Outback Queensland Music Trails Coming to Mount Isa
Published on 29 May 2025
Council has approved a sponsorship request from the Queensland Music Festival (QMF) to hold a "Mount Isa Blast" event in May 2026, as part of QMF’s popular Outback Music Trails experience.
The proposed event is slated to be held at Buchanan Park, in partnership with Council.
A one-of-a-kind, self-drive musical journey, Outback Music Trails aims to attract trail-goers, caravanners, and music lovers from across Queensland and beyond to Mount Isa to enjoy some of Australia’s biggest national music acts, performing alongside a line-up of local and emerging talent.
As well as Mount Isa, stops in the nine-day-long 2026 event are set to include Charleville, Blackall, Barcaldine, Winton, Hughenden, Julia Creek, and Cloncurry.
It is proposed that Buchanan Park will be transformed into a cultural hub, with local food and market stalls, with QMF to work closely with tourism distribution partners to ensure the event is packaged to include accommodation, flights, and experiences.
Artists who have performed at previous Outback Music Trails include Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham (The Waifs), Bronson Diamond & Greta Stanley, James Johnston, Troy Cassar-Daley, William Barton, Paul Dempsey (Something For Kate), and Ball Park Music.
At Council's May Ordinary Meeting on Wednesday, May 28, Council agreed to provide $100,000 in cash sponsorship for the event, as well as combined in-kind sponsorship of up to $63,000 for the hire of Buchanan Park and associated operational and ancillary venue costs.
At the meeting, Mayor Peta MacRae said Outback Queensland Music Trails brings bigger-name artists to participating communities, with local acts from the communities also taking part.
“Part of our Economic Development Strategy and diversification was about liveability and events. [The Queensland Music Trails] is on a shoulder season. They didn’t want to have it in conjunction with the Mount Isa Rodeo, because they wanted a completely different event to attract people to town to spend money at a different time. I think that’s great," Cr MacRae said.
Deputy Mayor Kim Coghlan said QMF does a lot of work with community groups in the lead-up to their events.
"It's an opportunity for our school kids and teachers to work with music people, and it is somewhere for locals to go and enjoy music as well," Cr Coghlan said.
Councillor Travis Crowther said the event will go a long way towards putting Mount Isa on the map from a tourism perspective.
"[The Queensland Music Trails] is getting a bigger and bigger following, with the grey nomads traveling around to these events," Cr Crowther said.
"To have this publicity again, I think it would be invaluable and bring a lot more economic strength to the region."