4 Stray Katz: Big Red Bash- epic music, sticky mud and one huge red sand dune

Big Red Bash, west of Birdsville, QLD

Friday 30th June - Friday 7th July

When my mum put the idea out last year of attending the Big Red Bash we were interested but hesitated buying the tickets whilst we worked out if the timing would clash with Daniel’s work commitments. When we went back to purchase our tickets they were sold out!! Lucky for us though, Kate’s friend had purchased tickets and couldn’t go anymore so we were in! We are so grateful that we could attend what was definitely a once in a lifetime, bucket list worthy, absolutely epic music festival. All set near the remote QLD outback town of Birdsville, with the biggest sand dune in the Simpson Desert, Big Red, as the backdrop.

We ended up camping out at the site (about 35kms west of Birdsville) for 7 nights as we entered early to beat the predicted rain, and subsequent road closures. Luckily we all made it up in time (there were 5 vans in our group- Mum & Dad, Kate, Matt and the kids, our close family friends Peter & Helen and Matt’s brother Luke and his wife Aimee and kids) as many revellers who didn’t make it to Birdsville before the rain began spent a few days in nearby small outback towns waiting for the roads to re-open and they ended up missing some of the music.

We entered ‘Bashville’ (as the camp and concert area was known) on Friday around midday and spent the next 7 nights making the most of every available experience whilst weathering the rain, mud, icy cold mornings and, once the area had dried, the dust. The diverse weather only added to the whole ‘music festival’ experience and made the sunny times seem even more special.

Our experiences at the Big Red Bash included:

Sunrises up on Big Red listening to the bagpipes and saxophone
Yoga up on the dunes which was an ideal way to start the day
Sand boarding – Jackson did so much sand boarding he had sand literally everywhere (but he had a great time and made heaps of friends doing it so a bit of sand in the nether regions was not an issue).
Mud moulding- the Dads and kids made a mud/clay chimenea
Shoe cleaning – the kids started a shoe cleaning business to help people get the layers of mud off their shoes. They ended up making $36 and having a lot of fun.
Wheelie bin toilets – an experience in themselves (you’ll have to scroll down to the pictures to really understand)
Breaking 3 world records – most people simultaneously dancing the Nutbush, most people gathered in the shape of a country and most people doing yoga on a sand dune
Getting right up to the front of the mosh pit for several of the acts – it was such an experience for the kids to get up so close and in the middle of all the action.
Furnace and the Fundamentals – if you ever get the chance to see this cover band you must go, they were so incredibly entertaining.
An epic line up of great Australian musicians – my favourites were Kate Ceberano, Jack Jones, Pierce Brothers, Chocolate Starfish and Human Nature- though to honest they were all amazing (except for Icehouse who didn’t really seem like they wanted to be there).
Getting fit going up and down the 40 metre steep sandy path to the top of Big Red.
Honouring the late Tina Turner with our epic Nutbush dance and the Tina Turner tribute songs (sung by all the female performers).

It was by far the best music festival I have ever been to and we all thoroughly enjoyed our time there – so much so we are already on the lookout for the next festival to attend. Emilia has requested the sister festival, Mundi Mundi Bash, in 2024 so hopefully we can make that happen.

Jackson spent a lot of time perfecting his sandboarding skills (along with nearly every other kid at the Bash).

Sitting around camp on the first night, when it was only a few hundred vans.

On top of Big Red- the biggest sand dune in the Simpson Desert looking out over a very sparse 'Bashville'. By Tuesday night there were campers all the way back to the bushes you can see in the distance.

Emilia and I took a walk over to the next sand dune.

On the way back over to Big Red- no cars were allowed to drive over it during the event.

The camels that the kids were lucky to score a ride on (thanks Aunty Kate). These were the same camels we bumped (like my pun) in to at the Bedourie Camel Races.

This man played the bagpipes each morning at sunrise - Jackson came up with me on this occasion to enjoy the music, which was lucky as unfortunately there wasn't much of a sunrise to see.

There was also a man playing his saxophone on top of Big Red as well- we couldn't resist a photo

The CrackUp Sisters (a outback comedy duo from nearby Winton) entertained us with a few hilarious shows- made even more hilarious watching them doing their tricks on the wet ground that was beginning to stick to your shoes.

Instead of moaning about the mud, the Dads and kids put it to good use and built a chimenea

Most of the kids were 'mud miners' which meant they had to walk around and collect mud on their boots then bring it back to Jackson and Daniel to use! They worked so well as a team and it was very amusing to watch.

Platform gumboots- the mud was so sticky you ended up with an extra 15cm+ added to the base of your boots!

The final product- they even had other campers coming over to take photos.

Their lucrative shoe cleaning business. They pocketed $36 and some snacks!

The kids proudly toasted their marshmallows on their own fire

The toilets..... when we drove in we saw a single toilet and laughed at how they'd set up a toilet over the top of a wheelie bin for the volunteers near the main entrance- not realising that was what the toilets were like for the whole camp. To be honest they weren't as scary as they could have been, and they were surprisingly a lot less smelly that we expected, however it was quite strange doing your business into a wheelie bin then just covering it up with a cup full of sawdust!

The steps to the toilets didn't fare so well in the mud - it was quite an adventure trying to walk up with muddy boots.

When the bins got full, they just swapped them out. Apparently they leave the bins to sit for a year and compost is made.

The dry track that Emilia and I took from Big Red to the next sand dune was underwater after the rain on Sunday night- the water didn't soak into the clay so the big puddles remained for the rest of the time we were at the festival.

By Tuesday morning Bashville was starting to fill up, however quite a few people didn't make it in until Wednesday as some of the roads into Birdsville were closed.

Emilia and Poppy did a drama/singing workshop- ready to perform in front of the crowds on Thursday.

Big Blue Day- World Record No. 1

To raise money for JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund) we all donned blue wigs and blue clothes then arranged ourselves in the shape of Australia to break the record for forming the largest human image of a country (we took the record back from Romania). All done whilst listening to John Williamson sing 'True Blue'. It was an incredible thing to be a part of.

A drone photo I got off the internet showing everyone filing in- we were in the Great Australian Bight, about 3 rows from the front.

A sea of blue curls!

Although there were 5467 of us forming the human map of Australia there were still heaps of people watching from the top of the dune.

It looks so impressive from above.

John Williamson started off the line-up of great Australian musicians on Tuesday.

The kids joined in on a massive game of tunnel ball in between the music.

Waiting for the last ball (out of 5) to make its way down the line.

Cheering on the Pierce Brothers after one of their energetic and captivating performances.

We managed to get up nice and close for many of the artists on Tuesday- this is the Pierce Brothers who we were all very impressed with.

When you drive here and realise how remote the location actually is, it becomes even more incredible how they manage to pull off a such a huge event.

The Hoodoo Gurus entertained us as night fell.

Furnace and the Fundamentals were like no cover band I have ever seen before. Their energy on stage (ADHD maybe?) combined with the way they interwove songs that really shouldn't match together (eg Nelly and the Bee Gees) and their hilarious antics on stage made for one of the most entertaining performances we'd ever seen.

Their take on the 1980's song ' It's Raining Men' had the audience laughing, singing and jumping along with the many 'men' who rained over us!

The lead singer was carried through the crowd on a blow up pink flamingo whilst singing ' Magic Carpet Ride' from Aladdin- it was so funny.

On our way to watch the sunrise before morning yoga

After a few very grey, dull days the sun was finally back.

World Record No. 2 - Most people doing yoga on a sand dune. In the end there were 672 of us saluting the sun up on top of Big Red.

Getting ready for the first pose.

The Dune Drag Race- hundreds of guys dressed in drag raced along the top of Big Red then down to the main concert area. The costumes were all fantastic and gave us all a good laugh.

The synchronised swimmers put on a show for us all, ending with 'breaststroke' which involved them all fondling their makeshift breasts!!

The line up for Day 2 was just as good as the first day - beginning with the Chantoozies. Kate and I used to dance up a storm to them back in our pre-teen days.

Jack Jones has an incredible voice and his performance was a real highlight for me.

Shane Howard's performance ended with the everyone signing along to Solid Rock.

Mum, Helen and I squished our way into the mosh pit for a few Ross Wilson songs.

The view from our seats, we had such a great spot and we managed to get a similar position each day.

Kate Ceberano (who was also one of my favourite performers of the festival) did an epic duet with Jack Jones.

Daniel and I listened to The Angels from the top of Big Red whilst watching the sun set (and watching the kids burn some more energy running up and down the sand dune).

This view of the concert area shows just how many people were at the festival - we were so lucky to get our prime spot right up near the stage.

Enjoying the sunset with just a few others!!

The first colours of the sun rising over Bashville.

Just a few of the many cans consumed!

World Record No. 3- Getting ready to dance up a storm as we tried to break the record for the most people dancing to Nutbush City Limits at the same time.

There were 59 rows of 100 set up in the concert area - it was so well organised and went off without a hitch.

Daniel didn't want to dance so took photos instead.

Such incredible organisation to get 5838 people all lined up in rows and ready to dance simultaneously

Dad did pretty well for someone who only learnt the Nutbush a few days prior!

We were all hot and sweaty (but happy) after doing the Nutbush for 5 minutes with over 5800 other people.

Emilia and Poppy got their 20 seconds of fame!

Gotta love Pete Murray - this is the second time I have seen him in concert and he was just as good as when I saw him in Melbourne about 18 years ago.

The kids enjoyed some of the items from the 'Fun Shop', one of the many stalls at the event.

Chocolate Starfish were incredible- they got the crowd really buzzing, so much so that at one point everyone was standing up singing along to 'You're so Vain'. It was so incredible to be in the middle of the massive crowd and witness it.

Emilia, Jackson, Poppy and Ollie marched behind a Victorian flag, along with all other children from around Australia who marched behind their state flags. Then they all sang 'I've been everywhere man' with all the participating kid's towns added into the song. They were pretty stoked to be a part of it.

The last night dancing along to Human Nature - they are such great performers, you can see why they have had sell out shows in Vegas for over 10 years.