In a day and age when there is so much sad and distressing news, it’s great to know that we can still have some fun and that’s exactly what happened yesterday in outback Australia when a new world dancing record was set.
More than 4,000 punters at the Birdsville Big Red Bash music festival annihilated the world record for the Largest Nutbush City Limits Dance.
Festival goers peppered the sprawling red desert plains in remote Southwest Queensland, as 4,084 boot-scooting bush dancers kicked up the dust in wild and wacky costumes to the 1973 Tina Turner soul classic.
The new world record destroyed the previous mark of 2,878 dancers, which was set at the 2021 Birdsville Big Red Bash.
From tutus, dinosaurs and hippies to mullets, wigs and bilbies – a sea of colourful characters ignited the outback for an unforgettable bush doof like no other.
The spectacular dance took place below the Simpson Desert’s legendary 40-metre-high Big Red sand dune – the largest of its kind in the world.
A world record with a good cause to boot, participation via registration in the event raised more than $60,000 for the festival’s charity partner, the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Each punter paid a $15 registration fee to dance in the event.
With today’s Nutbush effort, the festival pushed its collective RFDS fundraising total to more than $435,000 since 2016.
Speaking to the crowd, festival owner and Managing Director of the Outback Music Festival Group, Greg Donovan, said that they always have a fantastic time doing this dance each year, and the money you pay to participate goes directly to the RFDS – every cent of it, so thank you so much.
‘What a spectacular site to see; you are all legends!’
The Big Red Bash closed last night with performances from festival headliner Jimmy Barnes, country queen Kasey Chambers and a slew of other beloved Australian music acts including Mark Gable, Richard Clapton, Sarah McLeod, The Lachy Doley Group and Ash Grunwald.
Running from July 5-7, 2022, the Big Red Bash is conservatively estimated to bring $15 million in economic benefit to regional and outback Queensland. In Birdsville, the renowned Bakery is reporting daily sales of close to 900 coffees as festivalgoers travel through to the event.
The outback town is usually home to a population of around 150 people.
A wasted opportunity.