Mount Isa City Council will vie to host the 2024 North Queensland Sportstar Awards

Council will put forward an Expression of Interest to the North Queensland Sports Foundation to host the 2024 awards at the Civic Centre late next year. Mount Isa has never previously hosted the event.

It will cost the council approximately $50,000 to hold the event; the council will allocate funds from its proposed 2024-25 Budget, as well as seek sponsorship to mitigate the direct costs.

Speaking on the motion at last week's Ordinary Meeting, Councillor Peta MacRae said: "I think it'll be great to have this in Mount Isa, so our sportspeople can attend, because every year a lot of them have to drive all the way over to the coast to get to this event. It will also tie in nicely with the 100 years of Mount Isa Mines next year."

Councillor Kim Coghlan said: "I think it's a great chance to make it a two- or three-day event ... so that visitors can see what our sporting facilities are like, and get all the local people involved. I think it's a great initiative."

The North Queensland Sportstar Awards and Gala Dinner are an annual event held to recognise and reward sporting excellence in North Queensland.

The awards have been running since 1990 and are the longest-running dedicated sporting awards in Queensland. Awards categories including Junior Sportstar, Senior Sportstar, Masters, Volunteers, Service to Sport, and Athlete with a Disability.

This year's event was held on Saturday, November 4 at the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre.