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About 6000 Big Red Bashers had their “boots in the mud” while thousands more were left waiting at roadblocks and nearby towns as an unseasonal deluge left a rain cloud hanging over the popular outback music festival.
There were fears the three-day event could be a wash-out after almost 20mm of rain fell across the festival grounds in one of the nation’s driest areas, just outside Birdsville on the edge of the Simpson Desert.
Although the rain had stopped by late Sunday, early on Monday — when most people were expected to “roll-in” ahead of a Tuesday start — the grounds still resembled a mud pit and police had closed access roads.
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Queensland Ambulance Service posted images on social media showing those people who had already arrived with their “boots in the mud camping out at the remote Big Red Bash festival”.
But after a nervous wait for organisers, the site was finally declared safe and roads reopened for the rest of the crowd to roll in from about 2pm on Monday.
The unseasonal rainfall over the weekend had left organisers telling campers to hole-up in town or use alternate campgrounds until site access was restored.
“Our crew has been out to inspect most of the site to determine when roll-in may be able to recommence,” organisers said on Monday morning.
The rain did not stop falling until Sunday evening, with many people making the pilgrimage to the outback festival required to make detours around flooding and road closures.
Police had been providing regular updates on local radio stations.
“The site is not quite ready for roll-in yet,” organisers said earlier on Monday.
“The access roads and campsites are not too bad considering the amount of rain, and we are hopeful but not certain we will be able to recommence roll-in at some time later today.
“Police have a roadblock in place to prevent non-essential travel to the Big Red Bash, so please do not queue up here and remain camped or parked up in Birdsville until we update you about roll-in this afternoon.”
The road was eventually opened just after 2pm, with Bashers given until 5pm to make their way there or wait until morning.
“We thank all patrons still waiting to roll-in for their patience and understanding while we manage around the weather-related delays, as we aim to keep everyone safe and not damage the festival site,” the organisers said.
Queensland Ambulance Service later said: “With the sun now out shining and the music starting tomorrow, there’s no dampened spirits to be found.
“If you’re still on your way out to Birdsville, remember to drive safely on the slippery roads and ensure you’re well stocked and prepared to tackle the elements.”
The Big Red Bash line-up includes artists such as Tina Arena, Jon Stevens and Vanessa Amorosi.