Over 10,000 revellers heading for the world’s most remote music festival have refused to let a rare deluge deep in the Australian desert rain on their parade.
A snaking convoy of cars, campervans and motorhomes travelling to the Big Red Bash rock music festival in far south west Queensland was stopped at multiple road blocks across the Outback on Monday after record rainfall and flooding hit the region.
Birdsville, a normally arid town of just 110 people around 35km west of where the festival is held, was battered by almost 16mm of rain in the past 24 hours.
Over 10,000 revellers heading for the world’s most remote music festival have refused to let a rare deluge deep in the Australian desert rain on their parade. Pictured: two women dance on the top of the Big Red sand dune in the Simpson Desert (picture credit: Matt Williams)
Three quarters of attendees had arrived by Monday evening – the day before the festival begins – despite the road closures caused by flooding (picture credit: Matt Williams)
Dozens of drivers were seen queuing in the drizzle in Birdsville – the most remote town in Australia – to hose down their mud-spattered vehicles at the town’s famous artesian springs
Dozens of drivers were seen queuing in the drizzle to hose down their mud-spattered vehicles at Birdsville’s famous artesian springs once the roads reopened.
Vince Filocamo, 60, had been waiting for over two hours to clean his Toyota LandCruiser, which was towing a trailer with swags, firewood, cooktops and camping gear – all caked in layer upon layer of mud.
‘We’re lucky that we were at the end of the street when it was just 20-30 cars. It’s now gone right around the block,’ he said.
‘I just want to clean it enough so I can touch the car without getting filthy. If I go out to the festival like this I can’t unpack because I can’t touch my car.’
But the unexpected pit stop failed to dampen the spirits of the thousands of families descending on ‘Bashville’ for its tenth anniversary, which will feature headline acts including the likes of ICEHOUSE, Hoodoo Gurus and John Williamson.
Vince Filocamo, 60, had been waiting for over two hours to clean his Toyota Landcruiser, which was towing a trailer with swags, firewood, cooktops and camping gear – all caked in mud (pictured)
Festivalgoers were greeted by deep mud tracks as organisers advised 2WD vehicles to think twice in the slippery conditions
Festival founder Greg Donovan told Daily Mail Australia they had taken ‘extra precautions’ to ensure the safety of attendees after the downpour.
‘Despite the unfortunate weather conditions and unexpected rain in the lead up to the event, we want to reassure everyone that the event is still very much going ahead,’ he said.
‘The rain has now cleared so get ready for an unforgettable time at the Big Red Bash!’
While the road closures and tough conditions are making the trip in difficult, more than three quarters of attendees had arrived by Monday evening.
But sadly some were forced to turn for home.
‘Our dream of attending the Big Red bash is over,’ wrote one devastated woman.
‘We rented a 2WD RV and hit the muddy unsealed roads cautiously this morning. We were sliding so badly we felt the safest option to turn back.’
The festival’s natural amphitheatre sits in the shadow of the Simpson Desert’s largest sand dune, Big Red where children were seen bombing down the dunes on boogie boards (picture credit: Matt Williams)
Organisers are hoping the mud will dry up in the winter sun before the festival officially kicks off at midday on Tuesday (picture credit: Matt Williams)
The heavens have only opened in similar fashion in the area three times this year: during the famous Birdsville races, Christmas Eve and this week.
The usually scorched red landscape was turned into a swamp by the torrent but organisers are hoping it will dry up in the winter sun before the festival officially kicks off at midday on Tuesday.
‘Bad things come in threes so hopefully the rest of the week will pass without a hitch,’ said one happy-go-lucky camper in ankle-deep mud.
The festival’s natural amphitheatre sits in the shadow of the Simpson Desert’s largest sand dune, Big Red where children were seen bombing down the dunes on boogie boards.
Attendees donned gum boots and winter gear to cope with the conditions (picture credit: Matt Williams)
Cars queue for a clean in Birdsville 35km west of the festival campground
Many festivalgoers were forced to camp out at the Birdsville Hotel, one of the oldest in Australia due to road closures
The festival, which has no WiFi, running water or phone reception, is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year after first starting as a running race in the Simpson Desert before morphing into a popular event on the music calendar.
Mr Donovan, who runs the festival with his son Steve, said he never set out to create the world’s most remote music festival.
‘You would have to have rocks in your head to have a plan like that,’ he told the attendees on Monday night.
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