The tiny town of Birdsville has welcomed a record influx of around 11,000 campers and music lovers for the kick-off of the world’s most remote music festival – the Big Red Bash – in outback Queensland.
The crowds are the largest Birdsville has ever seen, with revellers of all ages flocking to the Simpson Desert for the family and dog-friendly festival, which this year features Aussie music legends Jimmy Barnes, Missy Higgins, Kasey Chambers, Jon Stevens, Kate Ceberano and many more.
The outback town, which also hosts the annual September Birdsville Races, is usually home to a population of just 150 people.
Yesterday, as festival-goers set up camp, Australia’s ‘Aussiest’ wedding took place atop the Big Red sand dune – the largest of its kind in the world. The bride and groom said “I do” in front of a stacked crowd of punters and canines, the first of many thousands who will scatter the spectacular arid landscape over a bumper three-day program of live music and outback entertainment and activities.
The Big Red Bash is estimated to bring $15 million to regional and outback Queensland, and the Birdsville Bakery is reporting daily sales of close to 1,500 curried camel pies and 900 coffees as festival-goers travel through for the iconic event.
The festival begins officially today with performances by Bachelor Girl, Jack Jones, Mi-Sex, Dragon, Kate Ceberano, the Rolling Stones Revue Starring Adalita, Tex Perkins & Tim Rogers, and Jon Stevens.
Off stage, opening day highlights include a sunrise yoga session, wacky dunny door painting, sand dune surfing, dune volleyball and the REDARC Outback Air Guitar Championships.
Nominated for ‘Festival of the Year’ at the 2022 Queensland Music Awards, The Big Red Bash is produced by the Outback Festival Group, which also stages the Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash in outback NSW.
Tickets are still available for the August Mundi Mundi Bash. For more information, visit www.mundimundibash.com.au.
