Are having a beer at the Birdsville Hotel and taking in a great Australian Outback race meet on your bucket list? Then don't miss the 2012 Bedourie Races. Held on 7-8 September in the historic Outback town of Bedourie in Queensland's dazzling Diamantina Shire in the state's far west, the Bedourie Races is the third race meet in the famed Simpson Desert Racing Carnival.

This year to help get racegoers to the event the Diamantina Shire Council has organised a special charter flight with departures from both Brisbane and Toowoomba. Visitors to the races will be treated to a weekend of non-stop fun and enjoyment starting with a stopover in the iconic Outback town of Birdsville for a beer at the famous Birdsville Hotel before arriving in Bedourie in time for the Friday evening rodeo.

Come Saturday morning the racecourse will rev up early for the Bedourie Ute & Travellers' Muster. Now in its fourth year, the muster attracts motor enthusiasts from around the country all keen to pay homage to Australia's greatest workhorse; the good ol' Aussie ute. With much pride taken in ute ownership categories such as Best Outback Ute, Best Bullbar Ute and Best Chick's Ute are hard fought.

From fun on four wheels the focus then moves to four leg action on the track with the first of the preliminary races bursting through the barriers just after lunch. Now in its 54th year, the Bedourie Race is the only race meet in the Simpson Desert Racing Carnival, which also includes the Betoota and Birdsville Races, to have run consecutively since its inception in the late 1950s. With its strong focus on country spirit and hospitality it offers one of the friendliest - and most unique - Outback race experiences.

If you do manage to draw your attention away from the action on the racecourse you'll find there's much to discover in and around Bedourie. Located on Eyre Creek, half way between Birdsville to the south and Boulia to the north (each about 200km away), the Diamantina's administrative centre lies in the heart of Queensland's Channel Country.

Dubbed the 'Oasis in the Desert', the town's most notable landmark is the Bedourie Hotel. Previously known as the Royal Hotel, the historic waterhole has traded continuously since it was first licensed in the 1880s. Other town attractions include a therapeutic hot artesian spa reaching temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius, the heritage-listed Bedourie Mud Hut, believed to have once operated as a Cobb and Co rest-stop, and a 9-hole Outback golf course noted for its natural sand bunkers.

For those wanting to get out and explore the area, a 68km drive south of Bedourie along the road to Birdsville you'll find Cuttaburra Crossing a stunning natural wetland with prolific bird life, while a further 38km away is the National Trust-Listed Carcoory Homestead Ruins built in 1877. If that's not enough, Bedourie is also the main gateway to the celebrated Diamantina National Park, recently named one of Australia's top ten national parks.

So if you've ever wanted to take in an Outback race and see a bit of the country, the 2012 Bedourie Races are an experience not to be missed.

Accommodation:

Meals and accommodation are available at both the Bedourie Hotel (phone: 07 4746 1201) and the Simpson Desert Oasis Roadhouse (phone: 07 4746 1291).  Camping facilities are available at the Bedourie Caravan Park (phone: 1300 794 257).

Getting there:

The Diamantina Shire Council has organised a special Skytrans Charter flight for the Bedourie Races. The flight, departing Brisbane and Toowoomba on Friday 7 September and returning on Sunday 9 September, costs $350/700 per person one way/return. Tickets are selling fast, so make sure you don't miss out.

Further information:

For more information contact the Bedourie Outback Visitors Centre on 1300 794 257 or email visitors@diamantina.qld.gov.au . 

Images :

Outback races in Bedourie, Queensland (Photographer: Rowan Bestmann)

The Outback Loop Bedourie Ute & Travellers' Muster in Bedourie Queensland (Photographer: Rowan Bestmann)

Outback races in Bedourie, Queensland (Photographer: Rowan Bestmann).