Aussie Bitcoiners Gather the Tribe in Proof-of-Work Bush Bash

What started as an ad-hoc post-lockdown gathering of Australian Bitcoiners in Woop Woop, the Bitcoin Bush Bash has inadvertently become a triannual grassroots pilgrimage attracting plebs from across the country, most recently to the coastal town of Yeppoon, Queensland.

Winter Bitcoin Bush Bash wrap-up!

Thanks to all who came from near and far; some drove for 2 days straight, some flew across the continent. Everyone put in proof of work!

All were welcome
A quarter were first-timers
Double last year's numbers

Many thanks are due! 👇 pic.twitter.com/wTTpCVsdcL

— bitcoinbushbash (@bitcoinbushbash) August 2, 2022

Bottoms-Up Event in True Bitcoin Spirit

Back in October 2020, there were growing signs that state borders would be opening soon. This sparked an idea among a couple of Bitcoiners on opposite ends of the country to meet in the middle to catch up and discuss all things Bitcoin over a few cold beers.

One of the organisers put word out to the Bitcoin community, saying:

Hit up @hodloncomrades or @BTCSchellingPt if you wanna come and join us.

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@hodloncomrades via Twitter

The plan was to meet at the small, charming country town of Murrurundi in New South Wales, some 320km north of Sydney and over 900km from Brisbane.

Whether intentional or not, the “proof-of-work” required to attend had a self-selecting effect, attracting only impassioned Bitcoiners with conviction from across the country, doubling the amount expected, and substantially more than the average local Bitcoin meetup.

That weekend in Murrurundi, which since has been unofficially declared the Bitcoin capital of Australia, was filled with questions, answers and discussions and demonstrations aplenty – a formula that has since been applied to subsequent iterations of the event.

The Bush Bash is truly an event for and by the plebs. Attendees praise the lack of corporate sponsorship, as well as the opportunity to connect, educate and create long-lasting bonds with like-minded individuals. With support from the Bitcoin Moon Fund and others, it is unlike almost all conferences since it is free, does not require registration to attend, is open-source, and most notably embodies an unspoken egalitarian spirit of humility and sharing of knowledge.

Finally, aside from the electric sense of optimism that flows from a Bush Bash, one of the encouraging by-products is the impact on local communities and businesses in each of Bush Bash locations, namely Murrurundi, Beechworth and Yeppoon.

Yeppoon 2022

The most recent Bush Bash took place at the Strand Hotel in Yeppoon, attracting Bitcoiners from far and wide, including one from Perth in Western Australia who travelled an incredible 4,500km. Proof-of-work indeed.

The topics were diverse and varied, from the technical to the philosophical. Among those issues discussed were:

• The Lightning Network – what Lightning is, the different types of nodes and some key lessons learnt by a node operator along the way;
• Looking Glass Education – how an Aussie Bitcoiner teamed up with a couple of macro heavyweights to launch the world’s go-to source for Bitcoin and macro education for beginners;
• Citadels – Bitcoin citadels, their purpose, and strategies employed in their defence;
• Bitcoin News – the launch of Australia’s first Bitcoin-only news and education website;
• Bitcoin mining – energy 101, how Bitcoin is the buyer of first and last resort, and what its environment impact is;
• Bitcoin mining and the grid – energy demand, mining components and home mining operations; and
• FediMint – an open-source custody protocol enabling groups of individuals to create federated Chaumian Mints on Bitcoin.

In between sessions, there was a tremendous energy among attendees and an overarching sense of shared values and understanding. If Australian Bitcoiners are in search of their tribe, the Bush Bash is most certainly where they would find it.