Citroen driver Kris Meeke has made the early running at the Rally of Australia, winning two of the three forest special stages on day one of the World Rally Championship event in Coffs Harbour.

The Irishman, who is yet to record a WRC victory in his first season with a factory-backed team, was 2.4 seconds clear of Volkswagen driver Andreas Mikkelsen, while Ford’s Mikko Hirvonen was third.

“I’m happy with my morning,” said Meeke, who took hard tyres into the stage. “We will soldier on this afternoon.”

Defending world champion, Frenchman Sebastien Ogier, yielded a 4.4-second lead after the first stage to sit almost nine seconds adrift in fourth after the third stage.

Ogier elected to run soft-compound tyres, a decision that backfired as the day warmed up and the shire roads firmed and dried.

Belgium’s Thierry Neuville was the best of the Hyundai drivers in fifth place, with young Kiwi Haydon Paddon – who survived a brush with a kangaroo – 22 seconds off the lead in fifth.

Former Formula One driver Robert Kubica was ninth in his privateer Ford.

Experienced Australian WRC driver Chris Atkinson, in only his second WRC event of 2014 for Hyundai, was back in 10th spot, 46 seconds off the lead.

“It’s a bit disappointing, for sure” he said.

“I couldn’t find my rhythm, so I just took it easy.”