Queenslander Karen Jacobsen tells the world where to go

THE "Queensland accent" can't be so offensive if millions of drivers around the world take their directions daily from a girl from Mackay.

G'DAY world ... Karen Jacobsen is the Australian voice used in many GPS devices and says she wouldn't change her Queensland accent for anything. Picture: Liam Kidston |

THE "Queensland accent" can't be so offensive if millions of drivers around the world take their directions daily from a girl from Mackay.

New York-based voiceover artist Karen Jacobsen, whose patient but firm vocal tones have been made famous by Garmin global satellite navigation units, has spoken up in defence of our provincial twang.

Miss Universe Australia president Deborah Miller recently riled Queenslanders by suggesting Townsville beauty queen Rachael Finch had to "refine her accent" before hitting the world stage.

"Having to lose your Queensland accent? I've come across that myself when I was starting out, when I moved further south ... and I was a bit offended, I have to say," Ms Jacobsen said.

"I think there's something charming about having a regional accent and maybe we can embrace those differences a bit instead of considering it to be negative. As long as you can be understood."

Ms Jacobsen is also a singer who has shared a New York club stage with Norah Jones and supported Cyndi Lauper on a stadium tour of the US.

But being for ever known as "the GPS girl" is fine with her.

"I am so thrilled that I get to tell people where to go and what to do all over the world and I'm not even there," Ms Jacobsen said.