Birdsville Big Red Bash: Another major music festival CANCELLED in a devastating blow to Australia’s live music scene

Birdsville Big Red Bash: Another major music festival CANCELLED in a devastating blow to Australia's live music scene

As a seasoned globetrotter and music enthusiast with a knack for seeking out unique experiences, I must say that the Birdsville Big Red Bash has always been a standout event on my bucket list. The sheer remoteness of this festival, coupled with its impressive lineup of Australian artists, makes it an unparalleled adventure.


This year, which has been particularly challenging for the entertainment sector that’s already facing difficulties, has seen another significant Australian music festival being called off.

The Birdsville Big Red Bash 2025 has been postponed for a year, as festival organizers have decided to suspend it temporarily and plan to resume in 2026 instead.

The occasion takes place approximately 35 kilometers west of Birdsville, in Queensland’s Simpson Desert, close to the borders with both the Northern Territory and South Australia. This event has been running steadily since 2013, with only brief interruptions during Covid lockdown periods.

According to a statement released by the Outback Music Festival Group on Thursday, the well-known Birdsville Big Red Bash music festival will temporarily pause in the year 2025.

After a span of eleven triumphant years, navigating numerous hurdles, our outstanding crew deserves some respite. Thus, we’re taking a pause in the year 2025 for rest and rejuvenation, which we’ve dubbed as our “BRB Breather”.

We’ve given this matter careful thought, and we understand it might be upsetting to those who had planned to attend the Big Red Bash in 2025, as well as local businesses in Outback Queensland that rely on the event’s tourist influx.

This year, countless festival enthusiasts made their way to the outback for the world’s secluded music event.

2023’s Birdsville Big Red Bash turned out to be an unforgettable event, attracting around 14,000 enthusiastic visitors and showcasing an impressive roster of entertainers.

Birdsville Big Red Bash: Another major music festival CANCELLED in a devastating blow to Australia's live music scene

Aussie artists Tina Arena and Jon Stevens joined by an epic lineup of over 30 artists.

Former Men at Work frontman Colin Hay opened festivities with a lively rendition of the band’s Aussie anthem Down Under. 

Initially, iconic musician Shane Howard kicked off the main stage performance by playing his popular songs such as ‘Solid Rock’ and ‘Razors Edge’.

Throughout the day, sets from ARIA-nominated country rock artist Casey Barnes, folk duo the Pierce Brothers, synth-pop group Mi-Sex, and Furnace and the Fundamentals were played as well.

Birdsville Big Red Bash: Another major music festival CANCELLED in a devastating blow to Australia's live music scene
Birdsville Big Red Bash: Another major music festival CANCELLED in a devastating blow to Australia's live music scene

A multitude of popular Australian artists performed on stage during the following two days, among them were Tim Finn, Jon Stevens, Ian Moss, Vanessa Amorosi, Mark Seymour, Richard Clapton, Chocolate Starfish, and many more.

Among the performers were Diesel, Baby Animals, Bjorn Again, a Rolling Stones Revue featuring Phil Jamieson, Tex Perkins, and Tim Rogers, Ash Grunwald, Fanny Lumsden, Sarah McLeod, Hayley Mary, Steve Balbi, and Amy Ryan.

Away from the stage, outback-themed indoor activities also ensured revellers weren’t bored.

Indoors, a beautiful painting of desert flowers, created by artists Joyce Crombie and Jean Barr Crombie (Two Sisters Talking), traditional owners and women from the Wankangurru/Yarluyandi tribe of Birdsville, was available for viewing.

Birdsville Big Red Bash: Another major music festival CANCELLED in a devastating blow to Australia's live music scene
Birdsville Big Red Bash: Another major music festival CANCELLED in a devastating blow to Australia's live music scene

Various events including the Nutbush City Limits World Record dance attempt, morning yoga sessions, art projects on dunny doors, comedy shows, outdoor movie screenings, scenic helicopter tours, camel rides, and charitable activities often occur outside.

Last year at the festival, a world record was set when an astonishing 5,467 individuals assembled themselves into the largest human depiction of a country, forming the silhouette of Australia viewed from above.

The Birdsville Big Red Bash receives backing from the Queensland Government, specifically Tourism and Events Queensland, and is listed on the It’s Live! in Queensland event schedule.

The festival generates more than $20million in economic benefit for outback Queensland and has raised a whopping total of more than $1 million for the Royal Flying Doctors cause since 2016.

The three-day festival was established in 2013 and is now considered a ‘bucket list event’ for Aussie music lovers. 

The group also stages the annual Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash in far-west NSW.

Birdsville Big Red Bash: Another major music festival CANCELLED in a devastating blow to Australia's live music scene

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2024-09-12 05:42

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