After such a wonderful night at the Saturday Night Rockabilly Meltdown we indulged in a tiny little sleep in on Sunday morning (8:30 am – what a luxury!) before I armed myself with sunscreen, parasol, camera, pretty dress and comfy shoes and headed for the excitement of the Hot Rod Carnival. As soon as I stepped up to the gate and got a peek inside the grounds I was struck by just how enormous and busy the grounds were already. At only 10 am, the carnival looked to be even bigger and busier than last year!

With thanks to the Garterbelts & Gasoline Nostalgia Festival for this image

Enjoying the warm rays of the sun we cruised through the row upon row of pre-70 hot rods, customs, stockers, ratters, bikes and vintage caravans making sure we got to see all the gleaming automobilia before we hit the stalls or band stage (once dazzled by pretty things and rockin music it’s hard to convince yourself to leave).

Thanks Dani, for snapping this fun pic of me!

After a yummy spider to quell the beginnings of a hangover we toured the stalls selling almost anything a rockabilly gal or guy could dream of. Vintage Caravan Magazine was out in full force and the kustom embroidered clothing of Bluebird Retro Rags were selling like hotcakes while the pomade and grease rags of Cowpunkabilly got a work out to complete the look. There were so many wonderful things on offer including authentic kitschy vintage and collector pieces but I remained strong (remember, VEGAS!)

Artwork by Vanessa Radcliffe

We caught some shade in the Vintage Hall as we took in all the Queensland talent showcased in the Low Brow Art Show. There were all kinds of creations on display, everything from tiki carvings to airbrush artwork, Lichtenstein-esque paintings to pinstriping, metal sculptures to photographic displays and so much more.

Tiki Time with Krash

By this time the sounds of the band were filtering through the windows and we couldn’t stay away a minute longer! Splitting our time between the hilarious show being put on over at The Fuelers  stage and the main stage, we watched the dancers battling the hilly grassed area and enjoyed the fantastic entertainment. This year the main stage was moved to prime position up near the markets and thankfully there was more shade to enjoy too – I think it was a great move for Paul and Amanda!

Awesome action shot thanks to Mz Vicki

We caught Victoria’s Scotty Baker on the main stage and fell in love with him all over again but the ones we were waiting to see were Hanks Jalopy Demons, also from Victoria. This was my first time seeing these guys live despite loving their music for some time now and they certainly didn’t disappoint! They were fantastic and I only wished that they could have played one of the night time shows so that we could have really burned it up with them.


After an exhausting day walking around the showgrounds and a massive weekend filled with so much fun, despite my heart being ready for more my body was thankful for the slower pace of the Sunday Night Wind Down. Held in the gorgeous St Bernards function room some might remember as last year’s Garterbelts HQ, the night was the perfect ending to a festival that continues to outdo itself.


Swing your partner round n round

Offering a more intimate atmosphere, the night and the venue provided an excellent opportunity to catch up with friends, enjoy dinner and mingle with plenty of the musos who were wandering around and enjoying the final night of fun. Victoria’s fantastic talent was represented in force with Warren Earl’s South Valley Syncopaters kicking off the night with plenty for the swing crowd to enjoy while The Black Hill Ramblers ramped things up a notch and brought the night and the festival to a thunderous, fitting close.


As I dragged myself into bed that night, despite being more exhausted than I remember being in a very long time, I was so thrilled with how fantastic the festival turned out this year and was brimming with pride for the amazing talent and dedication to the kulture that shone throughout the weekend.

A humungous thank you must go out to Paul and Amanda for all their hard work, sacrifice, sleepless nights and determination for pulling off such an amazing festival on such a grand scale. Without people like them dedicating themselves to events like this, the kulture wouldn’t live on or be gaining the strength and momentum that it has.

Thanks guys, you did a fabulous job!