The Australian Outback will sing again in 2026 with the return of two iconic camping-based music festivals, The Big Red Bash which is renowned as the world’s most remote music event, and Australia’s Biggest Outback Music Festival the Mundi Mundi Bash.
Each features three days of music and unique outback entertainment – from world record attempts and charity fun runs to camel rides, comedy and outdoor film nights.
The Birdsville Big Red Bash will return to the Simpson Desert across July 7-9 next year, while the Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash will return to the Mundi Mundi Plains across August 20-22 with both blockbuster Outback music events putting tickets on-sale this week.
The 2026 festival line-ups are a roll call of Australian music royalty with Missy Higgins (Big Red Bash only), The Teskey Brothers, Hoodoo Gurus (Big Red Bash only), Jon Stevens (Mundi Mundi Bash only), John Butler (Mundi Mundi Bash only), The Living End (Big Red Bash only), Birds of Tokyo (Big Red Bash only), Jessica Mauboy and other legendary acts set to hit two of the most extraordinary stages on earth.
The full event line-ups include:
Birdsville Big Red Bash: Missy Higgins, Hoodoo Gurus, The Teskey Brothers, The Living End, Birds of Tokyo, Jessica Mauboy, Shannon Noll, Kate Ceberano, The Whitlams, Tim Finn, Troy Cassar-Daley, Chocolate Starfish, Ross Wilson, Furnace and the Fundamentals, ‘50 Years of Fleetwood Mac’, Shane Howard, Wes Carr, Jem Cassar-Daley, Tom Busby and Gypsy Lee.
The 2026 event will see Gypsy Lee join her mother and Bash regular Kate Ceberano for the first time in Birdsville, while Jem Cassar-Daley will also join her father Troy at the event for another familial moment on the edge of the Simpson Desert.
Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash: The Teskey Brothers, Jon Stevens, John Butler, Boy & Bear, Baby Animals, Jessica Mauboy, The Whitlams, Leo Sayer, Tim Finn, Richard Clapton, Troy Cassar-Daley, Chocolate Starfish, Furnace and the Fundamentals, Wendy Matthews, The Radiators, Shane Howard, Fanny Lumsden, ‘50 Years of Fleetwood Mac’, Hot Potato Band, Tom Busby and Wes Carr.
Greg Donovan, Bash event founder/owner and Managing Director of the Outback Music Festival Group who stage both events said 2026 marks a joyful return to form.
“We’re stoked to be bringing back the full Birdsville Big Red Bash after taking a breather this year,” he said.
“Our team are recharged and ready to give festival-goers an unforgettable outback adventure. Tickets are already selling fast, we’re so grateful for the ongoing support of our festival goers.
“After the first hour of on sale tickets are already 40 per cent sold for the Big Red Bash and we’re hoping for an equally great response when the Mundi Mundi Bash tickets go on-sale.”
For Donovan, the Bash festivals are about more than music – they’re about moments.
“Watching families dance in the shadow of the 40-metre-high Big Red sand dune as the sun sets behind it, or seeing thousands on the Mundi Mundi Plains under that endless sky with the Barrier Ranges behind them is pure magic,” he said.
Missy Higgins is looking forward to headlining the Big Red Bash’s return.
“My band and I absolutely love playing in the desert for The Big Red Bash,” she said.
“Surrounded by giant sand dunes and people having travelled miles in their dusty caravans to get there… it’s so unique and so Australian. There is an incredible line-up set for 2026 and we’re all thrilled to be invited back to play again.”
Meanwhile, The Teskey Brothers are eager to make their Bash debut.
“We’ve heard a lot about these desert shows from our friends and we can’t wait to get out there in the red dust and see what it’s all about,” Josh Teskey added.
“Very excited for these shows.”
The 2026 edition of the Big Red Bash will also mark the return of crowd favourites Hoodoo Gurus.
“We’re psyched to be making a return visit to The Big Red Bash next year,” frontman Dave Faulkner said.
“Our first-and only-time there in 2023 was one of the most memorable gigs of our lives. What an insane idea: gather a motley crew of merry misfits and savvy self-starters and headout to the back-of-beyond to enjoy a few days of music, mirth and merriment?! Whoever thought of that is a genius because it was amazing and I can’t wait to experience it again.”
Event organisers are working on a new activity to replace the world-record breaking Nutbush dance-offs at both Bash events with further announcements to come.
Both events are all-ages, dog-friendly and BYO and offer a rare kind of freedom where thousands of campers share songs, stories and sunrise views that stretch on forever. Heavily reduced ticket prices for kids under 18-years-old are available.
The festivals offer up uniquely Australian destination adventures for families, grey nomads, camping and caravanning enthusiasts and intrepid travelers alike with around 10,000 expected to converge on Big Red outside of Birdsville and close to 15,000 on the Mundi Mundi Plains.
More information head to: www.bigredbash.com.au and www.mundimundibash.com.au.
