Outback Races On Track...

Two of Australia’s most iconic outback sporting events have announced that they are back on for 2021 after both being called off last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both the Birdsville Races, often referred to as the Melbourne Cup of the Outback, and the Boulia Camel Cup, an outback camel race as famous for its celebrations as it is for its racing, are back on the sporting calendar and ready to erase the disappointments of the past 12 months with some high-spirited, uniquely Australian outback fun.

The two-day spectacular of outback thoroughbred racing, which is held in the Simpson Desert, is set to run on Friday and Saturday September 3rd and 4th.

The Birdsville races have been held in the tiny outback town of Birdsville – population 140 on a busy day – since 1882. It’s meagre population swells to more than 6500 people for the annual races. Before last year, the races had only ever been cancelled once before, in 2007 because of an outbreak of equine flu that endangered Australia’s horse populations.

But, says Birdsville Race Club Vice President Gary Brook, organisers have plenty of time up their sleeve to make sure that the 2021 event is both safe and successful despite the on-going pandemic.

Australia, he says, is one of the luckiest countries in the world in terms of COVID infections because at present there are just 10 people currently being treated for the disease in the entire country.

“We appreciate that Birdsville is a trip that punters need to plan for – so we’re aiming for a May release of tickets,” Mr Brook says.