A new opera festival in Mount Isa is one of 15 Queensland outback events to be held in the next 12 months to win funding in the second round of the Year of Outback Tourism Events Program announced in Parliament on Thursday.
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Events that will share in $679,500 under round two of the program also include the Curry Merry Muster Festival in Cloncurry, Julia Creek's Dirt N Dust and the Barra and Blues Festival in Karumba.
The inaugural Mount Isa festival of outback opera in June 2020 is one of five brand new events to gain funding along with the Diamantina Delights Festival in Birdsville and the Undara Outback Rockabilly Rods and Rides Festival at Mount Surprise.
There's also a new festival in Cloncurry in August, the "Back to the 40s" World War II History Experience will will commemorate Outback Queensland's role as a military operations base in the Second World War.
Round one saw 26 events and experiences benefit from more than $1.1 million and contributed to the 2019 It's Live! In Queensland calendar of events.
There are more opportunities for funding available with round three of the Year of Outback Tourism Events Program now open.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk declared 2019 the Year of Outback Tourism and initiated the $3 million Year of Outback Tourism Events Program to help outback communities doing it tough
"The best help we can give our outback towns is to visit them," the Premier said.
"By backing the bush, we boost the bush and we're doing everything we can to help entice people to get out there and experience everything the Outback has to offer.
"Outback tourism is already worth more than $350 million and supports 3700 jobs, and our Government is working closely with local governments and businesses, community organisations and festival promoters to ensure these numbers continue to grow."
Applications for round three close 4 November 2019.
For more information, visit https://events.premiers.qld.gov.au/outback
Year of Outback Tourism Events Program round two recipients:
Celebration of the Qantas Centenary, Longreach Oct 1 - Dec 31, 2019
Bulls n Barrels Bonanza, Theodore Oct 19, 2019
Jambin State School P&C Bullarama 2020, Mar 14 2020
Easter in the Country, Roma Apr 9-13, 2020
Dirt n Dust Festival, Julia Creek, Apr 17-19 2020
Channel Country Quick Shears Shindig, Thargomindah, May 19-23 2020
Harry Redford Cattle Drive Reunion, Aramac May 22-24 2020
Festival of Outback Opera, Mount Isa Jun 22-28, 2020
Curry Merry Muster Festival, Cloncurry Aug 1 2020
'Back to the 40s' WW2 experience, Cloncurry, Aug 15 2020
Beer Wine and Food Festival, Birdsville, Sep 1-2 2020
The Outback Food, Wine & Music Festival, Longreach, Sep 11-12 2020
Grazing at the Watering Hole, Thallon, Sep 12 2020
Undara Outback Rockabilly Rods & Rides Festival, Mount Surprise, Oct 2-5 2020
Barra & Blues Festival and Anglers Classic, Karumba, Oct 3-5 2020
READ ALSO: Mount Isa PCYC youth zone opens
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
