Chapter 5 - The Big Red Bash at Birdsville

Chapter 5 - The Big Red Bash at Birdsville

Day 21 - Monday 3 July 2017                 >> Home Page & Intro

I was like a little kid on Christmas Day.  I was in the shower at 5:50 am and having breakfast at 6:10. Shirley needed a torch to find the shower and was wondering what the hell was going on.
We moved off the site at 7:15 and pointed the caravan towards the Big Red sand dune, 35 km away.  The road was flat and dusty as the sun rose behind us. 

The queue for entry to the “Bash” started about 3 km before the entry.

The Big Red Bash Queue

Later the queue got even longer.

The Queue for the Big Red Bash at 8am

Everyone was patient and eventually we started moving and got to our site – “anywhere over there mate” – about 200 metres from Big Red.  We set up camp and went for a walk – to the top of Big Red.  The view of the camp was pretty impressive, with the stage in the middle/lower part of the photo, and our caravan to the near extreme left hand side.

Big Red Bash Camp Before Lunch on Day 1

As we were in the “early” part of the “Early Bird” arrivals the camp was fairly empty.  It was not to stay that way for long.  Apparently around 65% of patrons took advantage of the "early bird" offer and arrived one day early - as we did.

Our Camp with Big Red in the Background

The day was spent in various phases of relaxation, strolling and a coffee or two.  Around 4:30 I lit the campfire (in the gas bottle BBQ) and stewed a couple of lamb chops.  The fire was also great for boiling the (whistling) kettle.  I may even have had a glass of red with dinner.

We spent the end of the day sitting around the camp fire with two new neighbours from Ipswich – Gary and Heather – until it got too cold and we moved inside.

Day 22 - Tuesday 4 July 2017

I was up at 7am with the temperature about 7 degrees C.  With beanie and jacket and camera I climbed Big Red ready for the sunrise.  There were about 70 other people there already – most with camera or phone in hand.

It was a pleasant way to spend the start of my birthday. Sitting at the top of a great sand dune waiting for the sun to rise.  The next couple of photos gives you an idea of what I saw, looking east.

Sunrise from the Top of Big Red (above & below)

I then turned round and took a photo of the image you get when you start to cross the Simpson, looking at the second of 1100 sand dunes.  What a drive. Later in the day we saw a car and trailer have three attempts to cross that dune (track in middle of photo), and fail each time.

Looking West from the Top of Big Red

Shirley and I had breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast as the sun became much warmer.  Some of the background music came from a bagpiper at the top of Big red.

Later more music started to come to life as the "Bash" started to get more music orientated.

The first act for the “Bash” was an entertaining 40 minutes by the hosts of the entire event – The Crackup Sisters.  They were hilarious, and were so for the rest of the "Bash".

The Crackup Sisters and Their "House"

After a coffee and a few sudoku we headed off for an evening of entertainment.

What can I say? One takes a 300 metre walk with his wife, two camping chairs, some nuts to chew and a few drinks (to look after fluid levels in the heat). We find some space about 60 to 70 metres from the stage, Big Red is the backdrop, the lowering sunset is the early focus, and the kids using boards to slide down Big Red would be the constant amusement.  There is a huge screen to show local highlights and ads for Bash sponsors.  Later that screen would be showing the live act, for patrons too far back to see the artist on stage.

Our View of the Stage (for all 3 nights)

Sunset Behind the Stage

Missy Higgins

The Crackup Sisters, as hosts, appear. They entertain us then introduce the Bash organiser, who says a few words then introduces a local indigenous elder.  We learn to say g’day in the local dialect - "Arroo".

Missy Higgins then appears.  Although I am not a fan she provided some great entertainment for over 90 minutes.  We had Big Red in the background, which gradually melted into the darkness, then reappeared thanks to an excellent background light show. 

The kids kept sliding down the sand, sometimes coming to grief – but not hurt.  Missy Higgins swallowed flies but continued on.  As I said above, what can I say? Awesome, and on my birthday.

Missy Higgins on Stage with her Band

We returned to base, after returning a dirty and dusty mobile phone that we had found at the concert. The fire was lit and we cooked a couple of great steaks, while talking to a lovely Tasmanian couple.

Bed was delayed until 11pm while I wrote these words.

Day 23 - Wednesday 5 July 2017 

Although not as cold as yesterday it was a slow start to the day.

Around 9:30 we wandered over to the helipad and waited for our turn on the helicopter.  At 10:10 we took to the skies and had a wonderful ride and aerial view of the Big Red Bash site, Big Red and beyond.  It was fantastic.

The Camp from the Helicopter (Red circle our site, arrow denotes the stage)

Big Red Looking South

 

Around 12:45 we picked up camp chairs, lollies and a bottle of water and headed to the music stage.  Believe it or not (I can’t) we sat there until 9pm – all the while listening to Ray Ryder, Russell Morris, Kate Cebrano, Ian Moss then finally James Reyne and Mark Seymour joining forces.  Of course we had a couple of comfort stops and trips for food and refreshments.  But neither of us missed one song.

Ray Ryder, Russell Morris & Kate Cebrano

Ian Moss, James Reyne and Mark Seymour

It was a great afternoon.  Again we were entertained, during beaks between artists, by the madcap Cracker Sisters. They did various acts to keep the crowd entertained. The kids on sleds tobogganing down Big Red again added to the scene, as did the cloud laden sunset.

James Reyne and Mark Seymour were the pick of the bunch and nearly brought the house down with songs like the “Holy Grail”.

We dined on (earlier cooked) curried sausages.

Day 24 - Thursday 6 July 2017 

It was a cold night and we started slowly.  However we found the energy to climb Big Red and get another couple of photos – me with my new hat and Shirley with my retired (too small) favourite hat.  The kids were up there practicing their skills for tonight.  We got our photo taken.  Last year the Sahara desert – this year the Simpson desert.  The sand is the same.

Chris & Shirley Atop Big Red (note the hats)

 

We wandered down and Shirley realised that there was a line dancing event starting.  So while I talked to the REDARC guy about electrical gizmos for the caravan Shirley line danced.  Shirley is in the photo below – to the left in aqua.

Line Dancing Beside Big Red

Food Vendors in Front of A Great Cloud Formation

We had lunch while a few drops of rain fell on the caravan.  Fingers were crossed, as the concert and the stage is not under cover. Those drops were the only drops that came.  We counted 34 places of disturbed dust on the windscreen.

Deja Vue all over again. We headed off to the music around 1:15 with chairs, nibbles to eat and a bottle of soda water. It was hot, and as there was no shade I had hat, jeans, long sleeve shirt and suntan cream.  It was hot.

The music started around 2:30 and finished around 10 pm. We were entertained by Christie Lamb, James Blundell, The Wolfe Brothers, Tania Kernaghan, Troy Cassar-Daley, the McClimonts and finally Lee Kernaghan. 

Christie Lamb, James Blundell, Tania Kernaghan

Troy Cassar-Daley & Lee Kernaghan

The music is all over, 90 minutes on day one, around 7 hours yesterday and about the same today. Mostly rock yesterday, mostly country today, mostly very very good. The merchandise store had sold out of Troy Cassar-Daly CDs before he had finished singing.

All in all the Birdsville Big Red Bash is a wonderful music festival.  We had cold nights, days too hot to sit in the open unprotected, lots of sand and dust, BUT a wonderful four days.  It was well worth the 4000 km drive to get here.

Side acts like the kids on the dune added to the fun.  The Crackup Sisters were wonderful hosts.

Fun for the young, and the young at heart

 

The event was given a temporary town name of “Bashville”, making it the largest town for a long way in any direction - around 700 km actually.

The organisers claim that if you added up all the kilometres that patrons have driven to get to the bash, it would take you to the moon 20 times.

Tomorrow the organisers want all patrons to leave by noon, starting at 7am. 

So maybe 2000 caravans, motorhomes, 4WD vehicles and campers will make for a busy morning. ALL vehicles will be driving the 35 km of dirt road to Birdsville.  Should be fun!

Tomorrow we leave the Big Red Bash, head to Bedourie and the Camel and Pig Races on Saturday (all in Chapter 6).

Click here to see our route to Birdsville - just under 4000 km


This chapter is complete (words) but maybe some photos need to be inserted sometime.  Update posted 4:50 Friday.



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