The team collaborated with Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) in Albury for the third consecutive year to produce artworks for the event.
For this year’s iteration, MAC partnered with James Fallon High School’s Stars Foundation program.
Guided by the 2024 NAIDOC theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy, the collaboration produced over 20 original artworks.
The Stars Foundation is a mentoring program that supports young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls in reaching their full potential.
“You always look forward to coming to the Darwin event and since it’s become the Indigenous Round it just adds another layer to it,” said team spearhead Andre Heimgartner.
“Learning and hearing about the artworks and meaning within the livery on the car is special. Each year we get a deeper understanding and that’s what this initiative is about. “Really excited to get on track and get racing again.”
The team detailed the meaning behind the artworks that underpin each theme as below, which add to the Fijian-inspired design used on the BJR-run SCT Camaro of Jaxon Evans.
Pizza Hut Racing
Macauley Jones’ #96 Pizza Hut Racing Camaro features a stunning depiction of the Wiradjuri totem, the goanna. The important totem is a representative of the deep connection to country and culture.
The goanna was painted by Stars mentor Tash Clemons for her daughters, as a nod to their heritage and how it brings together the story of their tribe.
The symbols on the bonnet depict people sitting at a meeting place, while the flowers on the wing endplate stand for meeting places .
Middy’s Racing
The #14 Middy’s Racing Camaro carries geographical references to some of the artist’s home land, a reference to how important country is to the artists.
The blue dotted piece across the side of the car illustrates flowing rivers in Wilcannia, which carries significance of the beginnings of the artist’s journey. The three tall symbols on the front bar are the Three Sisters Mountains, found in the Blue Mountains.
The geometric lines across the Darwin-born, Bryce Fullwood’s car represent the tracks taken between meeting places and then the flower patterns are the meeting places, specifically for women’s business.
R&J Batteries Racing
Andre Heimgartner’s #8 Camaro carries themes of women’s business and personal journeys.
Towards the rear of the R&J Batteries car, red, white, and blue dotted circles represent a river.
Yellow circles show women sitting, while footprints on the bonnet symbolize young leaders walking forward, the next generation of proud Aboriginal people.
Large flowers on the rear bar also symbolise significant meeting places.
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