'World's most remote' music festival out of a venue after rare weather event in Queensland town
The Big Red Bash, the self-proclaimed world's most remote music festival, is scrambling to find another venue after a rare deluge hit outback Queensland.
The three-day festival plays at the foot of the Big Red Dune in Birdsville, a town on the border with South Australia, each year in July.
The likes of Missy Higgins, Hoodoo Gurus, Birds of Tokyo, Jessica Mauboy and Shannon Noll were set to play.
READ MORE: Bundaberg on alert for emergency flooding likened to 2010 disaster
The Big Red Bash plays at the foot of the Big Red Dune in the Simpson Desert. Facebook
But a tropical low has caused widespread rain over the town and flooding at the nearby Diamantina River.
Birdsville recorded 128.4mm of rainfall in just two days last week, which was almost the average 163mm of rainfall it receives in an entire year.
The Big Red Bash said the town has copped so much rain that locals do not think their venue will be dry in time for the festival.
"Birdsville recorded more than its annual average rainfall in just a few days," organisers said in a statement.
"Stations north of Birdsville, however, have received up to four times their annual rainfall, and many locals have compared the scale of this event to the record floods of 1974.
READ MORE: Aussie mum fighting for life after 'devastating' Bali truck crash
The organisers are urging patrons to keep planning as if the event is going ahead. Facebook
"What wasn't anticipated was the extent of the inundation at the Big Red Bash festival site. Based on current conditions and local advice, the site will not dry sufficiently by July to allow the event to be held safely in this location."
Ticket sales have been paused as festival organisers work to secure another venue in the Birdsville region.
If they fail to do so, the event will be cancelled and ticket holders will be refunded.
"At this stage patrons should continue planning their trip to Birdsville as normal while we assess relocation options," organisers said.
"We will provide further updates as soon as more information is available. Thank you for your understanding, support and patience."
NATIONAL: 'Hard not to panic': Australian farmers hit first as fuel supplies dry up
NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.
- Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
- Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
- Sign up to our breaking newsletter here
Share a tip-off, video or photo with us
