birdsvilleraces

The Melbourne Cup might be the race that stops the nation, but the Birdsville Races is the race that sees the nation flock to one of Australia’s most remote towns. Well, maybe not the whole nation, but over 6,000 eager racegoers transform the 100–person town of Birdsville into a pumping metropolis the first weekend of September. It’s not just punters who travel hundreds of kilometres for the event – with $200,000 dollars in prize money up for grabs – horses and jockeys have been known to venture from interstate and overseas to gallop in the 13-race program. Source: www.outbackqueensland.com.au/news/everything-you-need-to-...

In the beginning… Way back in the Spring of 1882, a group of 150 owners, managers and stockmen came together on the South Australian and Queensland border for the first – and unofficial – Birdsville Races event. They managed to raise nearly 200 pounds by public subscription, enough to draw a significant crowd at the time – but a far cry from the $200,000 in prize money on offer today. Instead of bookies standing trackside, bets were settled at ‘Tucker’s Hotel’ – a dignified affair after the last race was called. What happened next reads like a movie script, and the first iteration of the Birdsville Race Club was born. The community gathered at Burt and Co.’s large iron store and the ‘Border Jockey Club’ was formed, being 42 members strong. Stewards were appointed, a working committee elected, and the next race meeting was fixed for July, 1883. Now, well over a century later, the race continues to grow as an iconic Australian event – and something that is high on many people’s ‘bucket list’. Source: www.birdsvilleraces.com/about-the-races/birdsville-races-...

Australia's most iconic outback pub. Everyone wants to say they've had a beer at The Birdsville Hotel. Since 1884, it’s weathered sandstone walls have been a welcome refuge to travellers from across the globe. A destination in its own right, the pub has endured floods, fires and even cyclones to stand as a symbol of the spirit and character of the outback. The Birdsville Hotel is steeped in history and has played a fascinating, yet important, part in the exploration and settlement of Australia’s desert country. Today, the iconic award-winning pub is the main focus in Birdsville at any time of the year but more so during the running of the famous annual Birdsville Races and the Big Red Bash. The pub offers visitors comfy accommodation, traditional pub fare, quality wine list, ice-cold drinks and with everything else needed for an authentic outback experience. Whether you parked your car out front or your plane on the airstrip opposite, once you enter the Birdsville pub, you’ll find yourself in a place like no other — a place where you can immerse yourself in the ambience and stories told by characters as colourful as a painted desert landscape. Source: www.queensland.com/us/en/plan-your-holiday/accommodation/...