Rockynats 06 Delivers Bumper Weekend of Drifts, Drags and Burnouts
Published on 19 April 2026
Rare Spares and Repco Rockynats has been another bumper event for Rockhampton, with record-breaking entrant numbers, a total attendance of over 65,000 at ticketed venues, plus an estimated 5000 people who enjoyed the free street parade on Friday.
Delivered in partnership between Rockhampton Regional Council and Summernats, the event continues to attract thousands of visitors to the region each year, with an action-packed program of drifts, street drags, burnouts, elite show cars and off-track entertainment.
A record 1,900 entrants took part in Rockynats 06, with 1,379 vehicles participating in Friday’s iconic Street Parade, making it the longest parade in the event’s six-year history.
In 2025, Rockhampton Regional Council and Summernats locked in their second 5-year partnership to deliver Rockynats through to 2030, cementing its position as Queensland’s largest car and bike festival and one of the nation’s premier automotive events.
Rockhampton Region Mayor Tony Williams said the success of Rockynats 06 is a reflection of strong community support and the continued growth of the event.
“I am really proud of what we have been able to do over the last 6 events, creating and building an event that people love to come back to. We’ve seen excellent ticket sales again this year, incredible entrant numbers and yet another record broken with Friday’s street parade,” said Mayor Williams.
“I really have to give credit to Summernats, the event sponsors and the Advance Rockhampton team who year after year pull this event together and make it what it is. For us this is about seeing those thousands of people visit our region, drive economic activity and support local business and jobs.”
“I’m already looking forward to next year and keen to see people returning to the region for what I’m sure will be another exceptional event.”
Sporting superfans, Lachlan and Bailey Carter of Those Carter Boys, who have earnt national recognition for their die-hard attendance at the nation’s biggest sporting events including Bathurst 1000, the Olympics and Formula 1, were among the thousands of spectators impressed by the scale and atmosphere of Rockynats 06.
“We’ve been to events all over the world, and Rockynats absolutely stacks up with the best of them. The atmosphere is unreal, the variety of cars and competition is next level, and the way the whole city gets behind it makes it something really special. It’s one of those events you can’t miss if you’re a motorsport fan.”
Summernats Director Andy Lopez affirms that Rockynats, and the event partnership with Rockhampton Regional Council, continues to go from strength to strength.
“Record entries and our biggest street parade means Rockynats is consistently the second-largest automotive festival in Australia after Summernats,” said Andy. “People from all around Australia continue to lock in Rockynats as a non-negotiable event on their calendar. That’s because they love the unique spirit of this amazing show and the welcome they receive from the Rockhampton community.”
“Rockynats is a fantastic partnership between Rockhampton Regional Council and the Summernats team, with huge support from QLD Police, local businesses and national commercial partners like Rare Spares and Repco. We can’t wait to get back here next year.”
Momentum is already building for the 2027 event, with Rockynats 07 officially slated to return to Rockhampton over the Easter school holidays from April 2-4.