In a fitting tribute to The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, on the eve of the iconic Aussie film’s 30th birthday, sequins and sand were the order of the day today at Queensland’s Big Red Bash.
411 adventure-loving drag kings and queens just gathered on the golden sun-kissed peak of the 40-metre-high Big Red Sand Dune – the largest of its kind in the world – for the annual Bashville Drags Race and Fashions in the Desert. A staple of the world’s most remote music festival, the charity fun run is a 1km sprint from the top of the dune and around the campsite.
From cheerleaders to Baywatch lifeguards, golden frill-neck lizards and a gaggle of Dame Ednas, competition was steep to name this year’s ‘Queen of the Desert”. With each runner contributing a $35 donation to enter, the event raised an outstanding $14,385 for the important work of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS).
An additional $59,000 was raised through merchandise sales, donations, and entries to tomorrow’s Nutbush World Record Attempt, bringing the total amount raised throughout the multi-day event to over $73,000.
“It’s awesome to witness the tradition of the Bashville Drags Race, a nod to the foot race through the desert started by my dad, Greg Donovan, back in 2013. I love seeing the time and effort people from across the country put into their costumes, year after year. That generous Aussie spirit is what makes the Big Red Bash truly special.
“The RFDS provides a vital lifeline for those living, working, and travelling in rural and remote towns – just like Birdsville and we’re proud to contribute to their mission and to celebrate the spirit of the outback in such a meaningful way,” said Steve Donovan, Operations Manager, Outback Music Festival Group.
The the all-age crowd of almost 8,000 music lovers – and their canine companions – were treated to unforgettable rock, blues and country performances from national legends Shane Howard, Pierce Brothers, Casey Barnes, Colin Hay, Mi-Sex, Baby Animals, and Furnace and the Fundamentals. The fun continues at the world’s most remote music festival with a killer line-up including Amy Ryan, Steve Balbi, Mark Seymour, Tim Finn, The Rolling Stones Revue, Tina Arena, and Bjorn Again. The family and dog-friendly lineup will also feature the ever-popular Nutbush World Record Attempt, one of many Record Attempts at this year’s event, alongside Big Blue Day yesterday and Sunrise Yoga this morning. The festival will also host a Doggie Desert Dress Up competition tomorrow where dashing doggos and their hilarious humans vie for the coveted title.
The Big Red Bash is produced by the Outback Music Festival Group, which also stages the Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash taking place in outback NSW in August.
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 $20 million in economic benefit for Outback Queensland. The outback town is usually home to a population of around 150 people.
What: 2024 Birdsville Big Red Bash
Where: Big Red sand dune, 35 km West of Birdsville
When: 2-4 July 2024
More info: www.bigredbash.com.au
