28–30 November 2025
The Geelong Revival Motoring Festival is an annual, action-packed event showcasing a wide variety of vehicles along the scenic Geelong Waterfront. The centrepiece of the festival is the famous Quarter-Mile Sprint, where participants compete in a diverse range of vehicles, racing against the clock to set their fastest time. Since rebranding from Geelong Speed Trials to the Motoring Festival in 2012, vintage motoring and fashion enthusiasts have gathered from around Australia to celebrate classic car culture in a family-friendly environment.
I arrived at the Geelong Waterfront on Saturday 29 November shortly after gates opened at 10am. The morning was gloomy, with light grey clouds hanging low over the bay and a persistent drizzle that threatened to linger throughout the day.
On arrival, I made my way through Steampacket Gardens on the Corio Foreshore to view the display vehicles entered in the Shannons Classic Motorshow. The selection was broad, featuring classic Japanese, Australian and American cars, alongside a handful of modern entries such as a C8 Corvette.
Given the weather, I initially expected a modest turnout for the Quarter-Mile Sprint. However, as I followed the directed path through the Royal Geelong Yacht Club boatyard, the walkway became increasingly busy. By the time I reached the pit entry gates, it was clear I’d misjudged the day entirely — the line of race car entrants stretched deep along the pit lane. The sound of engines revving, tyres chirping, and crowds gathering to photograph the cars created a striking contrast to the quiet streets I’d arrived from.
On Saturday alone, 98 cars lined up along Ritchie Boulevard and Eastern Beach Reserve, with a further 38 motorcycles — including sidecars — staged in the grassed area behind “the bowl”, which serves as the warm-up area and start line for the sprint.
“The bowl” was electrifying to watch. Its circular shape gave it an almost colosseum-like feel, with spectators peering down at the cars lining up below. Many chose to sit along the steep grassed banks, taking in the on-track action with uninterrupted views across the bay.
Despite intermittent rain — including occasional heavy bursts — racing continued uninterrupted throughout Saturday, resulting in consistent on-track activity.
Entrants were grouped into one of 17 categories, ranging from classic touring and heritage vehicles through to modern sports cars. Drivers carefully exited their allocated pit spaces before lining up in a snake-style formation within the bowl, waiting for their run down the quarter mile.
Sandra Horne (MC and racer)
Sandra Horne is a familiar and respected host and announcer across Australian motoring events, known for her deep knowledge of classic cars and strong on-mic presence. Her involvement with the Geelong Revival began more than a decade ago as a fashion parade contestant, and she now plays a central role as the event’s MC.
Her expertise was evident throughout the weekend as she interviewed car owners, racers, and fashion parade entrants, providing clear context around both vehicles and participants. Sandra’s questioning style consistently drew out insight without overwhelming interviewees or audiences.
Saturday saw her juggling multiple responsibilities — MCing from the pits, reporting live updates to the crowd via speakers, competing in the Quarter-Mile Sprint in her iconic High Maintenance 1932 Ford Coupe, and then moving straight to the Royal Geelong Yacht Club to MC the fashion parade.
Despite her packed schedule, Sandra took the time to chat with me just before her sprint run, sharing stories about hot rods and the event’s evolving culture.
Celine Lloyd (Motor Rebel)
Celine Lloyd is a passionate car enthusiast who has been involved with the Geelong Revival since 2017. Until 2023, she competed in the Quarter-Mile Sprint on Saturdays before stepping into the role of the iconic ‘Army Girl’ as a Geelong Revival Ambassador on Sundays. From 2024 onward, she transitioned into racing across both days of the event.
This year, Celine raced three vehicles across the weekend: her Toyota 86, alongside two cars from her family’s collection — a V8 Mustang and a rare Spitfire Green Motorsport Edition Commodore.
Throughout the event, she was friendly and highly engaged, interacting with photographers, volunteers, and spectators, and was well recognised by commentators and MCs alike.
Celine is also known for her strong support of other women in the motoring scene. Through her social media presence under the name @motorrebel, she regularly highlights and promotes women across the automotive community — a presence that carries through both on and off the track.
“I always get butterflies in the morning,” she said.
Celine also attends numerous car meets across Victoria, explaining that she “loves to support other girls” wherever she can.
Maddi Coakley — Track Marshal, ‘The Bowl’
Maddi Coakley volunteered as a track marshal in the bowl, guiding race cars to the Quarter-Mile Sprint start line. She worked alongside her sister and mum throughout the weekend, both of whom also volunteered as marshals, though they preferred not to be interviewed.
The Coakley family owns three Mini Coopers, and Maddi has been racing in motorkhana since the age of 12 through the Victorian Mini Club. She began volunteering at Geelong Revival in 2024 and has also worked in the timing tower at Phillip Island during the Shannons SpeedSeries.
“It’s nice to be up close with the cars and interact with the drivers,” Maddi said.
Despite fewer female entrants in the Quarter-Mile Sprint — with stronger representation in the motorcycle categories — women were visible across many essential operational roles, including marshalling, crowd direction, and VIP coordination.
The Geelong Revival Festival stands out due to its rarity — it’s not often that a main road in a populated coastal city is transformed into a drag strip, even one operating one car at a time. The adrenaline of the sprint creates a safe and relatively affordable opportunity for people to race, with entry fees starting at $425 for modern vehicles and lower for older models.
Beyond the track, the vintage fashion parade offered participants a space to showcase creativity and craftsmanship, with many proudly wearing handmade pieces. Free general entry, affordable pit access ($25 for adults), and carnival-style attractions such as games, bumper cars, food stalls, and live entertainment ensured the festival appealed to a wide audience — including those who may not consider themselves dedicated motoring enthusiasts.
Interviewing participants across different roles in a live event environment — with background noise and tight schedules — provided valuable experience, particularly as an emerging interviewer. Both Sandra Horne and lead event organiser Chris Sager offered guidance and access, enabling conversations within volunteer and participant areas throughout the weekend.
I would highly recommend making the trip to Geelong. The event is well organised, centrally located, and offers opportunities to both race and display vehicles in areas such as Steampacket Gardens, all within walking distance of cafes, restaurants, and the waterfront.
Special thanks to all volunteers, Chris Sager, and the organising team for delivering a fantastic event.
Maddi Gurmesevic is an aspiring writer and journalist within the automotive and Motorsport world. She has a large passion for the sport itself, as well as sharing the incredible stories of people across different facets of the industry. Maddi is also a driver herself, competing in Karting since an early teen, along with volunteer work with Motorsport Australia.