Thousands of revellers have flocked to the outback for the world’s most remote music festival.
The Big Red Bash 2024 is expected to attract 14,000 Aussies and international tourists to the Simpson Desert over the coming days to enjoy a jam-packed line-up of entertainment.
The event runs for three days just outside of Birdsville in Queensland near the Northern Territory and South Australia borders, 1,586km west of Brisbane.
Former Men at Work frontman Colin Hay opened festivities on Tuesday with a lively rendition of the band’s Aussie anthem Down Under.
The all-ages, dog-friendly camping event promises to offer ‘a uniquely Australian adventure’ set against the backdrop of the desert.
‘Day one set the bar for an unforgettable three-day celebration of music, community, and outback culture,’ a spokesperson said.
Apart from kicking back to Aussie rock tunes, festival goers were equally enamored with the starry outback sky and jaw-dropping scenery – at the spot where the Wangkangurru-Yarluyandi traditional owners gathered for thousands of years to trade ‘grinding stones, ochre, weapons and other goods’.
The 2024 Big Red Bash kicked off on Tuesday. Pictured are some of the happy campers who arrived early
Merch from the event features zany geometric styles which hit their peak in the 80s but have been fondly remembered ever since
More than 14,000 people are expected to attend this year’s event which organisers say will be their biggest
Colin Hay kicked off the first day with a live performance of Men at Work’s ‘Land Down Under’ which was followed by other acts such as synth-pop group Mi-Sex
The family-friendly event offers a swath of indoor and outdoor activities for attendees who might have brought their children along
The festival is known as the ‘most remote in the world’ and was first held in 2013 before becoming a must-see event for many
Aussie attire was on show in many forms and fashions, with the Muppets in particular getting a lot of attention this year
Many revellers donned hats to protect themselves from the glaring sun
More than 14,000 people are expected to have attended the festival by the time everything wraps up on Thursday.
This year was Hay’s first performing live and he was followed by other old rockers like Baby Animals, who also made their debut at Big Bash, and Diesel.
Music legend Shane Howard opened the main stage with a renditions of his hits including ‘Solid Rock’ and ‘Razors Edge’.
Sets by ARIA-nominated country rock artist Casey Barnes, folk duo the Pierce Brothers, synth-pop group Mi-Sex and Furnace and the Fundamentals were also performed throughout the day.
Dozens of well known Aussie acts will take to the stage over the next two days, including Tina Arena, Jon Stevens, Ian Moss, Vanessa Amorosi, Mark Seymour, Richard Clapton, Chocolate Starfish and a host of others.
Revellers travelled from far and wide to Birdsville, located 1,586km west of Brisbane
These revellers stood out from the crowd in matching Muppets shirts
Seeing double: This man donned a tropical button-up embalmed with his own face
The Simpson Desert was the perfect backdrop for selfies
Away from the stage, outback-themed indoor activities also ensured revellers weren’t bored.
Desert flower painting with Two Sisters Talking, Joyce Crombie and Jean Barr Crombie, Traditional owners and Wankangurru/Yarluyandi women from Birdsville was on offer indoors.
More activities like the Nutbush City Limits World Record dance off attempt to morning yoga, dunny door painting, comedy, film screenings, scenic helicopter flights, camel rides and charity initiatives take place outdoors.
Regarded as the most remote festival in the world, the event is a celebration of Australian culture
The Muppets were seen all over the dance floor as attendees began to let their hair down
More than $53,000 has already been raised by this year’s festival in merch and other sales
At last year’s festival 5,467 people broke the world record for largest human image of a country as they gathered to create the shape of Australia from above.
On Tuesday, 3,557 revellers dressed in ‘True Blue Aussie Attire’ set the new world record for the largest human image of a country with people singing out loud together.
The event raised $53,355 for Type 1 diabetes research alongside the $20,000 already raised through raffles and merchandise sales.
Some of the funds raised will also go to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Big Red Bash founder, Greg Donovan, said the first day of 2024 had been ‘even better than we had hoped’ as many were seen smiling around the festival grounds
Festival organisers credited the ‘outback spirit’ for making the day such a success
Families are encouraged to make the trip out to the desert to enjoy the Big Red Bash
2024 is set to be the festival’s biggest with 14,000 people in total making the long trip to Birdsville over the course of three days
Festival founder Greg Donovan said day one had been ‘even better than we hoped’.
‘Day one has been amazing and even better than we hoped. The crowd’s energy, the bands’ awesome performances, and the beauty of the Simpson Desert have made it a really special day,’ he said.
‘Our sunrise and sunset were spectacular and we’ve had picture perfect sunny blue skies above our big outback stage. I’m a happy man tonight.’
‘We’re thrilled to see everyone enjoying the music, the nature, and the outback spirit, and we can’t wait to see what the next two days bring.’
An all-blue onset made this pair stand out among the rest who were all buttoned up in the early hours of the day
A trio of rainbow-eared unicorns were seen enjoying the day as it progressed
The Big Red Bash was first hosted in 2013 and this year thousands joined together to break a world record which required them wearing blue wigs
This year 3,557 people dressed in ‘True Blue Aussie Attire’ to set the world record for the largest human image of a country with people singing out loud together
This group made it easy to spot one another with their distinctive yellow beanies
The Big Red Bash is now considered a ‘bucket list event’ for many
The Birdsville Big Red Bash is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and features on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar.
The Birdsville Big Red Bash generates more than $20million in economic benefit for outback Queensland.
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.
Next month’s event is already a sell-out.
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