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The 2026 North Queensland Games officially got underway on Friday 1 May 2026, with a huge Opening Ceremony at Great Barrier Reef Arena that brought together athletes, families and the wider community for a spectacular night of celebration.
Despite some challenging weather conditions, around 1,500 people attended the event, creating an electric atmosphere to officially launch the Games. The evening featured the crowd-favourite 7 NEWS 100m Sprint, guest speaker appearances from Games ambassadors Natalie Cook OAM OLY and Tori West, live music, fireworks, community activations, food trucks, jumping castles, a cricket match and plenty of entertainment for all ages.
The ceremony was proudly MC’d by Tegan Philpott from Isaac Regional Council, with special addresses from Mayor Greg Williamson and Glen Kelly MP, Member for Mirani, representing both the Honourable Premier and Tim Mander MP, Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
A heartfelt Welcome to Country was delivered by Uncle Philip Kemp from Yuwi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, while the official athlete oath was led by Derrick Evans alongside Athletics North Queensland athletes Lily Woods and Myarah Ahoy.
One of the standout moments of the evening saw Holy Spirit Drum Corps lead more than 20 clubs in the March of Athletes, showcasing the unity and spirit of sport across North Queensland. The Games also proudly welcomed Bill Cummings from the 1956 Torchbearers Club, celebrating the rich history and legacy of sport across generations.
Although the traditional torch relay could not go ahead due to the weather, the celebrations continued with fireworks lighting up the Mackay sky, live music from ViVa Acoustic and activations from Struddys, PEAK and the Queensland Academy of Sport.
7NEWS 100m Sprint Winners
In case you missed it, the 7NEWS 100m Sprint delivered an exciting showcase of speed and talent, with two outstanding performances taking centre stage.
Both athletes took home $1,000 in prize money thanks to the support of 7NEWS Mackay.
The Opening Ceremony set the tone for what promises to be an unforgettable 2026 North Queensland Games, bringing together communities from across the region to celebrate sport, connection and competition.
The action isn’t over yet, with several sports still to compete across the weekends of 23–24 May and 30–31 May as the 2026 North Queensland Games continue across the region.
North Queensland Sports Foundation is set to host the NQ Games Opening Ceremony. This ceremony will be staged on Friday 1st May from 6pm until 9pm at Harrup Park – one of Mackay’s top leisure and sporting facilities. An exciting program of evening activities has been scheduled to cater to all ages – but specifically targeting families. A site layout has been created to cater for […]
The 2026 North Queensland Games will officially kick off with a spectacular Opening Ceremony, bringing the community together for a vibrant celebration of sport, culture and regional pride. Held on Friday 1 May at Harrup Park, Mackay, the free, family-friendly event will transform the venue into a hub of activity, welcoming thousands of locals, athletes […]
The North Queensland Games have announced a new partnership with PEAK^ (peak.app), the performance and wellbeing platform founded by North Queensland Olympian and Heptathlete Tori West, ahead of the 2026 North Queensland Games to be held in Mackay from 1-4 May. The partnership will see PEAK work alongside Games organisers to champion athlete preparation, recovery […]
