The Birdsville Big Red Bash is set to return to the Simpson Desert across July 7-9 next year after a one-year hiatus, while the Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash prepares for another record year across August 20-22, with both blockbuster outback music events announcing stacked line-ups for 2026.

The 2026 festival line-ups are a roll call of Australian music royalty, with Missy Higgins, The Teskey Brothers, Hoodoo Gurus, Jon Stevens, John Butler, The Living End, Birds of Tokyo, Jessica Mauboy and other legendary acts set to hit two of the most extraordinary stages on earth.

Birdsville Big Red Bash will feature 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.

In a special family moment, 2026 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 on the edge of the Simpson Desert.

Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash will showcase 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, which stages both events, says 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. Our team are recharged and ready to give festival-goers an unforgettable outback adventure," Mr Donovan said.

For Mr 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. 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," she said.

The Teskey Brothers are eager to make their Bash debut, with Josh Teskey saying: "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. Very excited for these shows."

The 2026 edition of the Big Red Bash will also mark the return of crowd favourites Hoodoo Gurus, with frontman Dave Faulkner declaring, "We're psyched to be making a return visit to The Big Red Bash next year. 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 head out 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."

With Jon Stevens bringing his trademark powerhouse performance to the Mundi Mundi Bash, with hits including "Touch" and "Take Me Back" destined to echo across the plains, and The Teskey Brothers' soulful "Pain and Misery" set to melt into the desert dusk, the outback will once again become Australia's biggest stage.

The camping-based festivals, renowned as the world's most remote music event (Birdsville) and Australia's biggest outback music festival (Mundi Mundi), will each feature three days of music and unique outback entertainment—from world-record attempts and charity fun runs to camel rides, comedy and outdoor film nights.

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 children under 18 years old are available.

The festivals offer up uniquely Australian destination adventures for families, grey nomads, camping and caravanning enthusiasts and intrepid travellers alike, with around 10,000 expected to converge on Big Red outside of Birdsville and close to 15,000 on the Mundi Mundi Plains.

While both festival locations are remote, they are also easily accessible by road. The Mundi Mundi Plains location has a sealed road leading right into the event site, while the Big Red Bash location has sealed road options right to Birdsville and a short distance of graded gravel road to reach the festival site.

Self-driving to both events is the most popular way to get there; however, bus tours are also available to the Birdsville Big Red Bash, and scheduled flights and train transport are available to Broken Hill for the Mundi Mundi Bash.

While ticket holders are able to bring their own food as well as alcohol, a large range of food vendors selling both hot and cold food and non-alcoholic beverages will also be on offer at both sites.

Tickets for the Birdsville Big Red Bash go on sale from 10am AEDT on 23 October, and the Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash follows at 10am AEDT on 24 October.

Applications for volunteer roles at each event will open on 18 and 19 October from 10am AEDT to past volunteers, with new volunteer positions available to all for both events from 10am AEDT on 22 October.

Event Details:

2026 Birdsville Big Red Bash

• Where: Big Red sand dune, 35km west of Birdsville
• When: July 7-9 2026
• More info and tickets: www.bigredbash.com.au (tickets released October 25 2025 at 10am AEDT)

2026 Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash

• Where: Belmont Station, on the Mundi Mundi Plains, 9km north of Silverton—35km north of Broken Hill
• When: 20-22 August 2026
• More info and tickets: www.mundimundibash.com.au (tickets released October 24 2025 at 10am AEDT)