Revheads roar as event grows
Revheads flocked to Hedland's Big Boys Toys car and bike show last weekend to admire some of the region's hottest machines.
Ranging from power-packed, late-model V8s and 1960s muscle cars to throaty Harley and Victory motorbikes and even a vintage 1926 Pontiac, the show featured one of the biggest displays of hotted-up cars and bikes seen in Hedland yet.
Paul Ross eventually emerged with the bragging rights as his 1995 customised Harley-Davidson Heritage impressed judges to win the bike of the show award, while Craig Wainwright's 1947 Harley Knucklehead was voted the people's choice winner.
Among the cars, Adam Drury's restored HT Monaro GTS claimed the judges' award and people's choice.
HRA member Chris Connors said judges had their hands full picking a winner.
"A lot of the cars and bikes on display were second to none - there was a huge range," he said.
"We will seriously look at expanding our trophy range next year because it was really hard to narrow it down to just one car and one bike."
The increase in cars and bikes comes as the event itself also grew markedly compared to previous years.
Designed to be Hedland Riders Association's major annual fundraiser, all funds collected by the riders are donated back into community groups and organisations, with the group having previously raised more than $220,000 in its 22- year history.
As part of that, Mr Connors said the HRA had made the show more family friendly this year by moving it into South Hedland and inviting a range of stallholders.
These included local businesses, such as Pilbara Boats N Bikes and Repco, as well as musicians and even a children's playground run by Cooke Point Playgroup.
With hundreds of people visiting the event, Mr Connors said it was likely to continue growing in coming years.
"It was great to see more families coming in than usual and great to see the kids enjoying things," he said.
"We had a lot of exposure for a lot of the businesses and groups.
"Hopefully this helps the vendors as well as ourselves because anything we make goes straight back into the community."
