The popular Cape York Automotive Muster will return during the 2025 Cooktown Discovery Festival, and organiser Lauren Bowyer is calling on sponsors and local businesses to help provide prizes to give the event a distinctly unique Cape York feel. Photo: Cape York Weekly.
The one-woman powerhouse behind the popular Cape York Automotive Muster says she needs the support of volunteers and sponsors to ensure the event returns bigger and better than ever during the 2025 Cooktown Discovery Festival.
The muster is an unmissable part of the annual three-day event, and organiser Lauren Bowyer said she was already fielding inquiries about this year’s automotive showcase.
“The 2025 Cape York Automotive Muster is already shaping up to be another big event for the Cooktown Discovery Festival weekend program,” she said.
“The social media pages have grown in numbers quite a fair bit recently, and it’s looking like we have a lot of past favourites returning, as well as the possibility of a few newbies chasing a ribbon and a prize or two.”
After some behind-the-scenes changes following the 2024 muster, Ms Bowyer said she needed the support of sponsors and local businesses to help make this year’s event another success.
“It is a massive challenge every year to deliver this event, as I am only one woman, but this year it is going to be even more difficult,” she said.
“I will probably just cover the costs of the ribbons myself this year, but I’m not sure about the rest of the merchandise, which is a bit of a bummer, because it is one of the things that makes this event stand out from other car shows.
“With regards to businesses providing support for this year’s event, I would love it if they would provide prizes in gear or gift card form, rather than cash; I have a bit of help from one of the participants from last year who has offered to try drumming up support from non-local businesses, which I am incredibly grateful for, but I really hope that we can get a bit more interest from local Cape York businesses this year so that we can deliver something that is uniquely Cooktown and Cape York.
“I will also be chasing volunteers on the day to assist with things like setting up the marquee, setting up the prizes, and also just helping me to juggle the little bits and pieces that come with events like this; an emcee to keep things rolling would also be great.”
Anyone interested in volunteering or sponsoring the event can contact Ms Bowyer via the Cape York Automotive Muster Facebook page.
