Birdsville Big Red Bash Announces The Last Hurrah 2027

After an incredible 13 years, Birdsville Big Red Bash is coming to an end, with next year's festival being the final edition.

Returning to the edge of the Simpson Desert from Tuesday 6 to Thursday 8 July, the last hurrah features a stacked lineup of awesome Aussie artists led by award-winning singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, rockers Hoodoo Gurus, American expat Leo Sayer and the great Kate Ceberano.

The lineup also features The Living End, Birds of Tokyo, Jessica Mauboy, Shannon Noll, The Whitlams, Tim Finn, Troy Cassar-Daley, Chocolate Starfish, Ross Wilson, Furnace and the Fundamentals, 50 Years of Fleetwood Mac, Shane Howard, Wes Carr, Jem Cassar-Daley, Tom Busby and Gypsy Lee. 

Attracting tens of thousands of punters every year since its inception in 2013, the 2026 edition was hit by heavy rain and sadly cancelled. This was the beginning of the end, as rising costs and tough logistical demands have led the Donovan family, who founded and run the bucket list event, to make the difficult decision to call time on the Big Red Bash. 

“The Big Red Bash has been successful and financially viable – and we feel privileged that both our Bash events have consistently sold out since 2015," says  Founder and Managing Director of the Outback Music Festival Group, Greg Donovan. "But the ongoing outside pressures have ultimately led us to the conclusion that continuing at the remote Birdsville site is becoming difficult to sustain for the long term."

"It breaks my heart to have to walk away from an event that was founded on something so deeply personal to our family – fundraising for juvenile diabetes when our son was first diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes - but sadly it's where we're at. We're 100% committed to our Mundi Mundi Plains site, where remote and Outback comes with a side of infrastructure, sealed roads and a town the size of Broken Hill that is well equipped to support us with accommodation and flights."

Tickets for the Birdsville Big Red Bash go on sale at 10am AEDT on Thursday 12 November at mundimundibash.com.au.

READ MORE: Port Noarlunga Music Festival Cancels All Ticketed Events

Donovan said the decision to make 2027 the final Big Red Bash event was made all the more difficult by the Bash's importance to Birdsville, surrounding communities, suppliers, local businesses and charity partners.

"As a family, we feel very sad and emotional that the Big Red Bash chapter is coming to an end," he said.

"It's something that we took a leap of faith with and poured our hearts and souls into building from scratch, based on a crazy idea in a remote and challenging location. A lot of our blood, sweat and tears have been spilled on that land.  I gambled our family house and all my redundancy payout to make the event happen, and it has been an unexpected but magical journey.

"It will probably sound like a crude analogy, but I feel like it conveys the depth of emotion and how torn we feel to say that calling time on the Big Red Bash feels like having to put down the family dog at the end of its life. It’s something that you love unconditionally, and which has been a loyal companion and a major part of the family for such a long time - but you know the decision is the right one."

Despite the sadness, Donovan said the family was grateful to have the chance to give the Big Red Bash the farewell it deserved.

 "Many great music festivals have disappeared over the last few years without the opportunity to say goodbye properly by staging a final farewell event," he said.

"We are very fortunate to be in a position to do that - to go out on our own terms rather than being forced out."

The final event will also mark the end of an era for the festival’s dedicated team, the Brook family, whose organic farmland has hosted the event, traditional land owner Don Rowland and the many Birdsville locals, as well as the event crew, volunteers, contractors, artists, volunteers and suppliers who have helped bring the Bash to life.

"We're incredibly proud of what the Big Red Bash has achieved and deeply appreciate everyone who has worked together to help make it possible," Greg Donovan said.

"Our focus now is on making 2027 a very special final celebration with everyone who has been part of its story."

The 2027 Birdsville Big Red Bash takes place at the Big Red sand dune from Tuesday 6 to Thursday 8 July. Ticketing information is available at bigredbash.com.au.