This time of the year is always massive for the South East Queensland car scene, with the Gulf Western Oils Winternationals, Downunder Beachfest and Cooly Rocks On all happening in the last couple of weeks. The rain gods were unkind to Beachfest in Caloundra last weekend (though we still managed to have a great time), but the sun is shining strongly on both Coolangatta and Willowbank this weekend. Winning!

Cooly Rocks On replaced the Wintersun nostalgia festival, which held its final event at Coolangatta in 2010 after 25 years. Cooly Rocks On stuck with the Wintersun formula, mixing a huge car show with an impressive program of live music, organised runs and family-friendly fun.

There have been tweaks and additions over the years and for 2025, the organisers added an 80s zone (for cars manufactured between 1980 and 1985) to the show and shine, which caused some consternation in some sections of social media. The traditionalists would prefer to see the cars kept to the 50 and 60s.

On the other hand, keeping any nostalgic event ‘authentic’ is hard yakka, unless you go to the extremes demanded of entrants and spectators by the likes of The Race of Gentleman or the Goodwood Revival.

And from the organisers’ point of view, the move no doubt makes sense in terms of keeping the event sustainable long-term. So if they can bring in some younger blood/metal, while keeping them safely quarantined in their own space, why not?

One innovation that has been well-received in recent years is the Beatniks CC’s Kustomville display, not only of cars, but also neat features such as art, rocker cover racing and more. Three years ago, the guys got together and chopped Joel Archard‘s ’51 Mercury over the long weekend. This year, it was time for some flames!

The flame job is a collaboration between visiting US Beatniks member and famed artist Dennis McPhail, alongside Aussie legends Little Mick and Kyle Smith. If you aren’t familiar with Dennis’s work, check out this interview on the Jalopy Journal as an introduction.

And to really raise the stakes, Joel and fellow Beatnik Zane constructed a 6m rotating platform for the trio to work on. It has been an awesome process to watch!

And you just know that at least one kid stood there mesmerised until their parents dragged them away, setting them on a path of discovery of customs, hot rods and lowbrow art. Doing the lord’s work, indeed.

There were a stack of delicious rides in Kustomville, but it was a particular pleasure to see The Mez’s ’41 Mercury and Jason Kennedy’s single-spinner in the metal.

Even with all the hot metal on display, the cars were quite possibly upstaged by the Insta-famous Rainbow Bay Duck! Duck is more famous for surfing that his love of cars, but he certainly spread some joy at the event over the weekend.

We don’t see many International trucks taken to this level Downunder, but we dig it! Bryon Wolff’s 1970 Inter rocks a 6.0-litre LS, with airbags all ’round.

Check out the slideshow for more: