Whenever I’ve watched classic movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, I’ve always imagined it would be fun to go on a road trip through Australia with a bunch of drag queens.
It made it look like such a laugh with plenty of witty banter, glittery outfits and strong cocktails so when I got the chance to do just that, I agreed straight away and it definitely lived up to expectations.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the film hitting cinemas, so it was the perfect time to recreate it and I headed off for the adventure with four stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race.
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There was Ginny Lemon and Sister Sister from the UK version and Joey Jay and Utica Queen from the US version and within minutes the jokes were coming thick and fast. They were all as hilarious as you’d expect. When I’m with my friends, I’m one of the funnier ones, but around drag queens I just couldn’t compete!
We set off on the same route as we saw Bernadette, Tick and Mitzy take on the big screen in 1994 – after leaving the hustle and bustle of Australia’s glorious coast behind, we headed into the centre of the country. Our first stop was Coober Pedy, which is one of the most memorable stops they make in the film.
It’s a small town in the middle of the outback – there are only about 2,000 residents and it’s without doubt the most remote place I’ve ever been. It’s got just a handful of shops and restaurants and there’s no nightclub or cinema and because it’s so hot, many people have houses underground because it’s cooler.
One of the biggest industries in the area since the early 1900s is opal mining. Giant areas around the town are devoted to it with many of the residents devoting their lives to digging for buried treasure. You can go on a tour of a mine to see up close how it’s done and the Umoona Opal Mine & Museum is the town’s most popular attraction.
Next up we headed to Alice Springs, which is around 428miles north. We were travelling in a giant pink bus like the one in the film and as you’d expect, it was a bit chaotic with dresses and wigs and props all over the place. Joey Jay was even sewing a dress on the drive.
Alice Springs is where the trio of queens do their residency in the film and to get the full experience we stayed at the same place where they perform — Lasseters Hotel. We were there for the FABAlice Festival, which is an annual celebration of all things camp with drag queens, drag kings, comics and singers. It shows just how much of an impact Priscilla has had that 30 years on it is still being celebrated in Alice Springs.
The four queens on the trip all did surprise performances to give the crowd some extra entertainment. Joey Jay and Utica Queen did high-energy lip syncs while Sister Sister did a live version of Alanis Morissette classic Ironic that was peppered with funny one-liners. But it was Ginny Lemon who got the biggest reaction with a bonkers performance of Eurovision song Dancing Lasha Tumbai, which has become a firm favourite with fans since coming second in the contest in 2007.
The four of them showed just how varied the art of drag has become. Alice Springs is also close to a real-life paradise — West MacDonnell National Park. It boasts jaw-dropping landscapes and best of all, a raft of watering holes including Ellery Creek Big Hole, Ormiston Gorge, Redbank Gorge and Glen Helen Gorge.
We managed to visit two in one afternoon and it was well worth the drive as you get to swim in beautiful warm water while surrounded by striking cliffs and gorges. This is where you really get to see central Australia’s natural beauty at its absolute best.
Our homage to Priscilla then reached its climax 200 miles away with a visit to King’s Canyon. It’s a national park full of giant cliffs, plants, wildlife and spectacular views. The queens even wore outfits just like the ones in the film including the iconic flip flop dress and the lizard costume – we also found spots that feature in the film, with one now known as Priscilla’s Crack because it’s in such a famous scene.
It’s clear from visiting Australia just how beloved Priscilla is after all these years. Following their route through the outback is just like it looks on screen — exhausting, eye-opening and exhilarating… a proper adventure.
Book the holiday
- A one night stay at the Mud Hut Motel in Coober Pedy, South Australia costs from AUD $170 a night (room only) based on two sharing a double or twin room. Find out more at mudhutmotel.com.au.
- One night stay at the Crowne Plaza Alice Springs Lasseters starts from £112 per night. Find out more at ihg.com/crowneplaza.
- Virgin Australia offers domestic flights including Melbourne to Adelaide. Find out more at virginaustralia.com/au.
- You can also find out more on australia.com, northernterritory.com and southaustralia.com.
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