Get ready to roar: Queensland sporting events not to miss
EVENT
By Danielle Reckless
Published 2 days ago
Magic Millions Carnival | NRL Magic Round | Outback Queensland Masters | Mount Isa Rodeo | Pacific Airshow | Birdsville Races | Gold Coast 500 | PGA Championship
Love a good scream from the sidelines? You’ve come to the right place. These are the sporting events Queensland fans mark in their calendars – long before their teams even take the field.
From outback rodeos to beachfront burnouts, get ready for non-stop action.
Brisbane International, Brisbane
Magic Millions Carnival, Gold Coast
Racehorses, polo matches, fashionistas and a jaw-dropping beachfront Barrier Draw. Magic Millions is where racing royalty meets Gold Coast glamour. With $11.75 million in prize money and a yearling sale known the world over, it’s more than a race day. It’s a week-long festival.
Don’t miss: The TAB 2YO Calcutta Dinner and Fashions on the Field.
While you’re here: Sneak in a swim at Burleigh before hitting the track.
Start planning your race week with this Magic Millions guide.
NRL Magic Round, Brisbane
16 teams. 8 games. 3 wild days. All at one stadium. NRL Magic Round transforms Suncorp Stadium into a footy lover’s paradise with wall-to-wall action, live music and Caxton Street in full party mode.
Don’t miss: The fan zones, meet-and-greets and surprise halftime entertainment.
While you’re here: Explore Brisbane’s laneway bars or head up to Mt Coot-tha for city views and morning brews.
Crankworx Cairns, Smithfield, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef
Where else can you watch backflips and berms with a view of the Great Barrier Reef? Crankworx Cairns brings the best in mountain biking to the tropics, with downhill runs, whip-offs, and slope-style chaos against a rainforest backdrop.
Australian Open Lawn Bowls, Gold Coast
When: TBC 2026
You haven’t truly experienced bowls until you’ve seen it Gold Coast-style: sun-soaked, fiercely competitive and played with passion across 14 action-packed days. With categories including singles, pairs, fours, over-60s and vision impaired players, this is bowls – but not as your nan knew it.
Supercars NTI Townsville 500, Townsville
When: TBC 2026
Reid Park turns up the noise as Supercars thunder through the streets of Townsville. This is North Queensland’s biggest sporting event, with edge-of-your-seat racing by day and live music once the sun goes down.
While you’re here: Dive the Reef, hike Castle Hill, or kick back on The Strand for a jam-packed tropical weekend.
Mount Isa Mines Rodeo, Mount Isa
This isn’t just the biggest rodeo in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s a four-day outback epic. With bull riding, team roping, barrel racing and Rodeo Rock concerts, the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo brings cowboys, crowds and pure adrenaline to the red dirt arena.
Don’t miss: The Indigenous Rodeo Championships on 10 August is a powerful showcase of culture, skill and spirit.
Pacific Airshow Gold Coast. Photo by Full Throttle Media.
Look up! The Pacific Airshow turns the Gold Coast sky into a high-octane stage, with jaw-dropping aerial displays from elite military and civilian performers. Add food trucks, music and family-friendly fun on the beach and you’ve got sky-high thrills for all ages.
Birdsville Races, Outback Queensland. © Photo by Salty Dingo 2018
Suits meet Akubras at this outback rite of passage. For two dusty days, the town of Birdsville transforms into a red-dirt racetrack, drawing punters from all corners for one of Queensland’s most legendary sports events.
Don’t miss: The party before and after the race, it’s a full-blown outback festival.
Supercars Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, Gold Coast
When: 24 - 26 October 2025
Beachside burnout? You bet. The Gold Coast 500 takes over Surfers Paradise with Supercars blitzing through the city streets and a non-stop party atmosphere. Expect roaring engines, beach views and plenty of off-track entertainment.
Don’t miss: Live music, stunt shows and the Super Kids Zone.
Australian PGA Championship, Brisbane
Watch the big hitters bring their A-game to the Australian PGA Championship, one of the most prestigious tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia. And the richest, with a prize pool of AUD$2 million.
Held at Brisbane’s Royal Queensland Golf Club, this four-day showdown sees some of the world’s best golfers battle it out on immaculate fairways, with grandstands, entertainment zones and food trucks creating a festival vibe beyond the green.
Don’t miss: A chance to see reigning champ Elvis Smylie attempt a back-to-back win.
Looking for a new challenge? Here are the toughest Queensland endurance events to get the heart racing.
It's game on in Queensland
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