The Melbourne Cup of the Outback has kicked off in style, with thousands of intrepid punters descending on the red dirt of the Birdsville Racetrack for two days of quality outback racing.
Celebrating 144 years of racing in the heart of Outback Queensland, this year’s 13-race program features a record $350,000 in prize money, attracting trainers, jockeys, punters and visitors from across Australia to one of the country’s most remote and iconic racing destinations.
The celebrations began on Thursday with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Fun Run and Birdsville Cup Parade, with the parade travelling from the Wirrarri Centre to the iconic Birdsville Hotel. The Parade brought together all sides of the Birdsville community and the wider event, with Birdsville State School, event partners, Birdsville Roadies, and the Birdsville Race Club all taking part.
This year’s annual Birdsville Races Fun Run embraced the spirit of the Outback with a Country & Western theme, with runners bringing Wild West flair to the desert while raising funds for the RFDS.
Thursday evening saw the RFDS Birdsville Races Gala take centre stage – the most glamorous event of the race carnival, held trackside as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Birdsville Race Club President David Brook and his wife Nell led a Birdsville Race Club and RFDS team who walked the dusty track to light lanterns as the sun set, symbolising the crucial role of the RFDS and the community members who light up dark, remote airstrips on properties, helping to ensure the safe landing of the service’s planes in times of need. The landing strip created a spectacular backdrop for Birdsville Races Ambassador Ally Mosley to ride at sunset on horseback bringing the TAB Birdsville CUp into the fundraiser.
The Gala auction raised $15,850 for the important work of the service. Cortney Ginivan, Partnerships & Community Coordinator, Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) stated:
“Support from events like the Birdsville Races helps ensure the Flying Doctor can continue delivering healthcare services to remote communities like Birdsville, while providing locals and travellers with the reassurance of knowing the Flying Doctor will be there when needed most, no matter the distance.”
Trackside festivities kicked off with a Welcome to Country from retiring National Park Ranger and Outback legend Don Rowlands, followed by a special arrival of 46 punters who travelled to Birdsville on a sold-out bus trip organised by Dubbo-based comedian Wiradjuri Rabbs. The group made a $5,000 donation to the RFDS and has also been offered a 10 per cent share in Green Shadows, running in tomorrow’s TAB Birdsville Cup. If Green Shadows wins, the group has voted to donate its winnings to the Motor Neuron Foundation.
The first race of the 2026 Birdsville Races, the RFDS QTIS Maiden Plate 1,200m, was won by Crudo, trained by Toni Schofield and ridden by Samantha Pointon. Schofield, the leading trainer at the 2025 Birdsville Races, has returned to Birdsville with 12 horses this year following a cracking 2025 carnival in which she had seven horses competing.
Race favourite Revolt was hoping to make it back to back wins in the Akubra Big Red Open Quality Handicap but was beaten to the post by Kym Healy’s Hello World who set a new track record to take out the $45,000 prize at the feature race of the day.
“I knew I had the pace from the corner so I was sure I had it. I love this race as it’s the only meet on a Friday in Queensland, which means there’s a lot of people watching it and getting a taste of what the Outback’s like,” said winning jockey John Keating.
Birdsville Race Club Vice President Gary Brook said the opening day was a celebration of the people and communities who make the Birdsville Races possible:
“There’s nowhere else quite like Birdsville. To see thousands of people come together at Australia’s most remote race meet is something pretty special. It takes an enormous effort from our local community, our volunteers, our partners, the road crews, trainers, jockeys and everyone behind the scenes to make these races happen.
“But that’s what Birdsville is all about. It’s about getting together, having a great time, backing our community and putting on a racing carnival that people will remember long after they’ve left the red dirt.
“It was fantastic to see Kym Healy get up in the Akubra Big Red Cup with Hello World just clipping last year’s winner Revolt. Kym’s now hoping to double up with a second feature tomorrow and take out the big TAB Birdsville Cup. If he does so he’ll receive a $5,000 bonus, and with 4 horses including Hello World, he’ll give it a shake.”
Trackside punters also embraced the spirit of the Outback through the Novelty Fashions on the Field, with racegoers bringing plenty of colour, creativity and humour to the Birdsville track. The winners were “The Grannies” from Mendooran, NSW, with other wild and wonderful ensembles including ABBA, Alice in Wonderland, Napoleon, tutus, camo, beer suits and more.
For the first time since 2019, visitors flying into Birdsville for the Races were once again able to camp airside at Birdsville Airport. While the arrangement is different from the underwing camping that operated in previous years, a designated Airside Special Event Zone has been established to make the experience safer and easier to manage, while still keeping campers close to the action.
It is another example of the practical ingenuity that has long been part of the Birdsville Races experience – finding a way to welcome visitors to one of the most remote race meetings in the country.
With day one in the books, the focus now turns to the TAB Birdsville Cup, with the final day of racing set to bring the carnival to its climax.
The Birdsville Races continue to showcase the extraordinary beauty of Outback Queensland, the determination of its communities and the enduring appeal of a race meeting where the journey to the track is every bit as memorable as what happens once you get there.
The Birdsville Races are proudly supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland, and feature on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar.
