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locals are calling a twice-in-a-lifetime event.
It’s fair to say there has never been a
better time to visit this iconic town and the
surrounding region.FLOOD OF TOURISTS
Birdsville offers two iconic major events, the
Big Red Bash music festival in July and the
Birdsville Races in September that see the
town bloat from a tiny population of 120 to
between 6000 and 10,000.
But these don’t just define the town.
In fact, travelling outside of these times
offers the best chance to see what the ‘real’
Birdsville is like.
“The thing is, when 10,000 people drop in
for lunch it gets hectic,” says Martin Josselyn,
owner of the Birdsville Bakery and Desert
EdgeTours.“Butwhenyouarehereduring138 ld
the other times, it is casual and laid-back,
you can get in to the pub and get a drink, you
can talk to the locals and really get a feeling
of the history of Birdsville and experience all
of the good things that are out there.”
Here are some of the top reasons to visit
Birdsville for a more relaxed experience.BIRDSVILLE HOTEL
Every country town has one, and in
Birdsville, the pub is a living, breathing
icon. Built in 1884, it has withstood harsh
summers, fire and flooding, and is a veritable
oasis. Thousands of travellers, a few Prime
Ministers and even a Governor General have
pulled up for a beer at the front bar, and
Fullager says it’s a major bucket-list goal.
“I see people walk in here who aren’t even
beer drinkers but they have a beer — it’s one
of those things they want to tick off,” he said.It’s also a living history museum with
photos from bygone eras adorning the walls,
memorabilia galore and a fitting tribute to
locals who have made a positive community
contribution. Those deemed worthy are
invited to hang their hat on the eastern wall.
When they pass away, hats are moved to the
western side with an accompanying plaque.
Fullager is proof that Birdsville is
something of a collector. He came here as a
traveller in 2013, picked up a three-month
gig with the pub and simply never left,
caught in the net of the area’s allure.
“It kind of got into my blood,” he says. “For
me it is the challenge of running a business
of this calibre in such a remote location.
You do face a new challenge every day. It
could be a flood so we won’t get deliveries
from Adelaide for weeks, or a phone call to
do volunteer ambulance driving out to the
desert to someone who is in need of help.”THE LOCALS
Fullager says the locals are very welcoming
of tourists and really enjoy the unofficial
season from March to October.
“People on the stations really like it when
the tourists roll through because more
things happen in the town,” he says. “That’s
really good for them because it breaks the
monotony of living in such a remote location.”