Zonta Rodeo Queen Quest 2026 shines a spotlight on community, courage and connection in Mount Isa
This year, four extraordinary women are stepping into the Zonta Rodeo Queen Quest, each bringing heart, hustle and a deep commitment to community across the Mount Isa region.
A tradition linked to one of Australia’s most iconic events, the Zonta Rodeo Queen Quest is a powerful platform where local women champion causes that matter, raise vital funds for not-for-profit organisations, and become visible ambassadors for the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo and the region.
And in 2026, four Queens are stepping up – Tylah Muller, Maddy Wiedman, Kylie Vonhoff and Marina Ferencek, each championing a local organisation close to their heart, from health and education to emergency services and heritage, while raising vital funds and strengthening community connections.
Tylah Muller – Administration Officer, Queensland Police Service: Tylah is fundraising for the Mount Isa & North West QLD Breast Cancer Support Group Inc, driven by a fierce belief in speaking up, showing up, and making change happen locally. “I can’t sit still and do nothing,” she says, and she means it. With a strong background in community fundraising through years supporting a local Irish dancing school, Tylah knows the power of people coming together. Now, she’s turning that energy toward raising awareness, sparking conversation, and ensuring families facing breast cancer in the North West feel supported, seen and never alone.
Maddy Wiedman – English & Humanities Teacher, Spinifex State College: Maddy came to Mount Isa for a teaching placement during Rodeo Week in 2023 and never left. Now in her third year living in the region, she’s throwing her full support behind the Spinifex State College P&C, fundraising to help students access opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach. Working daily with local students, Maddy sees firsthand the impact of small committees doing big things, funding camps, supporting tuckshops, and creating experiences that shape young lives. “I wanted my fundraising to go toward something that directly helps the kids I teach,” she says. “The Queen Quest has given me the chance to do exactly that.”
Kylie Vonhoff – Mount Isa local, cattle industry roots, community champion: A true Isa local through and through, Kylie balances family life, kids’ sport, work, and time on the family cattle station with a deep commitment to her community. She has entered the Quest after years of watching from the sidelines, ready to step forward and give back in a new way. She is fundraising for Mount Isa State Emergency Services (SES), the volunteers who show up when it matters most. “These are the people who are there for our community and beyond when everything goes wrong,” she says.
Marina Ferencek – Admin, retail and education worker | full-time student | registered macropod carer: New to Mount Isa, Marina has embraced the Outback lifestyle with open arms, and an open calendar full of fundraising ideas. From sausage sizzles to sunset dinners and meat tray raffles, she’s already deeply embedded in community life. She is raising funds for the Mount Isa Miners Memorial, working with an APEX-led committee to honour the town’s mining heritage and the lives lost in its history. “You can’t understand Mount Isa without understanding its mining roots,” she says. “This memorial ensures those stories and sacrifices are never forgotten.”
Zonta Club of Mount Isa representative Nikki Rowsell said the organisation was proud to once again deliver the Queen Quest as part of the iconic Mount Isa Rodeo celebrations.
“Last year’s entrants worked tirelessly and achieved incredible results for their chosen charities,” she said. “This year’s Queens in Kylie, Maddy, Marina and Tylah are already showing the same dedication and community spirit.”
Rowsell said the Quest continues to grow as a cornerstone of Rodeo Week, combining fundraising with a packed program of community events.
“From raffles and dog washes to lake-side dinners, gala evenings, colour musters, movie nights and school balls, this year’s entrants have been deeply active across the region, bringing people together long before the Rodeo gates even open.”
The 2026 Zonta Rodeo Queen Quest will culminate at the Rodeo Ball on 1 August, where the Queens will be officially announced before stepping fully into their ambassador roles during Rodeo Week, appearing in the Street Parade, visiting schools, and presenting buckles and sashes to winners across the weekend.
ABOUT Mount Isa Mines Rodeo – it is the largest rodeo in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the biggest in the world. It’s where champions return to defend their titles, rising stars carve their names into history, and eight electrifying seconds can feel like an eternity. For three adrenaline-fueled days, Mount Isa in Outback Queensland comes alive with the raw power of bull riding, bronc busting, barrel racing, roping and more, as the world’s toughest cowboys and cowgirls battle for some of the most coveted buckles in rodeo. Since 1959, the red dust of Mount Isa has risen beneath hooves, boots, and the roar of the crowd. The rodeo is the heartbeat of Outback Queensland, and an event that welcomes riders and fans from all over the globe.
2026 MOUNT ISA MINES RODEO presented by Akubra
Fri 7th August – Sun 9th August 2026
Buchanan Park Events Complex, George St & Sutton St, Mount Isa QLD 4825
Website and TICKETS ON SALE NOW: www.mountisarodeo.com.au
The Mount Isa Mines Rodeo is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland.
