The world-famous Birdsville Bakery – home of the iconic curried camel pie – is set to open again in the next few weeks.
Like so many Outback locations, Birdsville’s tourism industry was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic and resulting travel restrictions.
With a permanent population of just 115, the remote Queensland town relies heavily on the steady stream of travellers that normally pass through … and on a couple of major events. More than 10,000 people normally descend on the area during the Big Red Bash music festival and the Birdsville Races.
The bakery was sold by its founder, Robert ‘Dusty’ Miller, back in 2017 … but the new owners, Diamantina Holdings were subsequently placed into liquidation and the business closed.
It was eventually bought by the owners of the Birdsville Hotel, Courtney and Talia Ellis, but the Covid crisis has played havoc with their plans.
Birdsville Hotel general manager Ben Fullagar told the ABC that the Ellis family had been throwing the idea of purchasing the bakery around for some time.
“They knew its closure was a sore point with locals and tourists alike,” he said. “It’s important to have things to do here outside of the pub, and that the more there is to do, the more people will stay.”
The enforced closure though gave the new owners a chance to modernise the point of sale area, spruce up the exterior … and find a baker.
Now, it seems, it’s all systems go.
“We’re hard at work behind the scenes, excited to prepare for re-opening in late March/early April 2021,” the bakery said in a statement. “Look forward to welcoming you back!”
We were there in 2015 after crossing the Simo,loved there pies and the BFC chicken Great to see it opening again
We were there in 2016 and I gave the bakery the award for the absolute worst pie i have ever had. And as for the so called caramel tart, an overcooked out of a box pastry shell with some tinned caramel filling