A national motor racing celebrity, who was Top Gear Australia’s ‘Stig’, is the new driving force behind an historic Sunshine Coast club.
Cam McConville has swapped the tarmac for the sand and will help Mooloolaba Surf Life Saving Club grow its membership, brand and sponsorship base, as General Manager of Operations.
“It is a little bit different,” the racing identity said of his new role.
“But I’m really focused on making this long term, getting into the Queensland lifestyle and helping the club be sustainable over the coming years.”
Cam has relocated from Victoria with his partner, Olympic medal-winning cyclist Katie Mactier.
The 47-year-old competed in the V8 Supercars Championship for more than a decade until 2017 before turning his attention to sports management as the CEO of Water Ski Racing Australia.
Cam confirmed to Sunshine Coast News that he was ‘The Stig’ in the Australian edition of Top Gear, ending countless rumours that he was the mysterious test driver.
He was involved during seasons two and three, from 2010 to 2011, before the four-season show finished in 2012.
For those unfamiliar with Top Gear, The Stig, is an always-suited and never-revealed motoring cult hero who sets sizzling lap times for the cars tested on the show, sometimes to very unusual soundtracks.
“I can probably confirm it now because the show is well and truly axed, unfortunately,” he said.
“It was a lot of fun, but I couldn’t really tell anyone at the time.
“I had the gear (a unique racing suit) on the top shelf of my bedroom, and I’d fly into Camden Airport to do the testing and only one person knew who I was — one of the producers.”
Cam said he had always wanted to move to the Sunshine State, and had been given the perfect opportunity at Mooloolaba Surf Life Saving Club, which will celebrate its centenary next year.
“I was very fortunate that I was a professional driver, and I was able to earn an income doing something I love, but I’ve been on both sides of the fence and seen what volunteers do and how committees and sports organisations run,” he said.
“I feel quite privileged to be involved in this iconic club.”
He started the job while in 14-day quarantine and is now in the office.
“I love the culture of the surf club environment and I really enjoy the lifestyle,” he said.
Cam wants to help the club prosper.
“In the short term I’m trying to take a bit of the load off the committee and to get the (lifesaving) season up and running with surf patrols, and carnivals and nippers,” he said.
“I’m also trying to finish a strategic plan and then implement it — to try to run the club a bit more strategically, attract some partners that fit our strategy and hopefully make sure the club is financially viable during the next three to five years.”
He wanted to ensure young members of the club stayed involved.
“We have a strong nippers program, but we do find a lot of them go to other sports when they are between 13 and 16, so I’ll try and work on membership retention. That’s a goal during the next couple of years.”
The Mooloolaba Surf Life Saving Club has about 1400 members.
Its supporter’s club has copped a hit during the past year or two, due to COVID-19 restrictions, but still boasts about 50,000 members, with about 250,000 visitors each year.
“We are trying to work hand in glove with them — making sure surf lifesaving members go to the venue,” Cam said. “If we can help the surf club in any way, we will.”
Cam’s also eager to help steer the lifesaving club through a significant milestone.
“We’re coming up to 100 years. That’s a great time for me to come on board and assist with some of the celebrations.”
Cam, who has done Ironman triathlons, is also keen to enjoy the healthy lifestyle on the Coast.
“Katie and I enjoy keeping fit and active,” he said.
“We rode up the coast, (along David Low Way) to Noosa on the weekend and we both said: ‘How good is this?”
“We feel very lucky to be out of Melbourne.”
Katie was a silver medallist in the individual pursuit at Athens 2004.
Her two young children have also moved with the duo, and they’re renting at Coolum for now.
Cam’s two children, in their late teens, are expected to come to the Coast during school holidays, COVID-19 permitting.
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Cam has notched hundreds of events as a race car driver, including six podium positions in the famous Bathurst 1000.
But racing has been “parked for now”.
“I was doing some GT (Grand Touring) racing until COVID hit in 2020, and the Bathurst 12-hour in a Lamborghini. A friend of mine owns one of those so I was fortunate to do some co-driving with him.
“I did four or five races a year but since COVID hit, everything other than V8 Supercars has been hard to get up and running.
“And that’s fine. I’m in a good space with parking motor racing for now.
“You never say never but I’m certainly enjoying focusing on my new job and settling into the Queensland culture.”
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A then-renowned Holden team racer, he even tested a car from their traditional rivals when he was ‘The Stig’.
“Ironically, we did a V8 Supercar on the test track, and it was the factory Ford, so I drove the opposition car, but I couldn’t tell anyone, so that was the hardest bit,” he said.
And the Ford wasn’t too bad.
“I actually thought it turned in a little bit better at the time but probably didn’t put the power down as well (as the Holden),” he said.
