Thousands of Australians have proved the old saying that the desert is a great place to find yourself, but also to lose yourself, at the Mundi Mundi Bash festival.
The three-day extravaganza west of Australia’s outback capital in NSW, Broken Hill, attracted around 10,000 revellers for a festival under clear starry skies in cool weather.
Everyone from overseas tourists, fans of the event’s music headliners, Mad Max devotees, families and grey nomads arrived in nearly 2,000 four wheel drives, caravans, campers and the odd hatchback to camp on site for a raucous outback celebration in the dirt.
It was a festival not just of music but also dust, dancing, dogs, drinks, party costumes and laughter.
The cool temperatures, reaching only 24 degrees in the daytime and a chilly eight degrees at night on Friday kept punters in the mood to keep dancing – and running.
Thousands of Australians have proved the old saying that the desert is a great place to find yourself, but also to lose yourself, at the Mundi Mundi Bash festival
The event was held on the Mundi Mundi Plains, the site of the first Mad Max movie, so organisers held a mass dress up
Abba tribute act Bjorn Again was one of the crowd favourites of the music offerings
The Mundi Undi event was popular with all participants of all ages from seven to seventy
One of the highlights that had all those elements was the hilarious Mundi Undi Run, drawing 500 participants.
The costumes on show included all the superheroes you can think of and plenty you didn’t know the world even needed.
Also seen were desert lifesavers, goth fairies, tributes to Mrs Browns Boys, hundreds in matching groups that looked dressed for bay 13 at the MCG, Mad Max characters, and the inevitable Where’s Wally crew.
The Mundi Mundi Bash music festival was held from April 21 to 23 west of Broken Hill
Mundi Uni runners got seriously creative with their group outfits
One of the entrants in the world record attempt for most Mad Max characters in one place
Many of course just chose their favourite pair of daks.
The event was held where the first Mad Max movie was filmed.
Musical highlights at the Mundi Mundi Bash included Australia’s favourite musical storyteller Paul Kelly and master guitarist Ian Moss of Cold Chisel.
A world record 556 people dressed as Mad Max characters at Silverton
Some of the Mad Max characters got seriously sinister with their outfits
Two entrants in the Mundi Undi fun run which was one of the most popular events
A participant in the Max Mad world record attempt at the Mundi Mundi Bash
Legendary country crooner John Williamson, of ‘True Blue’ fame and 90s pop star Kate Ceberano also dazzled the crowd.
Other highlights were the most Aussie talent show star ever, Shannon Noll, plus Glenn Shorrock, formerly of the Little River Band, Dragon and world-famous Abba tribute act Bjorn Again.
Organisers put on two world record attempts to make the Mundi Mundi Bash even more memorable.
This group of blokes dressed for the bodies they wished they had
Dogs were allowed at the Mundi Mundi Bash and here two owners take their pups on the Mundi Uni run
Some of the outfits were clearly creative hybrids of a bit of everything in the dress-up box
There’s always one, and while we reckon not even Borat would wear that, this gentleman was in the right spirit of fun
One fell short of its target, when 2,106 revellers bootscooted at once in a crack at the world record Nutbush City Limits group dance.
It was a respectable attempt but fell short of the existing record of 2878 dancers, which was set last year at the Birdsville Big Red Bash – the Mundi Mundi Bash’s sister festival in remote southwest Queensland.
The attempt wasn’t wasted though with participants paying to register and raising $42,000 for the festival’s charity partner, the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Undi superheroes united in their hundreds at the Mundi Uni run this week
First across the line in the Mundi Undi run
A scene from the world record attempt on the Mad Max costumes
The other attempt was on the more obscure side, but proved more successful as punters broke the record for the most Mad Max characters in one place.
The new world record for the most people dressed in Mad Max costumes in one place is now 556.
The Mad Max connection isn’t random. The first movie in the post apocalyptic series, which made Mel Gibson famous in 1980, was filmed at nearby Silverton.
The latest addition to the series, Mad Max: Furiosa, starring Chris Hemsworth, is set to start filming in the area in June.
Cold Chisel legend Ian Moss was one of the music drawcards and he lived up to his billing
Plenty of families enjoyed fun in the sun at the Mundi Mundi Bash festival
Costumes came in all shapes and sizes, include Mrs Brown size
Most of all the Mundi Mundi Bash was a red desert get-together for mates from around Australia looking to hit the road after enduring dire Covid lockdowns and camp under the huge skies of western NSW.
The crowd of almost 10,000 arrived mostly in groups occupying around 2,000 vehicles.
If you feel like you missed out, organisers have planned another Mundi Mundi Bash for August 2022
It will feature Oz-rock royalty Jimmy Barnes, Missy Higgins, Kasey Chambers, Jon Stevens and Daryl Braithwaite among others.
Barbecues on the red dirt is a truly Aussie dinner setting
A group of mates cross the line in the Mundi Uni run
The Mundi Mundi Bash music festival will be repeated in August this year
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