Under the Hood: Rockynats 05 - Charlie Dixon
Published on 04 April 2025
Charlie Dixon
Adelaide, SA
2003 Holden Monaro Coupe– ‘S330BVR’
Among the rumble of engines and lingering smell of petrol at Rare Spares Rockynats scrutineering shed, Charlie Dixon waits in line with his father, Gordon, to receive his official Rockynats 05 entrant pass. Standing at 200cm tall with a grin stretched ear to ear, Charlie was easy to spot in the crowd of entrants and scrutineering officials. His bourgeoning energy and excitement are palpable, clearly eager to soak in everything Queensland’s biggest car and bike festival has to offer. After a multi-day drive from Adelaide via Melbourne to get his 2003 Holden Monaro tuned, the former AFL star has come a long way—both literally and figuratively—to be here.
“For years, while I was playing footy, I’d seen Rockynats all over socials and thought it looked like an amazing event,” Charlie says. “I’ve always wanted to be part of something like this, but footy obviously was my main commitment and took up all my time. So, as soon as I retired, I made it my mission to get to as many car events as I could.”
His Monaro—his pride and joy—is a beast: a single turbo with a 405-cube engine, a G57 turbo, Haltech 2500, and a nine-inch rear end. It’s built for speed, which he is keen to put to the test in the Street Drag competition on Saturday, however Charlie, ever the car enthusiast, insists his journey to Rockynats is about so much more than horsepower. It’s about the experience, the community, and embracing his love of all things automotive.
His passion for vehicles started young, passed down from his father, Gordon, who has driven his own 1978 Ford XC Falcon 500 Panel Van to Rockynats from Cairns. “Dad’s always loved cars so I grew up hearing his stories. Once I started playing footy and had a bit of money, I started getting into cars myself,” he explains with a laugh. “And then I spent a lot of money on cars.”
That love eventually led him to create Drive with Dixon, his YouTube channel dedicated to automotive culture, builds, and events in 2018. What started as a way to document his Monaro build has grown into something much bigger. Now, he runs a warehouse in Adelaide where he hosts events, showcases local cars, and even has a professional photography studio for automotive shoots. “I just want to showcase the car scene in Adelaide in every way I can,” he says. “Basically, if it's got a motor, I love it and I want to get behind it. And now that I'm not playing footy anymore, I love to get behind the wheel of anything.”
Rockynats marks a first for Charlie in more ways than one. Not only is this his first time at the event, but it’s also the beginning of his participation in major car festivals across the country. “I’ve never done Summernats or anything like this before,” he explains. “So, this is the start of something that I hope will become a staple for me.”
What’s he looking forward to the most? “Everything,” he says without hesitation. “The street drags, the street parade, just taking it all in. There are so many amazing cars here from all over Australia, and I’m just stoked to be part of it.”
He’s especially excited to cruise the streets of Rockhampton alongside his dad—something they’ve never done before. And when it comes to the drags, he’s keeping his expectations realistic. “I’m in a fast class, so I could be knocked out in the first round,” he laughs. “But I’ll just give it a crack and have fun.”
Since retiring from professional football, Charlie has thrown himself into the automotive world full-time, building his brand and exploring new opportunities. He co-hosts a radio show on 5AA, collaborates with The Bend Motorsport Park, and is working to bring major motorsport events to Adelaide. His ultimate goal? To make a living doing what he loves. “I’m probably spending more money than I’m making right now,” he admits, “but I’m having a lot of fun along the way.”