DAD x Premcar x John Bowe Charity Event

When: Sunday 2 August, 2026
Start location: Premcar, Epping
Arrival time from: 8:15am
Essential briefing and guest panel with John Bowe: 9:00am
Drive route: Historic Prodrive test route, two stages, including morning tea
End location: Rochford Wines, Coldstream

The full event details and drive route pack will be emailed to registered participants in advance of the event. 

This event brings together the vision of Drive Against Depression, Premcar, Unique Motoring Events and John Bowe.

Each partner shares values around integrity, the importance of positive shared experiences and a mission to deliver impact. In their own way, and collectively, our collaborators are innovators, community focused and driven to break down barriers around mental health.

Premcar

Premcar is one of Australia’s leading new-vehicle engineering and secondary manufacturing firms. Established 30 years ago, Premcar was previously the local arm of Prodrive and is the trusted engineering and manufacturing partner for a variety of global automotive brands. The company specialises in niche model ranges, full-scale vehicle development programs, and electric vehicle conversions.

Premcar works with carmakers from Australia, Europe, the USA, Japan and China. The company has secondary manufactured more than 213,000 new vehicles and 55,000 new engines in Australia. Premcar has also built a strong reputation through its connection to Australian motorsport and performance vehicle development, including collaborations involving John Bowe and the broader Ford performance scene.

CEO and Engineering Director Bernie Quinn has been instrumental in shaping the company’s engineering and manufacturing capabilities, building a long-standing reputation for innovation and practical performance development.

Today, Premcar continues to develop and manufacture enhanced vehicles for global brands, including Nissan, Mitsubishi and other global automakers, helping ensure advanced automotive engineering and manufacturing expertise continue to thrive in Australia.

John Bowe

An motorsport legend who really needs no introduction, John Bowe is one of Australia’s most respected and accomplished motorsport figures. With a career spanning more than five decades across open wheelers in his early career to touring cars, Supercars, GT Cars, and TCM, it's been a remarkable career. John has been active in the development space as Test Driver for Ford/FPV/Premcar, tyre tester for Dunlop, and driver coach through John Bowe Driving.

A winner of 10 x National Championships across a range of categories, a two-time Bathurst 1000 winner (with Dick Johnson DJR), Bowe is widely recognised for his success driving with Ford during one of the most competitive and popular eras in Australian motorsport. John is a Supercar/Motorsport Australia Hall of Famer and was awarded an OAM in 2021.

Beyond racing, John developed a close association with Prodrive Australia, now Premcar, through their performance vehicle development, testing and promotional work. His extensive experience as both a professional driver and vehicle evaluator helped shape the engineering and performance philosophy behind a range of locally developed performance programs.

Known for his engaging personality, honesty and advocacy for mental health awareness, John partners with this event to support Drive Against Depression’s mental health work, and to normalise mental illness and help seeking.

John will have copies of his new book DRIVEN available at the event to personally sign with proceeds going directly to Drive Against Depression. We thank our Event Partner Premcar for their kind donation of copies of John's book.

Unique Motoring Events

Unique Motoring Events is a boutique Australian automotive events company renowned for creating premium experiences with a passion for motoring culture. The company was founded by Hamilton Urquhart (Hammo), who is widely respected within Australian automotive circles for his ability to create events that celebrate not just cars, but the connection and camaraderie that come with driving. Unique Motoring Events keeps driving and motoring experiences at the forefront of enthusiast culture, and understand Drive Against Depression’s purpose to deliver memorable moments and unique experiences.

Special Guest

Andrew Maclean – Award winning Australian automotive and motorsport journalist, and co-author of Driven: The John Bowe Story.

Lunch

Our group lunch will be hosted at Rochford Wines in Coldstream. The cost of lunch is significantly subsidised by DAD and our generous partners, and includes:

• Exclusive dining space for the DAD event group

• Two course meal with shared sides

• Customised menu

• Drinks are available at bar prices

• $20 lunch cost per person

Event Highlights

Breakfast and exclusive tour at Premcar

Guest panel Q & A

Book purchases and signings with John Bowe

Photography and videography by Digital Fuel Productions

Historic drive route

Group lunch at the beautiful Rochford Wines, with a two course meal in a private dining space

Charitable Purpose

Drive Against Depression exists to improve mental health outcomes for Australians by creating motoring occasions that foster community and genuine connection. Conversations about mental health are normalised and barriers to accessing help are removed, and as a result, we work to decrease the number of people suffering in silence or requiring critical care for mental illness.

As a registered charity, funds raised are directed to the delivery of events, payment for therapy services for those who need it, and investment into suicide prevention and mental health education research with Adelaide University.

Why We Drive

DAD drive days are about connection and community. They hold the intention to normalise mental health problems and mental illness, promote conversations around these and offer pathways for seeking further support.

We use driving and the shared enthusiasm for cars and great roads as our way of connecting and escaping downward emotional spirals. We know that connection is vital for mental wellbeing, and DAD events deliver this in spades. 

DAD isn’t a club, it’s a community. Please don’t feel you need to have a particular model or age of car to attend – if you love it, bring it. 

Our drive days are strictly social and non-competitive. We use open roads and carefully plan our drive routes to make them as safe and logical as possible, while using engaging roads with new scenery for a great day out. 

We advocate for using DAD drive days as an inclusive environment to start your mental health conversation where you feel comfortable to do so, however DAD drive days are not a crisis service and keeping everyone safe on the road is of utmost importance. 

Pop the date in your diary and gather your mates!

There are no minimum car requirements to join this cruise – if it’s registered and you love it, bring it along. 

Registration for this event is essential, and places are limited to venue capacity.

Rochford Wines are providing an outstanding lunch package in a private dining toom, and the cost per person is generously subsidised by our event partners.

As a registered charity we are proud to offer tax deductibility for your donations, and thank you for your generosity which allows us to provide these important events.