For the first time in its 36-year history, the NQ Sportstar Awards is coming to Cairns.
The North Queensland Sports Foundation (NQSF) will host the region’s premier night of sporting celebration at the TANKS Arts Centre on Saturday 17 October 2026, bringing the awards north after more than three and a half decades across the wider region. It’s a milestone moment for an event that has grown into one of the most significant sporting recognition programs in regional Queensland.
The move to Cairns reflects NQSF’s commitment to celebrating sporting excellence across the full breadth of North Queensland, and gives the Far North’s athletes, coaches, and clubs the chance to be part of the awards on home turf.
Record Nominations, Two Years Running
The excitement around this year’s event has been matched by the response from the community. For the second consecutive year, the NQ Sportstar Awards has received a record number of nominations, following on from a landmark 2025 awards night in Townsville that was the largest in the event’s history.
It’s a strong signal of the depth and quality of sporting talent across the region, and a reflection of just how much North Queensland communities value recognising their athletes, coaches, administrators, and clubs.
NQSF CEO Alexander J. Fisher said the record nominations and the move to Cairns mark an exciting new chapter for the awards.
“A sustained interest from our North Queensland sporting communities proves they’re crying out for events of this caliber. To have received a record number of nominations for the second year in a row shows the incredible talent of not only our junior athletes, but also the coaches, the volunteers and the teams they’re ingrained in.”
Save the Date
The 36th NQ Sportstar Awards will be held in Cairns on 17 October 2026. Ticket and nomination details are available at nqsports.com.au/sportstar with Finalists Announced in tranches starting Friday 11th September 2026.
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