It’s not Flemington Racecourse with its high-stakes glitz and glam, but that’s what punters love about the Birdsville Races.

The iconic outback event draws a crowd of thousands to the remote town on the edge of the Simpson Desert in far western Queensland.

Travellers of all ages battle the heat, dust and of course flies to watch horses barrel down the iconic dirt racetrack.

Last year’s Birdsville Cup winner, Neodium, returned with a vengeance this year to achieve a back-to-back win on Saturday. 

Despite crowd and entrant numbers not yet returning to pre-COVID levels, the two-day race meet is still a bucket list item for people across the country.

Racegoers come from far and wide

Best friends Monique Morris and Stacey Layton travelled 19 hours from Bundarra in New South Wales on a spontaneous trip they are hoping to turn into an annual tradition.

“We love going to country races. We’re from a really small town and there’s not much else to do,” Ms Layton said.

Sydneysider Tom Miles and his mates were celebrating the ‘Festival of Tom’.

The group will spend six weeks travelling around the country for his 60th birthday.

“A lot of sightseeing, drinking and spending money in regional Australia,” Mr Miles said

It’s not only racegoers who have travelled extensively for the event.

Many of the 71 horses that competed over two days in 13 races have also been tested on the road to Birdsville.

Winning horse Neodium and his fellow racehorse Trumpsta made the trek from Adelaide. 

“I’m glad they travelled up together because I don’t think they’d perform if they weren’t side by side.”

Cost of living bites

More than 3,000 people came through the gates for this year’s races.

Birdsville Race Club vice president Gary Brook is a driving force behind the ambitious race meet.

“There’s no doubt that cost of living is biting with interest rates and the cost of fuel,” he said.

“It’s also affecting some of the trainers that have been coming to Birdsville in the past that are struggling with staffing … that’s a problem across the country.”

Blackall-based horse trainer David Rewald opted for a race meet in Emerald instead this weekend.

The former jockey last took horses out to Birdsville in 2021, and said this year it wasn’t worth the cost.

“You also need to have someone at home to look after the ones you don’t take,” he said.

Mr Rewald said it was becoming more difficult to find training staff. 

Lifeblood for the community

Events such as the races are critical for small businesses in Birdsville. 

For Thiwi Rowlands, who runs a cafe with her family, a slow tourist season has taken its toll.

“It’s affected us, our business hugely,” she said. 

“If the numbers drop anymore, it’s a bit scary.”

But over the past couple of days, the small cafe has been full with racegoers. 

“We do want to share our community with our visitors … that’s what we love to do,” Ms Rowlands said.