Way back in the Spring of 1882, a group of 150 owners, managers and stockmen came together on the South Australian and Queensland border for the first – and unofficial – Birdsville Races event.
The racetrack that you see today isn’t exactly how things began in Birdsville. Turn back the clock 135 years, and the track was a straight line marked out with posts 200m apart – more of a fenceline than anything else. Forget barriers and a starting gun too, these races started with a flag or cable raise to the applause of a crowd 150 people strong. An exciting time, no doubt, but hardly the thunderous sound of clapping from nearly 6000 racegoers that you hear today.
In the 1930s, a few years after this image was taken, the track was moved to its current location.
Learn more: https://www.birdsvilleraces.com/about-the-races/birdsville-races-history/
