For decades, August in Mount Isa has meant one thing – the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo.
Each year, more than 25,000 visitors descend on the north west Queensland city to experience Australia’s biggest rodeo, where the country’s best cowboys and cowgirls battle it out in the dirt at Buchanan Park. For many, it’s the quintessential Outback experience.
But this year, visitors have another reason to stay a little longer.
Launching to coincide with rodeo week is Moondarra Cruises, the first tourism cruise operation on Lake Moondarra, offering a completely different perspective of one of Outback Queensland’s best known destinations.
Just 17 kilometres from Mount Isa, Lake Moondarra has long been a favourite with locals for fishing, boating and spectacular sunsets. Now, visitors can experience the lake aboard The Thomson Princess, with sunrise, sunset and private charter cruises adding a new dimension to the region’s tourism offering.
The venture is the result of a collaboration between Mount Isa tourism operator Kylie Rixon and Outback Pioneers founder Richard Kinnon, who has leased the vessel to the new business.
“The Outback has always been built on resilience and optimism,” Rixon said.
“We both believe that even in the face of adversity, this is exactly the time to invest in experiences that inspire people to visit regional Queensland.”
The three hour cruise experience includes coach transfers from Mount Isa and has been designed to appeal to both visitors and locals looking to rediscover the lake.
For travel advisors, the new experience provides another reason to encourage clients to extend their stay rather than simply arriving for the rodeo weekend.
While the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo remains the city’s headline attraction, drawing thousands of spectators and Australia’s top rodeo competitors each year, the addition of lake cruises demonstrates how the destination is broadening its appeal beyond its iconic event.
The contrast couldn’t be greater. One day visitors can be watching fearless riders take on bucking bulls and broncs in front of a packed grandstand, and the next they can be cruising across the tranquil waters of Lake Moondarra, surrounded by rugged red hills and vast Outback skies.
It’s a reminder that Mount Isa offers far more than its mining heritage. Beyond the rodeo, visitors can explore the Outback at Isa visitor centre, venture underground on a hard rock mine tour, cast a line for barramundi at Lake Moondarra or simply enjoy one of the region’s spectacular sunsets.
Together, these experiences are helping reshape perceptions of Mount Isa as more than a stop on the map. Instead, the city is emerging as a destination where travellers can immerse themselves in authentic Outback Australia, combining adventure, nature, history and hospitality in one itinerary.
With the 2026 Mount Isa Mines Rodeo expected to once again draw thousands of visitors, the arrival of Moondarra Cruises couldn’t be better timed, giving travellers another compelling reason to discover that there is much more to Mount Isa than the bucking bulls.
mountisarodeo.com.au 7-9 August 2026.
