Despite some wet weather and some track closure issues, Birdsville’s Big Red Bash has got underway … in true blue style.
Attendees kicked off proceedings by breaking the world record for ‘the largest human image of a country’.
A whopping 5,467 people, kitted out in blue from top to toe, herded into the shape of Australia inside an area mapped out by GPS.
The record was previously held by Romania with 4,807 participants
And the group was serenaded into their positions by Aussie legend, John Williamson, signing his iconic song, True Blue.
Big Blue Day at the Big Red Bash. PIC: Matt Williams / Big Red Bash
Each participant was encouraged to dress in blue and purchase a charitable $15 blue wig, and the colossal effort raised an impressive $74,897.90 for type 1 diabetes research.
Greg Donovan, the Managing Director of the Outback Music Festival Group – now celebrating its 10th anniversary – said Big Blue Day was a huge hit.
“It was a beautiful sight to see the sea of blue, and with John Williamson singing, it doesn’t get more Australian than that,” he said. “We feel so lucky to be here 10 years on … drought, Covid, floods, we’ve seen it all and keep coming back bigger and better than ever.”
In and around the stellar all-Australian musical schedule and world record attempt, those at the first day of the Big Red Bash were also treated to a whole host of wonderfully odd outback-inspired activities – from Sunrise Yoga on Big Red to Dunny Door Painting and all sorts of surprises in between.
Attendees will attempt to break the world record to the number of people performing the Nutbush on Thursday.
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Wish I was there sounds so cool
My kids and grandkids are there somewhere
We were there in 2020 and loved it❗️I would love to be there againBrilliant organisation of camping areas! Fantastic entertainment
I was there and a part of the world record. My second year and I’ll be back again next year.
Three of us 60+ doing the blue day