Big Red Bash 2016

[Paul (SA)]

It seems this event is getting bigger and bigger each year.

I have noticed on their website they are looking for volunteers for 2016 from 4-6 July.

I would be keen on doing this if I could get to Birdsville with anyone heading up there from Adelaide! Sing out if you are going and want some company on the trip up and someone to share the trip costs!

http://www.bigredbash.com.au/bigredbash/2016-big-red-bash-volunteer-application

[weeds]

Waiting for the remaining four artists to be announced.......I'm keen to see one of the four listed am far.

[Bad Scott]

Hay Paul. Yes the event is getting bigger and bigger every year. We went last year and it was awesome. If AC/DC are the headline act expect double the numbers from 2015.

[noel_w]

Just put my leave application in.

[Hewy54]

Just threw my hat in the ring as well for my wife and I. Went in 2013 and really enjoyed it.

[BaseCamp]

I would be interested in anyone's firsthand experience at Big Red - specifically:

Those who camped at the venue; (pros and cons?)
(dust; OTT prices on snacks and food; no comms; rowdy mob?; yobbo elements?; feels safe?; on-venue convenience; remote camping camaraderie?; etc)

Those who stayed at the Birdsville Caravan Park; (pros and cons?)
("civilization"; 240; hot showers; cue for the free shuttle; or a 70k round trip each day; 'town joy'; the pub; etc)

[theins]

We went this year and had a great time.

We camped at the Birdsville caravan park the night before the bash... Shower, fill up tanks, batteries etc..
Than camped at Big Red for the three days.
No issues with people behaving badly. Only nuisance was the use of generators which is unfortunately allowed during certain periods.
You need to be aware that grey water needs to be carried out and dumped at Birdsville. Apparently they are going to provide a mobile dump point next year. Keep an eye on it...

Camping at Big Red is special and I would recommend it.
You also need to have your own firewood and provisions (esp. Alcohol).

Cheers,

[Bad Scott]

Hay Basecamp we were there this year.
Those who camped at the venue; (pros and cons?)
PROS-----Waking up and looking at Big Red every morning, We could see and hear the stage performances from the camper. You do have a fair bit of dust around the stage area and main road, Telstra setup WiFi next to the stage(we found this out on day 3, but was extremely slow), Making people jealous of my wood stacking and fire (great socializing icon) 
CONS----- No where near enough toilets and DONT setup camp near it(feel sorry for people down wind), bring ya own, beware of the wait if you want pizza

Those who stayed at the Birdsville Caravan Park; (pros and cons?)
IMHO, I would stay out of town. Its insane/chaos.

[Frostd]

The wife and I have got our holidays in, so will be heading that way with our two girls. Cant wait.

[BaseCamp]

Hey SJ & theins   

Thanks for the replies...

I guess the next question on my mind is this:

(All firsthand experiences / replies welcome...)

Budget - (2pax)??
I know the tickets will burn about $740
But what is an approx breakdown in costs - there and back, me wonders??

BACKGROUND
# Brisbane>Birdsville>Brisbane...

# How many days should we allow - including the 3 days at Big Red..??

(My long distance driving is about like this / is about all I can "cope up" - based on past experiences...) 
(ie: I am not a strong long-haul driver; and I will be doing all the driving...)
EG-
One day's driving -- Brisbane to Roma was "about it"
(Another example)
One day's driving -- Canarvon Gorge to Brisbane was "definitely about it"
(The longest I've got west is Bne>Roma>Charliville (2 days...)

NOTE - none of these hauls was with towing anything...  The trip to Big Red... we would be pulling a 2tn van..

BUDGET
# Fuel - (usually burns approx 14Ltrs?/100  ... open black stuff...)
# Daily snacks budget $?
# Allowance for ex number of pub dinners $?
# Groceries $?
# Allowances for ex number of over nighters in motels/cabins?
# How much extra (per day) to lump on - $50? to cover everything else...  laundry; first aide; drinks ; repairs; etc; etc; etc...

STOPOVERS // SIGHT SEEING
Recommendations on an Itinerary??
(Where?; Why?; No.of extra Days?; Costs?)

Many thanks

[KingBilly]

Birdsville to Chareville is a day's drive

KB

[weeds]

Three days drive out there is fairly comfortable, think that what we did.

Clear the credit card

Start driving

[Rumpig]

Brisbane to Birdsville is about 1600kms in distance Basecamp, and Roma is roughly 500klms from Brisbane... So that should give you an idea of how many days you need to allow for your driving style. 3 big days atleast, but I think maybe even 4 days each way allowing for the fact you might go slower on the gravel Birdsville Developmental Rd.

[theins]

Hey BaseCamp,

sorry - can't help you with the distances. We came up from Melbourne and for us it was a 4500k round trip.

Cost
- fuel, obviously - we average about 12l/100k with the CT in tow. NOTE - you will pay more for diesel on the trip. At some stage we paid 190 cents/litre.
- As we expected to be free camping most of the time we largely lived out of the fridge and freezer with the occasional pub meal and buying some provisions along the way. Pubmeals (incl drinks - say 50$ a head, then it's up to you as to how often you go)
- I would allow a few dollars for snacks - as we tried to have a coffee/snack in the various roadhouses along the way
- We stayed in the Birdsville Caravan park  the night before the concert to have shower, fill up with water/diesel, batteries etc - if you want to stay at the park you should book early - it was frantic when we arrived.

Hope that this helps...

Cheers

[BaseCamp]

Hey mate...  cheers...

I think the Birdsville CP for an over nighter to re-juice  is a great idea...

Do they allow you to pre-book a particular space....  and if so, what would be the pick of them?

Shake&Bake BB

[theins]

Don't know if you can pre-book particular sites.

We had a stroll through the CP when we were up there (always love checking out how other people are travelling) and noticed a few sites along the Billabong, which looked rather nice. Not sure if they are powered, though.

Have to admit that my care factor was limited, as it was only an overnighter in prep for the camping at Big Red (I don't like staying at CPs at the best of times).

Cheers

[BaseCamp]

Well my Big Red adventure may be scuttled even before it gets legs..

Have been busy selling the idea to the Minister for War & Finance - and she's come back with discouraging comments like:

"I'm not traveling all that way to see a concert..."   
"I hate deserts" ...

So I'll try my mate whose working up in Mt Isa next - but the 'issue with that' - is that I want us to leave from Brisbane... (not meet in the middle), plus with the way Glencore is gong; who knows what that future (2016) may hold in terms of a job or booking vacation time, etc...  = grrrr

[theins]

Very disappointing for you.

Looking back at our trip earlier this years I realised that it was more about the journey, rather than the destination. Whilst the concert was good fun, the highlight for me was the experience of travelling with friends, enjoying the camping in the outback, etc...

[BaseCamp]

Very disappointing for you.

Looking back at our trip earlier this years I realised that it was more about the journey, rather than the destination. Whilst the concert was good fun, the highlight for me was the experience of traveling with friends, enjoying the camping in the outback, etc...

... and sadly that's 100% exactly what she doesn't get...   Just mention "dust"; "heat"; "noise"; "perceived yobs"; numerous 'arduous' hours on difficult roads to get to same; etc - and she wants to run a mile....  (She even Googled "Birdsville" to prove a point - to herself...)   

She does love camping and vanning ... but it must be the opposite of all of the above...  (think Central Station FI)...  She "tolerates" beach camping FI...  but not in summer...  OMG!

[theins]

Has she been out that way?

B (my wife) does not particularly like the desert either, but because she had not experienced it (we had not been to Birdsville before), she was prepared to give it a go.

I don't think she'd be interested in going back to Birdsville in a hurry - she much prefers tropical QLD.

Dust - oh yes, it is dusty. I had my car detailed and am still finding dust in various places 

Noise - other than the annoying generator there wasn't much noise.

People - generally well behaved.

Heat - It is winter - desert gets cold in winter!!! we had a couple of frosty nights along the way. some beautiful days at the Big Red, though. Come 10 o'clock it was warm enough for shorts and T-shirt

Drive - well, for us it was a long drive and probably not something we would repeat in a hurry, as we travelled EVERY day. Depends a bit on how much time you have available for the trip. The gibber plains can get a bit tiring, but in my mind this is also part of the experience.

Anyway - just some feedback from my experience.

[trevc]

Lol everyone is different!
I mentioned  the BRB to my wife and she wants to lock it in for 2017, then she says maybe we should do a Simpson crossing while we're out there.

[Black Diamond]

Looking at adding this into our 6 week trip next year. Missus is keen, leave is approved just gotta fit it into our schedule 

[theins]

Lol everyone is different!
I mentioned  the BRB to my wife and she wants to lock it in for 2017, then she says maybe we should do a Simpson crossing while we're out there.

Indeed - everybody is different.

Driving from Cameron Corner to Merty Merty over the dunes has resulted in a Simpson crossing dropping way down the priority list.... Over two hours driving over those dunes has put the crossing of about 1000 dunes through the desert in perspective.. 

[theins]

Looking at adding this into our 6 week trip next year. Missus is keen, leave is approved just gotta fit it into our schedule 

Do it, if you can - quite an experience!!! So glad we went this year.

[Spud7017]

Just a question for those that went to the event this year. I have been to Birds Villegas and Big Red on my bike and I'm struggling to imagine how the accommodate the crowd. Is the stage at one end, the services then just random tent and CT allocations away from the stage ?