Record crowds have taken over the small Outback Queensland town of Winton for Australia’s Quirkiest Race, the Quilton Australian Dunny Derby.
Crowds were on the edge of their loo seats in the race to be crowned the champions of the golden porcelain throne as the ‘Wilderpiss Explorers’ beat out the ‘Nutcrackers’, jockeyed by Winton’s very own Mayor Gavin Baskett, by only centimetres.
21 outhouses on wheels got down to business as the sunset on Friday 22nd September lining up at the starting blocks to race the 200-metre course of obstacles under tough conditions vying for the National title of Australia’s Fastest Dunny and a flush of cash.
Teams from across Australia including ‘Flushdance’, ‘Tina Turders’, ‘Swan Leak’ and ‘Dolly Pharton’, had been in training for two years vying to clean up the field across the 5-race showdown including the fastest Dunny; the Constipation Stakes (best of the losers!) and Best Presented team and Outhouse as voted by the crowds. Brisbane’s ‘Strictly Bathroom’ danced their way on the racetrack into crowd favourite (R. Swiper) award.
Festival coordinator, Robyn Stephens OAM explains “The Quilton Australian Dunny Derby attracts all kinds of dressed-up dunnies and their jockeys and they take so much pride in racing these loos, you’ve got to see it to believe it.”
The hilarious competition is a tribute to the humble outhouse, “dunny” and “thunderbox”. Inventions that were once necessary to everyday life, have mostly been traded for modern plumbing around Australia, except out here in Winton, where the townsfolk are throw out the red dirt welcome mat, inviting visitors to come and compete in the derby, a Winton tradition since 1991.
Larrikin by nature, the Winton Outback Festival starting back in 1972 is the town’s longest-running celebration, swelling the town’s population by 500%. The festival celebrates all things Aussie outback over a 5-day jampacked program with no shortage of activities for little swaggies to the young at heart.
Robyn Stephens OAM added, “The Outback Festival is all about having fun and bringing people into the outback for over 40 events over 5 days of enjoyment.”
The program running from 19 – 23 September included the gruelling 5-day Outback Iron Man, Iron Woman and Iron Junior Challenge with a distinctly Outback twist testing competitors physical but also mental strength.
Festival-goers also embraced True Blue Aussie Sports from swag throwing to wool bale rolling, Bush Poetry Breakfasts, Whip Cracking Championships, Sunset Gala Charity Dinner, a 100KM cycle challenge, Adventure Trail Run and Truckies Backing Competition plus live entertainment all festival long that kept visitors singing, dancing, and laughing.
“We owe an enormous amount of gratitude to our local community, the volunteers and sponsors who make this event possible.”
Winton is located in the heart of Outback Queensland, within a cooee of Longreach and Mount Isa, and was voted Queensland’s favourite Top Tiny Tourism Town in 2022 and 2023.
Outback Festival will be returning to Winton once again in 2025 – mark it in your diaries and we’ll see you in Winton from 23rd to 27th September 2025.
INTERVIEWS
Festival Director, Robyn Stephens OAM
M 0429 806 140
MEDIA SUPPORT
Sally Bird
[email protected]
M 0488 273 353