Mundi Mundi Bash at Broken Hill: Insane scenes at wild outback festival

Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett was dealing harsh truths as almost 10,000 people gathered for the wild Mundi Mundi Bash at Broken Hill.

An Aussie rock icon has kicked sand into Scott Morrison’s face and shamed the former PM in front of almost 10,000 punters who, coincidentally, have kicked sand into more intimate areas during a near-naked stampede at a rogue outback music festival.

About 35km northwest of Broken Hill, legendary Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett launched into his infamous electrocuted robot dance moves and was dealing harsh truths from the moment he hit the stage while headlining the opening night of the three-day Mundi Mundi Bash on Thursday.

Peter Garrett had a crack at Scott Morrison.

After serenading the crowd of grey nomads with the band’s 1998 song Redneck Wonderland – ouch – the singer then turned on Scott Morrison, addressing the controversial job grab saga that involved the former PM secretly appointing himself five additional ministries.

“Most of you will know I sit on the other side of the political fence,” Garrett, who served as a cabinet minister in two Labor governments, told punters. “But that was a dead-set betrayal of our country on a scale we haven’t seen for a very long time, if ever!

“So come into parliament and explain yourself, Morrison. I refuse to call him ScoMo - that was just a marketing technique to try and get footy players onside.”

Peter Garrett pulling off his classic moves.

The crowd roared. Moments later, Peter was back doing the electrocuted robot dance while Aussie music darling Missy Higgins sang backup on Power And The Passion in a green crushed velvet suit. It sent shockwaves through the desert. Suddenly, all the dads in the crowd were so worked up on adrenaline they began jolting around the mosh pit, impersonating the electrocuted robot dance themselves. News.com.au can report thousands of perplexed wives almost lost their eyes because of the reckless arm choreography.

Punters having a great time at the festival.

Drops of rain started to fall from the night sky briefly – almost mocking the chaos that unfolded just weeks ago in Byron when bad weather swiftly turned Splendour In The Grass into Splendour In The Mud. But even if a deluge did transform the dusty desert into a murky swamp, the Mundi Mundi Bash would’ve still powered on. Big Bashers are hardier stock than Splendour Softies.

Garrett’s political dressing down was so severe it basically left ScoMo standing in nothing but a Borat mankini - an outfit that can only be described as the Mundi Mundi Bash uniform.

At Friday’s Mundi Undi Run - a competition where punters race in their jocks to raise cash for the Royal Flying Doctor Service - grown men kept things aerodynamic with Borat sling-shot G-strings.

There were epic scenes at the outback music festival.

Some of the wild outfits on display at the festival.

Mundi Mundi bash 2022. Picture: Matt Williams

A man bravely running in his VB undies.

Given the fact the 4,800 campsites are unpowered with no shower facilities, it goes without saying these mankinis will be single use and disposed of immediately, in fire.

“Bit of chafe going on,” one onlooker called out.

“That should be illegal,” another observed.

“Brave man,” came a sigh.

“I’ve worn it at home but not out in public,” Phil Barclay from Brisbane said while walking along in his neon green mankini.

“I can’t run because I don’t know if I’ll hang out or not. Not even a light jog. And, I tell ya what, shrinkage has taken its toll today, too.”

Phil’s wife was waiting with a hoodie - far, far away from her husband.

“She’s so embarrassed.”

It was a different story for other Big Bash wives, who not only encouraged their husbands to wear mankinis, but demanded it.

Ashleigh from Newcastle coordinated the risky outfits for her husband Greg and his mates.

“It was months in the making,” she said of the red thong-back leotards.

The extra crotch flourish was the pièce de résistance.

The three men rocking red mankinis and wigs. Picture: Matt Williams

The family-friendly event took another twisted turn when, after the undie run, punters hit the stage for a fashion parade. In a moment reminiscent of that Super Freak pageant scene from Little Miss Sunshine, kids bounced around in their underwear-inspired couture to Right Said Fred’s 1991 novelty hit I’m Too Sexy. And while they put in a good performance, it wasn’t enough to win first place.

Instead, the prize was scooped by Kath and Kel, who made a surprise appearance and traded in Fountain Lakes for a campsite. The couple power-walked through the undie run to the delight of fans and were later swarmed for selfies.

“Hey Kath! Where’s Kim?” someone yelled.

“She couldn’t make it, she couldn’t make it,” came the response in Kath’s trademark twang.

“We’ve got our car-don-ay. We might go crack it now.”

Kath and Kel came a long way from Fountain Lakes. Picture: Matt Williams

This was pretty standard behaviour at the Mundi Mundi Bash.

Someone who definitely needed a sip of car-don-ay after his Friday night performance was Jon Stevens. The former Noiseworks frontman wowed the crowd with a medley of classic hits and tributes to INXS. But then the tumbleweeds blew across the desert plains and into his mind. During the encore, he forgot the lyrics.

There was a big crowd at the Mundi Mundi Bash.

This kid was feeling it.

Nearing the final verse of the 1990 INXS classic Disappear, Jon’s mind went blank and the guitars noddled around the same riff for an extended period of time. Eventually, Jon had to come clean.

“Sorry, I’m trying to remember the last verse,” he conceded.

“This is what’s called professional stalling, because I can’t remember the last verse. Don’t worry, it’ll come to me.”

And then, like desert rain, it came. Eventually.

There were epic scenes at the outback music festival.

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Originally published as Mundi Mundi Bash at Broken Hill: Insane scenes at wild outback festival