A REDLANDS family has contributed to the bushfire relief effort after being drawn out of a ballot to attend the sold-out Big Red Bash music festival at Birdsville in July.
The Owens missed out on a spot during the general sale but were one of 25 families or couples to secure their tickets when another 25 packages were released in January.
The sale of the extra tickets, worth $2000, contributed to the $100,000 that had been raised for the Red Cross and Salvation Army bushfire appeals.
Included in their package was a two day early entry pass, a prime allocated campsite near the front and a Big Red Bash festival poster signed by the artists.
Lee Owen said he had also been raising money for the bushfire appeal through the family business since the start of the month.
"We were over the moon to secure tickets through the ballot, for two reasons," he said.
"Of course, the first was that we had missed out on getting tickets in the general sale and were devastated but also when we saw the money for the ticket package was going to the bushfire relief, we just knew we needed to be part of it.
"When the chance came to enter the ballot to gain access to the VIP bushfire package, we jumped at it."
- Also read: 40+ photos from the 2019 Big Red Bash
- Also read: Big Red Bash 2017 at Birdsville | photos
Concert founder Greg Donovan said the organisers were shocked and saddened by the extent of the bushfire crisis and the impact it had on the community.
"Each July the Big Red Bash brings people together from nearly every town and community across every state of Australia," he said.
"As a result many of our past patrons and volunteers have been impacted by the bushfires as have many of those who are planning to attend or volunteer this year.
"Many of our crew are also in impacted communities, and have been involved in various roles at the frontline of the crisis.
"This is a time to do what Australians do best and pull together to support each other during a crisis when so many are hurting."
The concert is expected to draw a crowd of more than 10,000 to the Simpson Desert in Queensland from July 7 to 9.
The event, known as the world's most remote music festival, is now in its sixth year and generates $11 million in revenue each year for outback Queensland.
This year's artist line-up includes Paul Kelly, Ian Moss, Shannon Noll and others.
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