Birdsville Races organisers cancel event due to Covid uncertainty

Organisers of Queensland’s iconic Birdsville Races have decided to cancel the event for the second year in a row due to uncertainty caused by Covid lockdowns.

The latest Covid crisis has claimed another victim, with the iconic Birdsville Races cancelled for the second year in a row.

Even though southeast Queensland emerged from lockdown on Sunday, organisers of the famous outback race meet were unwilling to risk further uncertainty and decided to pull the pin.

It comes just days after organisers of the Sunshine Coast Marathon made a similar call just a week out from the scheduled foot race.

The Birdsville Races have been cancelled due to Covid uncertainty. Picture: Salty Dingo

That has been shifted until October while the Birdsville race meet will now be held on April 10 and 11 next year, creating a rare two meets in the same year ahead of a return to the traditional dates next September.

Gary Brook, vice president of the Birdsville Race Club, said with many ticketholders currently unable to enter Queensland, cancelling the event was the only sensible option.

“We are now less than a month away from the event, and more than 85% of our ticket holders reside in locations that are interstate and unable to currently enter Queensland, or in lockdown or discouraged from travelling to regional Queensland,” he said.

“The fact that key staff and contractors cannot make it to Birdsville now also jeopardises our ability to stage a successful event.

“When announcing the end to the southeast Queensland lockdown on Sunday, the Queensland Premier pleaded with people not to travel to regional Queensland (and) we respect this cautionary request. “