Hoodoo Gurus take to stage on day one of 2023 Birdsville Big Red Bash

Australian rock royalty Hoodoo Gurus got the crowd pumping on a raucous opening day in western Queensland as the world's most remote music festival broke new ground with another world record.

More than 5,000 punters, clad from top to toe in blue, herded into the shape of Australia to raise almost $75,000 for type one diabetes research, smashing a record "for the largest human image of a country" which was previously held by Romania.

Running from July 4 to 6, the 2023 edition of the festival was almost thrown in to doubt after a weekend downpour prompted organisers to suspend roll-ins just days before the event was supposed to kick off.

Much to the delight of the more than 10,000 punters, the rain cleared and the festival continued as the festival's inaugural 2013 headliner John Williamson took to the stage.

"It's like a coliseum of caravans out there," Williamson told the crowd.

"This event is iconic - I feel proud to have been part of the very first event. I love being here, and I love that it brings so many people to experience the Outback."

Day one continued with the Pierce Brothers and The Waifs taking to the stage, before Furnace and the Fundamentals closed the night with an eclectic set which had everyone jumping.

In amongst it all though were ARIA Hall of Fame inductees the Hoodoo Gurus who tore through their headlining set, pumping out classics such as What's My Scene, Like Wow - Wipeout! and Another World.

Hoodoo Gurus front man Dave Faulkner revelled in his excitement for the festival's isolation.

"This is the most unique music festival in the world," Faulkner told the crowd.

"We're kind of like a group of aliens out here from another world," he said.

The festival will continue through to Thursday June 6 with headliners Human Nature set to close the event.