Biggest Car Shows in Australia in 2027
Australia's car-show year starts with a bang in January and runs through the southern summer and autumn, with plenty more in the cooler months. This guide covers the main shows, concours and festivals for 2027, says what each one is, and is open about which dates are announced and which are still to come.
Summernats is the headline. It is held at Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC), and the venue's own listing calls it Australia's biggest car festival. The Summernats site lists 7 to 10 January 2027 and describes a mix of custom builds, burnouts, drag racing, a music line-up, camping, traders and a fringe festival. It is a loud, high-energy event, so it suits people who want burnouts and street machines more than a quiet concours lawn.
Next is the Gnoo Blas Classic at Sir Jack Brabham Park in Orange, New South Wales, on Friday 5 to Sunday 7 February 2027. It is a general vehicle show, covering cars, motorcycles, trucks, buses, tractors and more, and it is the Orange motor club's major annual fundraiser towards a motor museum. The event page says it has run for more than 30 years, and that the 2026 edition had about 900 vehicles on display and more than 6,000 visitors. In late February, the Sydney Harbour Concours d'Élégance is listed for Friday 26 to Sunday 28 February 2027 on Cockatoo Island, from 10:00 to 16:00 each day, with a mix of classic and modern hypercars.
In March, the focus shifts to Bathurst and Phillip Island. Bathurst Autofest is held at Mount Panorama, New South Wales, and the organiser lists 5 to 7 March 2027. It is a performance car festival with a show and shine, driving events and burnouts, and it calls itself Australia's home of horsepower. The Phillip Island Classic is a historic motor racing meeting run by the Victorian Historic Racing Register at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, listed for 12 to 14 March 2027. It is a race meeting first, so expect cars on track rather than a static show. Further details of the 2027 meeting were still to be released at time of writing.
The Australian Street Rod Federation Nationals head to Ulverstone, Tasmania, from 17 to 22 March 2027. The local council says this will be the first of the federation's numbered national events to be held in Tasmania, and that more than 800 hot rods, customs and classic cars are expected. That is an expected figure from the council's announcement, not a count of what turns up.
Some well-known events had not yet confirmed 2027 dates at time of writing. The Muscle Car Masters at Sydney Motorsport Park ran on 29 and 30 August in 2026; it is a mix of racing and displays. The Geelong Revival Motoring Festival takes place in November on the Geelong waterfront, with a quarter-mile sprint and the Shannons Classic Motorshow. The RAA Bay to Birdwood, a 67 km parade of historic vehicles to Birdwood in the Adelaide Hills, held its Finish Festival at the National Motor Museum in Birdwood on Sunday 18 October in 2026. Check each event's site for 2027 dates when they appear.
Planning tips. January to March is crowded, so if you want more than one of these, work out the travel first: Canberra, Orange, Sydney and Bathurst are all in the same region, while Phillip Island and Tasmania are a different trip. Accommodation near the big events books early, and country towns have limited rooms. If you are entering a car, read each event's entry rules, because driving events and show-and-shine classes often have separate entry processes and caps.
Running your own show? Car Show Expert handles registration, check-in, judging and awards in one place, whether you run a club day or a big annual event. See our guide for Australian clubs at /car-show-software-australia, create a free account at /sign-up, or try the demo at /demo. For the basics, see /discover/guides/how-to-run-a-car-show. If you are planning a trip across the Tasman, see our New Zealand guide at /discover/blog/biggest-car-shows-new-zealand-2027.
Dates are as announced by organisers at time of writing and can change. Confirm with each organiser before you book.