GENERAL
Check out the First Timer’s Guide to the Bash.
The Bash is in the Aussie outback. See the Gear Guide for tips on what to bring (and what to leave at home).
Yes, the Big Red Bash is a family-friendly event with a range of activities on offer to suit the kids. Each child needs a ticket, and we have the following types available:
- Youth 5-17 years $49
- Child 0-4 years $19
The Big Red Bash is a dog-friendly event. If you are bringing your dog to the Bash, make sure you display a Dog Friendly Campsite sticker on your windscreen when you roll into Bashville. You can collect this at the Ticket Office when you exchange your festival e-tickets – our friendly ticketing team will ask you if you require one.
No further ‘dog registration’ is required.
See Dog Attendance Rules for further details.
Our popular and extensive range of festival merchandise will be available to purchase from the Merchandise Tent at the Big Red Bash. EFTPOS and cash are accepted at the Merchandise Tent. Some items sell fast, so get in early to grab your souvenirs!
The weather is usually mild with temperatures averaging between 6-21°C. Rainfall averages at 11mm per month. Temperatures can range from zero at night to 30°C during the day – so come prepared and see Weather for more details.
The show will go ahead unless weather conditions are deemed to be dangerous. Make sure to check the forecast and bring the appropriate gear for wet, dry, cold and warm weather. See the Gear Guide for some handy packing tips from seasoned Bashers.
TICKETS
General Admission
General Admission tickets give you entry to the 3 days and nights of music (Tue 2nd – Thur 4th), and on-site camping. Three categories of General Admission tickets are available:
- Adult 18+
- Youth (5-17 yrs)
- Child (0-4yrs)
Vehicle Entry Pass
Every vehicle entering the festival site requires a Vehicle Entry Pass. Vehicle Entry Passes covers entry for the vehicle, ALL occupants in the vehicle and anything that your vehicle is towing. A Vehicle Entry Pass is required for vehicles coming to the festival and camping, and also for vehicles that are not camping but utilising Day Parking. Four types of Vehicle Entry Passes are available:
- Standard Entry Vehicle Pass – arrive from Tues 2nd July
- 1 Day Early Entry Vehicle Pass – arrive from Mon 1st July
- 2 Day Early Entry Vehicle Pass – arrive from Sun 30th June
- 3 Day Early Entry Vehicle Pass – arrive from Sat 29th June
See Ticket Info & Pricing for more details about General Admission tickets and Vehicle Entry Passes.
Extras
The following optional extras are also available:
- Early Exit Pass – allowing earlier “roll out” from the Bashville campground.
- Rock’n’Roll Bus Package – includes transport and tent accommodation at the festival.
- Rent a Tent – arrive at Bashville with a pre-erected tent and camping gear.
EVERY vehicle arriving at the Bash requires a Vehicle Entry Pass.
There are are 4 types of Vehicle Entry Passes available, and they correspond to the day you can enter the festival from:
- Standard Entry Vehicle Pass – $19
- 1 Day Early Entry Vehicle Pass – $115
- 2 Day Early Entry Vehicle Pass – $140
- 3 Day Early Entry Vehicle Pass – $175
Vehicle Entry Passes are available when you purchase your festival ticket, so be sure to organise yourself and your group, as Early Entry Vehicle Passes tend to sell quickly!
Early Entry Vehicle Passes are available, which allows 1, 2 or 3 extra nights camping at Bashville before the music gets underway, for the serious festival lovers who want to squeeze out every single Bash moment available!
There is no music or scheduled entertainment during the 3 Day Early Entry (Sat), it’s simply a day to roll in, and get settled, kick back, get to know your new Bash neighbours, and relax ahead of the fun!
Activities and entertainment will be scheduled from 2 Day Early Entry (Sun onwards) for those who want to get involved in the fun!
You can buy an Early Entry Vehicle Pass from Oztix, either when buying your general admission ticket or at any time after buying your concert ticket, provided they haven’t sold out.
See Early Entry Vehicle Pass for full details.
An Early Exit Pass is an optional pass available for purchase, allowing you to exit the campground early on Thursday afternoon. Once you’re out of the campground you’re free to leave straight away or park in Day Parking and head off after the music.
Passes cost $15, and 100% of this fee is donated to RFDS. There’s a limited quantity available.
See Early Exit Pass for full details.
Your wristband allows unlimited entry and exit from the concert area and Bashville site. Passouts are not required.
However please note that there are strict restrictions on vehicle movements for vehicles inside the campground. Your car must remain parked and stationary at your campsite for the duration of the event, until roll out. Passouts are not available for vehicles.
See Camping Overview for full details on entry and exit times.
No, groups can book tickets in a single order, or in several orders – this has no bearing on whether or not you will be camped together.
Campsites are allocated to every vehicle when they arrive, so if you want to camp with a group, you must arrive in convoy to be allocated with adjacent campsites.
You must exchange your e-ticket for vehicle passes and wristbands in BIRDSVILLE TOWN before you head to Bashville.
See Ticket Collection for further info.
Yes, anyone can exchange a valid e-ticket for a wristband meaning a single person can pick up wristbands for a group without you being present. Every person must be wearing their wristband when they arrive at the festival, so it’s important to plan to receive the wristband ahead of rolling in.
** E-tickets can only be scanned once in exchange for a wristband, and wristbands are not replaceable if lost or stolen, so only pass your e-ticket onto a person you know and trust. **
No. We will be issuing heavy duty wristbands that will last for the duration of the event. We are unable to reissue or replace wristbands so please treat it like cash.
Tickets are non-refundable. For details on when a refund would be issued, see our ticketing Terms and Conditions.
If you purchased Booking Protect insurance with your tickets and wish to request a refund, you can make an online claim via the Booking Protect Portal. View the Booking Protect terms and conditions here.
As per terms and conditions, tickets may not be resold, unless at the point of sell out via an official Oztix resale facility.
Oztix is the only authorised ticket seller, tickets purchased from any other source are not guaranteed to be genuine tickets. We recommend avoiding purchasing tickets privately, and purchase only through Oztix or our authorised ticket reseller.
Relocated
Due to the possibility of adverse weather conditions affecting the access and safety of the proposed event venue, The Big Red Bash reserves the right to change the venue location to alternative sites within the Birdsville area at any time prior to or during the event.
Cancellation of Event
If the event is cancelled due to adverse weather conditions, ticket holders will be refunded the amount of their tickets purchased via Oztix.
For full details see the ticketing Terms and Conditions.
GETTING THERE
The Big Red Bash is 35kms west of Birdsville, QLD, on the edge of the Simpson Desert. We call the Big Red Bash site “Bashville”.
See Transport Options for information on how to get to Birdsville, including driving yourself or joining a travel package.
Once you’re in Birdsville, head west on Adelaide street and continue for 35kms to reach Bashville. See Directions to Bashville for more details.
See Rolling In & Out to make sure you come prepared and don’t get delayed at the gates.
Birdsville has a range of basic facilities including petrol, groceries, pub, bakery, post office, police, medical clinic and tourist information.
See Birdsville Facilities for further details.
Yes, you can choose to stay in Birdsville and commute to and from Bashville each day (35kms). You’ll be directed to Day Parking near the concert area.
You will still need a Vehicle Entry Pass based on the earliest day that you will enter the Day Parking area.
See Day Tripping for further details.
Yes, there will be a privately operated transfer bus operating to and from Birdsville on music days.
Bus stops are located near the Wirrarri Information Centre in Birdsville, and at the plaza end of Mark Berry Drive at Bashville. Pricing and timetables for the 35km one way trip are available now. See Transfer Bus for details.
You can reach Birdsville and the Big Red Bash by 2WD. If you’d like to explore the desert or sightsee on the way, you’ll get further with a 4WD.
Use our Travel Guides and Outback Driving Tips to plan your journey.
Our tyres policy is based on the advice of Adam Plate, the old owner of the Pink Roadhouse at Oodnadatta who we met in the late 90s and early 2000s. Adam was a legend in outback SA driving and was a key figure in raising awareness of the advantages of lower pressures on rough roads.
In our event vehicles we drop all tyre pressures and since doing so have seen a noticeable decrease in tyre damage and cost. We adopt the same tyre pressure guidelines for all vehicles: 2WD, small AWD like Subarus, 4WDs whether lightly or heavily laden, our event trailers and heavy rigid trucks. For smaller vehicles on gravel roads we drop by about 20% below highway pressures and the larger vehicles like event trucks we drop to about 55% of highway pressures. We take about 15 vehicles out to the Bash each year and have very few damaged tyres since using these guidelines.
Take the stress out of getting out and back to the Big Red Bash with our fantastic Rock n’ Roll Road Trip, hosted by outback specialists Kangaroo Bus Lines.
This is a great way to sit back, relax and take in the great outback countryside. Meet new people and have everything taken care of for you out at the Big Red Bash!
CAMPING
Your Vehicle Entry Pass will determine the dates that you can camp at Bashville.
- Standard Entry Vehicle Pass – camp from Tues 2nd July
- 1 Day Early Entry Vehicle Pass – camp from Mon 1st July
- 2 Day Early Entry Vehicle Pass – camp from Sun 30th June
- 3 Day Early Entry Vehicle Pass – camp from Sat 29th June
General campsite roll out begins from 7am Friday 5th July.
Want to roll out ahead of the crowds? An Early Exit Pass allows you to roll out of camp early on Thursday 5th July between 2-5pm.
Campers are permitted to camp for an additional night after the festival on Friday 5th July. There is no charge for this. All campers must roll out by midday Sat 6th July. For those staying on Friday night: toilets & grey water disposal will be available until midday Saturday, however all other facilities, including food vendors, and Bashville medical centre, will no longer be available. Food vendors will stop serving after breakfast on Friday morning.
All campsites are at least 100m2, larger than sites at your average caravan park.
We expect that 99% of setups will fit in the generous campsite allocation, however if your big-rig physically doesn’t fit, we will have a few larger sites available in each camping area.
Read Camping at Bashville and check out the Campsite Layout image below for more details.
If you want to camp as a group with other vehicles, you must arrive at the Big Red Bash site together to be allocated adjacent campsites. You won’t be able to save a spot for a later arrival. We recommend meeting in Birdsville and driving in convoy to Bashville.
Campsites are allocated on arrival and filled from front to back. If you have have a 1, 2 or 3 Day Early Entry Vehicle Pass, you will have a better shot of securing a site closer to the concert area.
If camping in a group, roll in together to be allocated adjoining campsites.
We recommend that you come prepared and plan to park up, kick back and relax for the whole Bash!
If you need to leave, you can drive out of Bashville campsite during limited hours ONLY: 4 – 6pm, however you can’t drive back into the campsite, you must leave your car in Day Parking and walk back to camp. You can come and go from Day Parking between 8am-10pm each day.
You can bring your car back to camp on Thursday @ 12.30 – 1.30pm ahead of roll out.
There is also a Transfer Bus, which runs between Bashville and Birdsville on music days.
The campsite has limited facilities due to the remote nature of the event. See Facilities for further details.
Dogs are restricted to camping in the allocated dog friendly campsite, as outlined on the Festival Map.
If you are attending with friends who are not bringing a dog, they are also welcome to camp with you in the dog friendly campsite. Your whole group must display a Dog Friendly Campsite sticker on each vehicle’s windscreen, to ensure our marshals direct you to the correct camping area. Our friendly ticketing team will ask you if you require one of these when you exchange your festival e-tickets at the Ticket Office.
If you are bringing your dog, please review our Dog Attendance info.
Absolutely! Camp fires are permitted. Bring your own firewood supply as collection of firewood on the surrounding private property is prohibited. A limited supply of firewood is sold onsite. Pre-orders are open now!
Fires must be kept to a reasonable size for safety purposes (i.e., no bonfires), and must be put out with water (not buried in the sand). Fires can be lit directly on the ground, or you can use a firepit.
No, all sites at the Bash are unpowered.
Generators are permitted at the Bash but can only run between the hours of 8am and 8pm. If you need to run medical equipment overnight please ensure it runs off a battery that can be charged during the day.
See Bashville Camp Rules for more info about what is and is not permitted at the Bash.
- Drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s)
- Kites
- Fireworks
- Chainsaws/Power tools
- Weapons (including firearms and whips)
- Unauthorised selling of goods and services
- Unregistered vehicles
- Glass – must stay in your camp kitchen (no glass in concert, public or camp areas).
We also have rules on blackwater & toilet cassettes, greywater, rubbish, recycling and more. See Bashville Camp Rules for full details.
Rent a Tent is a great option for those people who want to camp at the Bash but don’t have the gear. Arrive at Bashville with a pre-erected tent and camping gear.
CONCERT & ENTERTAINMENT
Check out the 2024 artist lineup here! The playing schedule will be released closer to the festival.
In addition to featuring a jam packed line up of iconic Aussie artists, the Big Red Bash has lots of other entertainment to keep you as busy as you want to be!
See Activities for further details.
Yes, you can bring your own alcohol & food in. Please drink responsibly, no BBQs, and eskys of a reasonable size only.
- Non-alcoholic drinks & water
- Cans/casks of alcohol – glass not permitted
- Snacks – food vendors open till late
- Esky – of a reasonable size, off-road wheels recommended
- Chair – no taller than 110cm when seated
- Hat, sunglasses, sunscreen
- Warm clothes and a blanket for night time
- Off-road trolley (optional)
- Glass
- Metal cutlery
- Umbrella
- Tables, sunshades, tents or anything that will obstruct views of the stage
- Aerosols
- Animals (dogs allowed in the allocated area)
There will be bag checks as you enter the concert area and prohibited items will be confiscated.
No, there’s no smoking or vaping anywhere within the concert area. You must go outside and at least 10m from the boundary fence to smoke.
Yes, bins are provided in the plaza & concert area for rubbish, aluminium can and PET plastic bottle recycling. These are only for use by pedestrians in the area – no campsite rubbish.
See Facilities for more details.
ACCESSIBILITY
We welcome patrons with a disability and accessibility requirements. The Big Red Bash is held in a very remote area but we do our best to provide facilities and assist in any way possible.
Unfortunately we’re only able to provide special assistance to patrons who have a government issued disability parking permit. If you don’t have a government issued permit, we recommend that, if eligible, you apply for one before the event.
See Patrons with a Disability for more information and to register.
To register online you’ll need to upload a government-issued mobility permit. If you don’t have one of these, yet still require the facilities, please get in touch with us via the Contact Us Portal and we’ll see what we can do to help.
Yes, get in touch via the Contact Us Portal and we can organise a free companion card ticket for you.
FOOD, DRINKS & FACILITIES
There’ll be a range of food vendors at the event selling hot & cold food as well as coffee and non-alcoholic beverages. Most campers bring some of their own food too.
Food vendors will operate from Sun 30th June to Thurs 4th July.
A small number of vendors will operate from dinner on Sat 29th June (for 3 Day Early Entry campers) and also breakfast Fri 6th July (General Roll Out).
See Food for further details.
No, it’s a BYO event and no alcohol is for sale on-site. The Birdsville Pub is the closest place to buy takeaway alcohol, so call in on the way to Bashville.
No, please bring your own. Birdsville town has drinking water available from various locations.
Yes! Aluminium can and PET plastic bottle recycling bins will be available in the Plaza and Concert Area. Separate your cans and plastic bottles for recycling and help us run a sustainable event!
See Facilities for further details.
Yes! Collect your food waste in camp and bring it to the food waste bins outside the toilet blocks in the campground.
EFTPOS facilities can be limited at Bashville so we recommend that you bring plenty of cash as a back up.
Merchandise Stand will have EFTPOS available, along with a cash out facility.
Most food vendors will have EFTPOS.
Some food vendors and stall holders and food vendors may not have EFTPOS.
Yes, Queensland Ambulance provides a comprehensive medical facility at Bashville. As a division of Queensland Health, the medical team is also well-integrated with other services such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Primary Health Centre in Birdsville, so they can manage serious medical matters in a remote area at the highest standard. The capacity of these organisations are both limited so please plan ahead and attend to any health problems before you arrive.
See Emergency for further details on how to get help in Bashville.
No, you’ll need to bring all the medications that you’ll need for the duration of the event.
Toilets and greywater disposal will be available until midday Saturday, however as some blocks begin decommissioning, you may need to walk to a further block that is still operational.
All other facilities will no longer be available. This includes food vendors, who will stop serving after breakfast on Friday 7th, and the Bashville medical centre. Please plan to be self-sufficient if you’re staying Friday night.
See Facilities for more details.
Lost property is located at the Info Tent at either Bashville or Birdsville. After the event any lost property that hasn’t been claimed will be handed to the Birdsville Police station.
VOLUNTEERS
Unfortunately, we cannot provide refunds to ticket holders if they choose to sign on to volunteer.
- Program
- Festival Guide
- Rolling In & Out Guide
- Crew Book
- Transit permit (if relevant)
- Crew wristband
- Volunteer sticker (any extra stickers – eg. Dog, Disability)
- T-shirt, hat, tube bandana
- Tuesday 25th June – Thursday 27th June inclusive
- Volunteers register, get wristbands and merchandise packs at the Birdsville Community Hall.
- Friday 28th June – onwards
- Volunteers pick up their wristband at Ticketing, outside the Wirrarri Centre in Birdsville. They then drive to Bashville where they can register as vols and pick up their merchandise packs at Event Control.
- Main volunteer roll in day:
- Volunteers can roll into the campground from 8am Friday 28th June.
- Early volunteer roll in day:
- If you are working a shift at the Bash site on Thursday 27th June or working a shift on the Bash site before 9am on Friday 28th June you can set up camp in Bashville from 2pm on the Thursday 27th June.
Yes, unfortunately. You can avoid this line by rolling in on the volunteer-only entry day Friday 28th June. If you are working a shift at the Bash site on Thurs 27th June or working a shift on the Bash site before 9am on the Friday 28th June you can set up camp in Bashville from 4pm on the Thursday 27th June.
You will need to drive your own vehicle or organise a lift with a volunteer on the same shift as you. If you have to drive for your shifts you will be given a transit permit which will permit you to drive in and out of the campsite as required. If you do not receive a transit permit you will need to follow the vehicle movements policies.
Transit permits can be collected from the Birdsville Community Hall or Event Control in Bashville during volunteer registration hours.
No, unfortunately transit permits are only for volunteers who are required to drive for their shifts during the Bash. You can use the transfer bus or move your vehicle to the Day Parking area at one of the designated times.
Yes. The aim is to limit the number of people on the road on the evening of Thursday. We aim to do this fairly by limiting the number of early exit passes. They cost $15 each and all of the proceeds from these passes will go to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
No. If you want to camp next to a friend, meet in Birdsville and roll into the campground together.
Volunteers and anyone who is travelling in a volunteer’s vehicle. Non-volunteer friends or relatives who are not travelling in a volunteer vehicle must camp in the regular campsite.
Yes, as long as they are travelling in the same vehicle.
You can camp in the dog camping area. You must adhere to the Big Red Bash dog attendance rules.
You can choose where you’d like to camp. You are welcome to camp in the Volunteer area. If you would like to have access to a toilet with a ramp and wide entry you should camp in the Disability Camping Area
Every volunteer MUST sign on and off from each shift at Event Control unless their shift manager specifies that they can be signed off elsewhere. If in doubt, just come and sign off at Event Control.
We will send out shift-specific gear lists to each volunteer before the event next year.
However, in general we ask that you bring your own:
- bottle(s) of water (we recommend 2L minimum per day)
- sun protection (hat, sunscreen, sunglasses)
- personal medication
- your crew handbook
- head-torch (plus spare batteries) – for night or afternoon shifts
- snacks
- warm jacket + rain jacket, beanie, layers – for chilly night and early morning shifts
- check in with your team manager for any extra gear you may need for your shift.
