After setbacks, Big Red Bash announces concert featuring Australian legend

It’s been a rough year for music festivals in Australia, with many postponing or cancelling outright. While significant events such as Bluesfest and Splendour In The Grass made headlines, smaller regional festivals also suffered setbacks. 

One of the most significant outback events, the Big Red Bash, cancelled its 2025 outing. The cancellation was announced in September. Organisers cited the need to recharge and rethink the logistically challenging festival, which sees thousands of music lovers come to Birdsville in Western Queensland. Wet weather has posed challenges for the festival for two years.

Not all hope is lost for next year, however. The organisers have announced a scaled-back event for 2025 featuring John Williamson. The one-night performance in July is being seen as a boon for local businesses that have grown to rely on the powerful impact of the Big Red Bash every year.

Festival founder Greg Donovan says the decision to postpone the regular 2025 event could have potentially devastating effects on local businesses. 

“It weighed heavily that the decision to take a breather was going to have a knock-on effect for business that have supported us for more than a decade,” he told the ABC. 

The Big Red Bash generates 67,000 nights of booked accommodation every year, and hosted  8000 visitors in 2024. The 2025 July event is expected to draw a crowd of up to a thousand. 

The local shires have also done their best to make plans for the gap in tourism. The towns of Boulia, Bedourie, Windon and Jundah are combining their individual camel races to create a special event in 2025. 

Diamantina Shire Mayor Francis Murray says the news of the concert is a relief to businesses in Birdsville. “Hopefully the camel circuit with the John Williamson concert on Big Red, we will still get our numbers and have a reasonably good tourist season.”

Tickets are available for the John Williamson Big Red concert now.