Birdsville’s biggest bash celebrates 140 years

It’s the Melbourne Cup of the bush – and almost as old. Take a look at the extraordinary history of one of Queensland’s most iconic events.

Birdsville’s biggest birthday bash is celebrating 140 years of horsing around.

The iconic Birdsville Races, dubbed the Melbourne Cup of the bush, will mark an extraordinary milestone in September with the 140th anniversary of the inaugural event in 1882.

A few dozen locals turned out to watch that humble beginning – where the racetrack was little more than a straight line marked by a few fence posts and the starter’s gun was a bloke with a flag.

GALLERY: 70+ PICTURES YEARS OF THE BIRDSVILLE RACES

Now, the bush bucket list attraction, backing up for a second instalment of 2022 following two years of Covid cancellation, attracts almost 10,000 spectators from around the world.

It’s still a step back in time, where arm wrestling duels are held on the deck of the town’s famous pub while brave souls step into the ring to fight members of Fred Brophy’s travelling boxing troupe.

The track itself has moved only once and its current dusty, Mars-like surface has been home to the carnival for 90 years.

The dust has turned to mud more than once, most recently in 2016, when organisers worked without break to ensure the show went on.

This year’s race meet runs across September 2-3.