Toot toot, chugga chugga, Big Red Bash might have to travel far.
Organisers of Queensland’s iconic outback music festival Big Red Bash are scrambling to find a new location for this year’s event.
The Big Red Bash is usually held at the Big Red sand dune (you never woulda guessed!) which is right on the edge of the Munga-Thirri Simpson Desert west of Birdsville.
Queenslanders are all too used to a particularly grim wet season, but this year Mother Nature has hit the area with its average annual rainfall in a matter of a few days.
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This wasn’t really on organisers 2026 bingo card, and now they have to work something else out quicksmart.
They published a statement to their Instagram which said “based on current conditions and local advice, the site will not dry sufficiently by July to enable the event to be held safely in this location.”
It’s not quite the way Big Red Bash planned to return after taking a sabbatical last year, but luckily there’s a silver lining in all of this.
Next to the Big Red sand dune is the usually empty Lake Nappanerica, which is currently filled to the brim with rain water.
It’s managed to bring with it birds and wildflowers, and locals reckon the rarity of a full lake is drawing in a different type of tourist.
Right now, the festival’s ticket sales are paused while the team works hard to sort out a solution.
It’s a good shout from organisers – there’s nothing worse than a soggy festival ground. We all remember the atrocity that was Splendour in the Mud.
The festival will likely stay in the Birdsville area, so there’ll be no need to change any flights just yet.
Deep breaths until then.
