FOUR hundred custom cars, thousands of people, dozens of stalls and many special guests; on Sunday 12 July, Nelson Bay once again hosted the yearly Port Stephens Car Show to resounding success.
In what has been described as the highlight of the Winterfest, car owners from all over the region got to showcase their vehicles in the streets surrounding the marina.
There was plenty to look at for everyone, with machines ranging from modern to historical, a few DeLoreans, and even a Batmobile replica.
Australian motorsport legend John Bowe was one of the special guests of the event, and he was more than happy to chat with fellow enthusiasts about his passion for racing.
Mr Bowe was also surprised at the sheer size of the exhibition.
“Three months ago I didn’t know anything about it, and now it’s huge, it’s mind blowing,” he said.
“The whole thing has been a very uplifting experience. Lovely people, big cars, who couldn’t enjoy it?”
Other special guests included Porsche enthusiast Ron Goodman, who showed off his collection, and pilot Matt Hall, who stunned guests with daring air stunts at 400 km/h over the Nelson Bay shore.
The event was a good time even for those less enthusiastic about cars, with plenty of food to go around, live music, family friendly activities and performances by the Marching Koalas and the Sydney Swing Katz.
Another highlight of the day was the Tennis Ball Run, a spectacular raffle in which 4,000 tennis balls were released down a hill.
All the profits from the raffle will go to the Mark Hughes Foundation, a charity active in the fight against brain cancer.
The best vehicles exhibited were awarded prizes, but school children had the chance to participate too with the cardboard “Green Machine” competition, which was won by the small Salt Ash Public School for the second consecutive year.
After the extraordinary turnout of this third edition of the Port Stephens Car Show, many locals are curious to see how the exhibition will outdo itself in the future.
Port Stephens Mayor Leah Anderson shared her confidence that the show would “get bigger and better year on year.”
By Nico LOMBARDO
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