Queensland’s epic calendar of 2025 major events revealed

Grab your diary and mark down the dates for Queensland’s blockbuster 2025 events. We’ve got the full rundown.

3 min read

January 2, 2025 - 2:52PM

The Magic Millions racing carnival sets a cracking pace for Queensand’s calendar of blockbuster events in 2025. Picture: Bradley Photos

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Queensland’s blockbuster 2025 events calendar is poised to deliver the state a record $1bn bonanza.

From the glitz and glamour of the Magic Millions horse racing carnival to a festival celebrating the humble watermelon, more than 200 major events will be held across the state this year with the line-up set to lure record visitor numbers to the Sunshine State.

According to data from Tourism and Events Queensland, 175 TEQ-supported events will inject more than $1b into the state economy in 2025, but there are dozens of other major sporting showdowns and music concerts set to swell that figure even more.

TEQ has been given a clear mandate to help boost the state’s events calendar in an increasingly competitive post-Covid landscape where every state is desperate for their slice of tourism’s financial pie.

Major events – particularly those held outside the traditionally busy school holiday periods, are rolled gold for the tourism industry and their value to the Queensland economy has more than doubled in less than a decade, from $480m in 2016 to this year’s $1b breakthrough.

Sporting blockbusters will be front and centre, with rugby’s British and Irish Lions tour in July and cricket’s day-night Ashes Test in December set to bring thousands of big-spending Pommy sports fans to our shores.

The NRL’s Magic Round and State of Origin are also proven performers, along with a host of cultural events ranging from the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art at GOMA to the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair.

Magic Round has become a huge event for the NRL and the state’s tourism industry in Brisbane. Picture: Richard Walker

Bluey’s World, the temporary theme park devoted to Queensland’s favourite cartoon cattle dog, has also been included in the TEQ data, but other major events falling outside TEQ’s charter, such as a sold out visit from country music superstar Luke Combs later this month and high stakes home games for the Brisbane Lions and Broncos, are also on track to help push the value of major events this year well north of $1b.

Business events are also becoming increasingly valuable with showstoppers like the Brisbane Truck Show generating more revenue for the economy.

Queensland Tourism Minister Andrew Powell said the Sunshine State could become the events capital of the country.

“With the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon, we’re strongly focused on ensuring Queensland is the events hub of Australia,” he said.

“Queensland’s diverse line-up of more than 175 events spread right across the state, coupled with our great outdoor lifestyle, will make for an irresistible combination and we know people will want to be part of the action.”

The world's hottest country stars descend Willowbank, Ipswich for CMC Rocks music festival. Picture: CMC Rocks.

Richard Clarke, TEQ’s Group Executive of Events, said convincing travellers to head to Queensland to attend events was a “significant” money spinner for the economy.

“Events play a pivotal role in not only attracting visitors to the state, but getting them to stay longer and generating a significant economic return for communities across Queensland,” he said.

“Our events also celebrate Queensland’s unique and diverse story which raises the profile of our destinations and keeps people coming back for more.”