Mundi Mundi Bash still ultimate outback adventure, festival goers say

Mundi Mundi Bash draws crowd despite rain and cost-of-living challenges In short: Mundi Mundi Bash ticketholders say the event, held 38 kilometres north-west of Broken Hill, was worth travelling for despite wet weather and high fuel prices. The unique outback event is one of only a few festivals still thriving in Australia, as many others struggle to stay viable. Heavy rain forced organisers to turn away 5,000 of the 15,000 ticketholders. For many, the Mundi Mundi Bash music festival is the ultimate adventure: a road trip to an isolated outback venue for music and fun. Held 38 kilometres north-west of Broken Hill, the far-flung festival was preparing for its fifth bash with headline acts including The Teskey Brothers, John Butler and Jessica Mauboy when disaster struck. An unseasonably heavy amount of rain partially flooded 30 per cent of the festival grounds and, on the day music goers should have been rolling in, organisers had to make the "gut-wrenching" decision to turn away 5,000 ticketholders. Event organiser Laura Impey said she and her father Greg Donovan, who founded the festival, were "shattered" they had to turn so many people away. "We don't take it lightly, the journey and the effort people put in to get here, so to have to make this call is beyond devastating,"she said. Graham Tainton, from Melbourne, was one of the displaced travellers and had been "really looking forward" to his first bash, but understood why the decision had to be made. "We can't help what Mother Nature is going to do," he said. Jenny McFarland was also turned away after a 12-hour drive, but she and her friends decided to make the best of their time in Broken Hill, where some of the Bash acts put on free concerts. "This was going to be my first Mundi, but we'll come back another year," Ms McFarland said. Fourth-year basher Sharyn Cunningham from the Barossa Valley, South Australia, was able to get into the festival after initially being turned away. She said the rain and cost-of-living was having an obvious impact on attendees. "I've noticed a difference. People are not using many vendors as much as normal. I think everyone is doing it a little bit tougher, I can see that and also with the humungous puddles out front," she said. "I think people are just staying in the caravans a bit more. Not as many people [are] going to the concert." Outback music festival defies trends The Mundi Mundi Bash has steadily grown from its first year in 2022 with about 9,500 attendees to 15,000 at this year's sold-out festival. The outback event is one of only a few festivals still thriving in Australia, as many others were scaled back and even cancelled entirely due to soaring overhead and production costs as well as cost-of-living pressures driving a downturn in ticket sales. Last month Mundi's sister festival, the Big Red Bash, had to be cancelled. While the decision was largely due to flooding of the Birdsville site, uncertainty about fuel prices and availability had also played a part. Ahead of the Mundi Bash, returning "bashers" Natelie and Wayne Chambellant, from Tamworth, said the fuel crisis had been a challenge. "We both discussed that when the fuel prices were rising and we basically decided it didn't matter how high they rose, it was the availability of the fuel, we were coming regardless," Ms Chambellant said. Mundi founder Greg Donovan said the event's uniqueness helped it survive when so many other festivals and events struggled. "It's a different style of music festival. People are not just coming for the music, obviously the music is a major drawcard, but it's the location, it's the setting, it's the vibe … it's just a sense of community," he said. He said people were drawn to the road tripping and camping at a remote outback venue. "The combination of all of that is really what sets it apart and is what is making it successful and sustainable." In the lead-up to the festival, Mr Donovan said fuel prices were not a major obstacle for many of the bashers, as they tended to plan ahead. "They come out to usually do a two-week trip and have a holiday and have a great time," he said. "And if they might have to pay an extra couple hundred bucks all up for their fuel, it's something they will just generally absorb." This was the case for Glenn and Dianne Carlos, from Canberra, who said the Mundi Mundi Bash had been on their bucket list for a long time. "Fuel prices are an issue and we're not underplaying the issue of what fuel prices are, but if you make a decision to come out here, whether it's 10 or 20 cents extra a litre really isn't that big a deal,"Mr Carlos said. For the Canberrans, the Bash offered a priceless experience of being in the "middle of nowhere with no power" with "great music". Caravanning a 'cost-effective' way to travel Andrea and Gus Wegener from Mannum, South Australia, had been waiting five years to use their 2021 Bash tickets. The festival's first-ever year was postponed due to the COVID pandemic and it was not until 2026 that they could make the trip. Ms Wegener said while the cost of fuel was high, caravanning at the festival had allowed them to keep costs down. "It is good that you can bring all your own gear … even though we plan on buying some food and supporting the stalls," she said "It definitely does make it a lot more cost efficient, once you've paid for your fuel you can counteract that [because] you don't have to pay for accommodation." First-timers Mel and Dan Miegel from Avalon Beach in Sydney saw the Bash online and decided it would be the perfect trip in their new caravan. "We do appreciate it's a real pinch at the moment for everybody, including us," Ms Miegel said. "We're fortunate with the van, having that allows us to cook a lot of our own meals, keeps the accommodation cost low and then we can do some free camping on our way here and back," Mr Miegel said. Being able to bring her beloved dogs to the festival was also a huge drawcard. "They are my best friends and I think it's amazing that we can bring our dogs," Ms Miegel said.