It started out as a special remote area experience – camping beneath the stars on the eastern edge the Simpson Desert with mates, many blending beverages and Blues.
Now, several years on, the annual Birdsville Big Red Bash is becoming a pop-up Outback showroom for a growing number of savvy off-road manufacturers who have realised that a captive group of like-minded travellers with time on their hands to poke and prod at other people’s toys can only be good for business. Melbourne’s Track Trailer were the first to tap the potential three years ago when they encouraged owners of their older Eagle campers and current Mate, Tvan and Topaz trailers and hybrids to gather there for a TT Owners’ rally.
The event has now become a Track Trailer ‘annual’ with an estimated 100 owners and their rigs set to be at this year’s Bash from July 4-6 – up from 70 last year – to enjoy headline music acts performed over three days by evergreens Jimmy Barnes and Paul Kelly, supported by fellow golden oldies Glenn Shorrock and Brian Cadd.
However, in between stage performances this year, the latest model Tvan and Topaz models sent specially to the Bash by TT’s Marketing Department, will be open to visitors and business in a low key sales pitch.
Fellow Victoria off-road camper trailer, pop-top and caravan manufacturer Goldstream has also cottoned on to the idea and will have two of its latest models in the bare essentials camping ground in the shadow of Big Red at this year’s Bash.
The BRB will mark the first public showing of the new 1760 EW Bunk Pop-Top – a Goldstream favourite, but with a unique new interior layout – and the latest model 2050 Rhino full height extreme off-road caravan.
As well as a transverse front queen bed, the novel feature of the rear-door EW Bunk, as its name suggests, is its triple stacked single beds that spread across the pop-top’s rear, eschewing the combined interior shower toilet of Goldstream’s regular 1760 Bunk van in the process.
An exterior shower is standard in compensation on the new model and this should be fine at Big Red, as the camping area on level area on the dry lake bed of Lake Nappanerica has few facilities except a bank of portable toilets.
The challenge of the camp for manufacturers planning a display is that sites are not pre-allocated, so it’s first-in, best dressed after 9am on July 4 this year – difficult if you want to surround yourself with similar products – and everyone must depart the area after the concert on Thursday July 7.
There is also no power or water available, although generators are tolerated, limiting the usual videos, etc that manufacturers love to show potential purchasers.
The good news is that camping is free for concert patrons, so instead of being up for display space, manufacturers can instead attract a loyal crowd with a fistful of tickets!