To the delight of those who like to travel with dogs on extended trips, the organisers of the annual Big Red Bash will welcome ‘man’s best friends’ at the 2017 event from July 4-6 in what is believed to be a ‘first’ for an Australian multi day music festival. However, the pooches will need to be on their best behaviour to be invited back, as this year is a trial of a new dog-friendly policy. For the past three events, only Guide Dogs have been allowed in.
Organisers of the fifth annual festival are calling for the co-operation of dog owners to stick by the rules if they want to have their furry friend invited back in 2018.
Being a trial year, there will be a limit on the number of dogs allowed into the campsite at the base of the Big Red dune, 35km west of Birdsville on the eastern edge of the Simpson Desert.
This will be based on the limited campsites set aside for dog owners and only four-legged beasts that are registered through the organisers’ system will be permitted and will be issued with a pass to wear on their collar.
Attendees must advise the organisers if bringing a dog when buying tickets and they will be restricted segregated dog-friendly area at the north rear of the campground.
While the dogs will not be allowed in other public areas, including the main concert area, an exercise area adjacent to this dog friendly campsite and a dog walkway from the dog campsite to a dog-allocated concert area will be provided, ensuring that the canines will be able to enjoy the sounds of Missy Higgins, Lee Kernaghan, James Reyne, Mark Seymour and other performers.
If you bring your dog you will also need to pick up your dog waste and drop it in bins specifically provided for this purpose – mini dump points, if you like.
Dogs will also need to be tagged with the owner’s contact details and campsite number and will have to be kept on leads at all times except in the exercise area, where they must be fully supervised.
Owners of noisy or nuisance dogs may be asked to remove them from the event. But the deal-breaker for some with large dogs and small tents or campers is the rule that requires the dogs to sleep within your accommodation at night.
What’s that saying about dogs and fleas – stop scratching!