Big Red Bash organisers say 2027 is final year of the Birdsville festival
Thousands of caravans lined up around the stage, beside the Big Red sand dune in 2024. (Supplied: Matt Williams)
In short:
The Big Red Bash will be held one last time in Birdsville in 2027.
The outback festival has been a major tourism drawcard for 13 years.
What's next?
The festival site is still underwater, but organisers are confident the site will be dry by mid next year.
The Big Red Bash has been a major event in outback Queensland for more than a decade, but organisers say next year will be the festival's last hurrah.
"To make a call like this after 13 years, it's a very hard thing to do," festival founder Greg Donovan said.
"We built this festival over many years; we built it from our heart, but this decision is one we've had to make with our head. It's so sad to know next year will be our last one.
Flooding in front of the Big Red sand dune in 2026. (Supplied: Ben Fullagar)
"Our family and many other people put their hearts and souls into making this the great event that it is."
Challenging environment
Birdsville is 1,500 kilometres west of Brisbane, where Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory meet.
Mr Donovan said that while event costs had increased in recent years, expense wasn't the main challenge.
"It's a tough environment to put an event on in. The logistical and operational challenges are significant,"Mr Donovan said.
The event was cancelled this year after widespread flooding inundated the site at the Big Red sand dune.
Big Red sand dune surrounded by water in May, 2026. (ABC Western Qld: Heidi Sheehan)
In 2025, a scaled-back version was held, with a John Williamson concert at Big Red.
In 2023 and 2024, rainfall caused havoc for organisers and festival-goers.
"All of those challenges add up ... maybe it's time to bow out graciously and celebrate what has been an amazing festival," Mr Donovan said.
Site flooded after downpours
The Big Red site is still flooded after significant rainfall across outback Queensland and the Northern Territory earlier this year.
"We're launching this year's event while the festival site is currently effectively a lake,"Mr Donovan said.
But Mr Donovan is confident the site will dry over the summer months, based on the Bureau of Meteorology's evaporation data.
Rain and mud made things difficult for the festival organisers and attendees in 2023 and 2024. (ABC Western Qld: Peter Quattrocelli)
The festival has attracted crowds of between 8,000 and 12,000 people in previous years, cementing it as one of the most significant tourism drawcards for outback Queensland.
Locals believe its absence will be a major blow for outback tourism, as tourists often stop in small towns to boost the western Queensland tourism economy.
"It's a bit devastating for us out here; it's something we look forward to to boost our economy," Diamantina Shire Council Mayor Francis Murray said.
"It's going to have an effect on our businesses that are already doing it tough, that's for sure"
Birdsville business owner Jenna Brook said the Big Red Bash had helped put Birdsville on the world stage.
"It brings a huge number of people to Birdsville and surrounding towns that wouldn't come," Ms Brook said.
The Nutbush dance record attempt is a fixture at the Big Red Bash. (ABC Western Queensland: Heidi Sheehan)
"To lose that is a huge hit to businesses.
"It's a big job for all of us now to stand up and encourage people to still come out to Birdsville and come out because we have other things to offer."
The final Big Red Bash will be held in July 2027 with artists including Missy Higgins, Hoodoo Gurus, Jessica Mauboy, Leo Sayer, The Living End, Birds of Tokyo and Shannon Noll.