When you think of people putting up their hand to volunteer, you may not think of driving thousands of kilometres to the edge of the Simpson Desert to work in a big, red dustbowl.
Loading...But that is exactly what 54 volunteers did when they came to Birdsville in outback Queensland to put over 1,000 person hours into the famous Birdsville Races.
The 2017 event marked the 135th year of the Birdsville Races, a week where the isolated south-west Queensland town's population swells from around one hundred people to over 7,000.
Lucas Trihey from Event Safety Services manages and coordinates the volunteers, and said volunteers were essential to keep the show running.
"In the olden days, the event used to just get a whole lot of locals in, and they'd all just pitch in with whatever they needed doing," he said.
"As events got bigger, and with pressures from the outside world to comply with things like insurance and certain standards for food vendors, there were just too many jobs."
The tasks range from driving buses to manning merchandise stalls and washing dishes, but Mr Trihey said it was not all hard work.
"We structure it so that as long as they contribute a bit of time they get a free entry. They get to come along and watch the races when they're not on a shift," he said.
Gary Brook is the vice president of the Birdsville Races and Birdsville local resident. He said the races simply would not be possible without volunteers.
"I think volunteering is almost part of the Australian culture," Mr Brook said.
"Everybody wants to help out and help something be a success and help out their mates."
"It's also an opportunity to get behind the scenes.
"You can experience things volunteering, not only the Birdsville races but in any event of activity that you otherwise wouldn't get to do, you get to meet people you wouldn't otherwise get to meet."
Meet the volunteers
Andrew Jacenko from Bundaberg said volunteering at Birdsville was helping him tick an item off a bucket list.
"I lost my wife to cancer at the beginning of the year. I'm 62 years old, if I don't do it now I probably won't do it," he said.
"I've already put my name down to come down again. It was great and something different, I think everyone should try it."
Robin Brennan, of Lemon Tree Passage at Port Stephens, decided volunteering at the event was a great way to see the races and meet new people.
"It's been a very warm and welcoming town. It's interesting to see the outback and the harsh conditions the people who live here endure," she said.
"My hat goes off to these people who work very hard in these very trying conditions."
Yvonne Schoenmaker from Brisbane volunteered at Birdsville with her husband.
"You're not just a patron. You get to meet so many interesting people. I've really, really enjoyed it," she said.
"We didn't really have any expectations, because we didn't know what to expect. We've loved it, it's been really good."
Shane Volker from Bundaberg said he was looking for some time off when he came out to Birdsville.
"[I've been] relaxing back at the river, having a few quiet ones, and helping out and volunteering," he said.
"It's a once in a life time experience, everyone's got to tick this off, it's an awesome place to be."