You can’t miss Matt’s bright yellow ’67 Camaro cruising through Alice Springs during Red CentreNATS.
You hear that 454 engine rumbling before you even catch a glimpse of it, the big-block growling through town as kids wave from the roadside, shouting, “Flip it! Flip it!”
“They all think it’s Bumblebee,” Matt chuckles.
In a town better known for its dust-covered work utes and long-haul four-wheel drives, the Camaro stands out like a neon sign in the heart of the Red Centre. But for Matt, who’s called Alice Springs home for 35 years and spent 21 years running his own mechanical workshop, the Chevy represents something much more than raw power.
Cars have always been part of Matt’s life. He’s a mechanic by trade, with a background in sprint car racing, and his workshop has become a gathering spot for locals, travellers, and racers passing through.
“I’ve got a fair history in it,” he shares. “Both my sons race sprint cars all around the country, so that’s our outlet.”
Like most mechanics, though, his own projects often take a backseat to customer work.
“The mechanic never gets time to work on his own car,” he laughs. “I’ve got projects sitting around everywhere.”
But the Camaro was a different story.
“I was born in ’67, so I wanted a car from the year I was born,” he explains. “I hounded the bloke for a few years before he finally sold it to me.”
He bought it mostly finished about three years ago, and now the Camaro boasts a 454-cube Chev, Turbo 400 auto, and Posi rear end, cranking out around 550hp. Still, Matt says he’s more about enjoying the ride than building a dyno monster.
“The guy I bought it from used to drag race it, but I own it more for appreciating the car than tearing it up,” he says. “I’m a bit of a purist.”
That mindset is why the Camaro retains its unmistakable first-gen look, with only subtle upgrades aimed at enhancing drivability.
“A lot of blokes pump heaps of horsepower into them and they’re just not drivable,” he says. “I want it so I can get in it, start it and drive it whether it’s 40 degrees or four below zero.”
And unlike plenty of classics that spend most of their lives parked in sheds, Matt’s Camaro gets driven.
That’s precisely what he loves about Red CentreNATS.
“Red CentreNATS has been great for the car community in Alice Springs,” he shares. “People have dragged things out of the woodwork. Cars they’ve had sitting around for years, now they’re getting them going and bringing them out.”
During the event weekend, Alice Springs undergoes a transformation. Burnout cars cruise alongside classic muscle cars, tourists line the streets for the parade, and locals finally unveil projects that haven’t seen the light of day in ages.
“You just look how huge the street parade is,” Matt says. “People have got out and got involved.”
For Matt, that’s the true essence of the event. It’s not about the horsepower or the trophies, but the vibrant atmosphere that fills the entire town.
“You catch up with people, share parts, share knowledge,” he says. “It’s just a really good vibe around town.”
More people are traveling thousands of kilometres just to be part of this amazing scene.
“My son’s mates drive their old cars all the way up from Adelaide, stay here at the workshop, then drive them all the way home afterwards,” he shares.
Others come rolling in from Darwin, towing race cars, burnout machines, and long-lost projects to the heart of Australia for an epic weekend filled with cruising, racing, and community spirit.
For Matt, one of the best parts is seeing everyday people realise they don’t need a sixfigure build to join in.
“I’ve got an apprentice here with an old Corolla and an old Skyline,” he mentions. “They might only be worth a thousand bucks, but to him they’re everything.”
“Regardless of what you’ve got, if it’s special to you, it’s worth showcasing and worth being proud of.”
That’s why Matt believes more locals should get involved.
“Don’t leave something sitting at home,” he says. “Get off your arse and make the effort to put tyres on it, get it registered, throw a battery in it or whatever, and get out and parade it.”
Because it isn’t only about the horsepower behind your build at Red CentreNATS.
You just need your beast, and the guts to bring it out of the shed.
Entries are now open for the 12th annual Red CentreNATS, presented by LMCT+, taking place in Alice Springs from 3 to 6 September 2026.
Visit redcentrenats.com.au for more information on how to enter the Ultimate Festival of Wheels.
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