the lead and virtually handing the rally to his teammate.
World champion Ogier also would have dropped out of the top two if not for a puncture suffered by then-third placed Paddon.
The Kiwi had vowed to drive to the extreme to try and chase a win after starting the day 12 seconds behind.
But he went wide on a turn and suffered external damage to his Hyundai, a shredded left rear costing him 73 seconds.
He recovered to finish fourth.
The race was also delayed on the 21st stage for almost half hour when Eric Camilli rolled his M-Sport vehicle onto its side and then it's roof, before a small fire broke out in the car.
He was retired from the stage but appeared unhurt.
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