Top Acts Announced for Australia’s 2026 Outback Festival: Missy Higgins, Teskey Brothers & Jessica Mauboy
Exciting Lineups for Australia’s Premier Outback Music Festivals
Australia’s most significant outback music festivals—Birdsville Big Red Bash and Mundi Mundi Bash—have unveiled their winter 2026 lineups, featuring some of the most iconic names in Australian country music. Both festivals showcase a blend of familiar faces and unique artists, cementing their status in the local music scene.
Highlights of the Festivals
While both festivals share some performers, each boasts exclusive acts as well. The Big Red Bash will feature renowned artists like Missy Higgins, Hoodoo Gurus, The Living End, and Tokyo Birds. Meanwhile, Mundi Mundi Bash has secured impressive names such as Jon Stevens and John Butler, alongside shared stars like Troy Cassar-Daley and Jessica Mauboy.
This vibrant celebration of music in the outback reflects the heart and soul of Australia’s remote festival circuit, offering experiences that are truly one of a kind.
Artist Excitement
Returning headliner Missy Higgins shared her excitement about performing at Birdsville again, stating, “My band and I absolutely love playing in the desert for The Big Red Bash. Surrounded by giant sand dunes and people having traveled miles in their dusty caravans to get there… it’s so unique and so Australian.”
The Teskey Brothers are set to make their debut at the Big Red Bash, with lead singer Josh Teskey expressing enthusiasm for the experience: “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.”
Memorable Experiences
Returning act Hoodoo Gurus are eager to relive their memorable 2023 performance. Dave Faulkner reminisced, “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?!”
Greg Donovan, the founder of the Outback Music Festival Group, highlighted the significant impact these events have on the Australian music scene, stating, “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.”
Festival Details
Both festivals are camping-based and expect to draw large crowds, with estimates of around 10,000 at Big Red and 15,000 at Mundi Mundi. These family-friendly and dog-friendly events ensure accessibility, even in remote locations.
The Birdsville Big Red Bash is set for July 7–9, 2026, with tickets available starting October 23 at 10 AM AEDT. The Mundi Mundi Bash will take place from August 20–22, 2026, with tickets on sale from October 24.
Lineups at a Glance
2026 Birdsville Big Red Bash Lineup
- 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
- Gypsy Lee
2026 Mundi Mundi Bash Lineup
- 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
- 19-Twenty
- 50 Years of Fleetwood Mac
- Hot Potato Band
- Tom Busby
- Wes Carr
Are you planning to attend either of these incredible outback music festivals?
