The Australian Bucket List

Queensland

BirdsvilleOne of the most remote towns in Australia, Birdsville may be small in size but it is huge on outback culture which you can soak up at the famous pub or annual horse races.

At the end of the Birdsville Track is the frontier town of Birdsville, one of Outback Australia’s most recognised towns. Deep in the heart of wild and isolated country, Birdsville is situated between the eastern edge of the Simpson Desert, the vast gibber plains of Sturt’s Stony Desert to the south and rich Channel Country to the north. Once a notorious place through which cattle drovers moved their stock, Birdsville is a thriving community where you can enjoy a cold drink at the iconic Birdsville Hotel, try your taste buds on a curried camel pie, back a winner at the world-renowned Birdsville Races or dance the day away at the Birdsville Big Red bash. Watch the sunset over Big Red, the tallest sand dune in the Simpson Desert or spend an unforgettable day with family and friends at the Birdsville billabong, where birdlife, fish, yabbies and marsupials abound. If you’ve always wanted to visit this iconic destination, now is the time to tick Birdsville off your bucket list.

Gallery

Things to do

Drive the Birdsville and Oodnadatta Loop

The Outback Loop is a vast region in the far northeast of South Australia and south-west Queensland, where travellers can experience the astonishing and contrasting beauty of Australia's desert zone. Stretching from Parachilna in the south to Birdsville in the north, and Mt Dare in the west to Innamincka in the east, the area includes a diverse range of environments including sandy and stony deserts, floodplains, mountain ranges and wetlands. Incorporating three iconic outback tracks – Birdsville, Strzelecki, and Oodnadatta – The Outback Loop invites travellers to explore this unique region. Start at Birdsville and travel via the Birdsville Track to Maree, then take the Oodnadatta Track to William Creek and continue via Oodnadatta Track to Mount Dare and Dalhousie Springs, then onto the French Line across the Simpson Desert, and back to Birdsville.

Birdsville Races

Dubbed as the Melbourne Cup of the Outback, crowds of 6,000 racegoers converge on Birdsville each year to enjoy two days of quality outback racing and entertainment. The second race meets in the Simpson Desert Racing Carnival, the 13 race program features horses from all over Australia competing for the coveted Birdsville Cup. Other entertainment includes the Fashions on the Field, Fred Brophy's Boxing Troupe, entertainment at the Birdsville Hotel, Fun Run, Cocktail Party, a variety of food vendors, a giant auction and much more. Attracting visitors from all over the world, the Birdsville Races is an event you will be talking about for years to come. Curious about what could draw so many people to a tiny, outback town on the edge of the desert? Join them at the Birdsville Races to experience an Australian racing tradition.

Related tags

Map