Today Show Coming to Mount Isa

Published on 02 June 2025

Thanks to Council support, Channel 9’s popular breakfast TV program Today (aka The Today Show) is set to come to Mount Isa to cover this year’s Mount Isa Mines Rodeo.

The Mount Isa Rodeo Committee requested financial support from Council to enable a crew from Today – including hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo, weather presenter Tim Davies, and a full 12-member production team – to broadcast live from the rodeo at Buchanan Park in August.

The program is set to feature numerous live segments throughout the Friday morning of the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo, showcasing the event, the city, as well as the broader community to a national audience.

At its May Ordinary Meeting on Wednesday, May 28, Council agreed to cover 50% of the Nine Network’s all-inclusive $50,000 production fee to bring the show to the city for the event, with the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo to cover the remaining 50%.

Speaking at the Ordinary Meeting, Mayor Peta MacRae said having the city and the rodeo featured on Today and reaching a national audience would be invaluable when it comes to getting the city's messages out and showcasing what Mount Isa has to offer.

Deputy Mayor Kim Coghlan said the opportunity is coming at a great time for Mount Isa.

"I think this is a great chance for Mount Isa to showcase everything that it does have," Cr Coghlan said.

Councillor Travis Crowther said having Today in Mount Isa would be a great way for the city to be promoted to the nation.

"We do a lot of promoting inside Mount Isa, but we need to really start promoting Mount Isa to the nation, and this is going to be a great way to do it," Cr Crowther said.

"Tourism is an ever-growing market. The more we can promote to those tourists that Mount Isa can be a destination where they can see not just the rodeo, but our great surrounds - when we look at the lake, granite mines, Mary Kathleen - there’s that much opportunity for people to see.

"Obviously, they won’t be able to showcase all of that, but if they can get some parts of it, we should be able to see that we can get a great return on investment with that."

Councillor James Coghlan said he wants people to come and live in Mount Isa.

"The number of young people, young professionals, that come here and love the place, we need to sell it. And I think for the money that we’re spending here, the message that we’re going to get out there, it is a drop in the ocean for what we’re going to receive from it," Cr Coghlan said.