The 2026 Queensland Mining and Engineering Exhibition (QME) will be held at the Mackay Showgrounds, where the best that the industry has to offer will take centre stage once again.
Next year’s event is set to be another blockbuster, showcasing the best in supplier innovation across the country and highlighting the world-class capabilities of Mackay and the broader central Queensland region.
Situated within the heartland of the north Queensland mining hub, the Mackay Showgrounds are the ideal host site for the event that will take place from July 21–23.
Multinational giants such as Hitachi Construction Machinery, Eaton, Sime Darby Group and XCMG will be present on the exhibition floor, as well as Australian industry leaders including Flexco, Busch ANZ, ATOM, Hidrive, Radical Torque Solutions, MATO Australia and Hoses24.
QME’s exhibitor line-up will again spotlight solutions that help miners meet environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals while improving operational efficiency, as well as featuring the cutting-edge technology driving change and productivity throughout the industry.
Another focus of QME will be the free-to-attend Leadership Series, where experts explore Queensland’s most pressing issues, including workforce and safety, innovation, sustainability and critical minerals.
The Bowen Basin Mining Club (BBMC) is returning as a key supporter for QME 2026. In the spirit of continuing to champion and connect the resource sector across Queensland, the BBMC will also host the Queensland Mining Awards in Mackay that week, contributing to the significance of QME.
BBMC director Jodie Currie said in a statement that these events are significant not just for the region, but for the entire sector.
“QME is always such a significant celebration of the mining industry, so hosting our awards in the midst of that celebration helps to elevate QME even further,” Currie said. “This is the biggest event for the Queensland mining industry, not just for Mackay.”
Currie said the awards will once again recognise outstanding innovations and productivity improvements by mining companies, contractors, and suppliers.
“We always say that the Queensland METS [mining equipment, technology and services] sector leads the way globally for innovation and technology,” Currie said.
“For us to be able to showcase that innovation in Mackay, one of the biggest METS incubators in Queensland, is important for the region and it’s also important for the industry.”
Key industry decision-makers will be on-site during the week.
“For us, it’s all about really getting them out there and showcasing our finalists to every person that comes through the door, to show how innovative they are and how other mining companies or projects might be able to use the innovation on their site,” Currie said.
The bumper week in north Queensland is expected to create unparalleled networking opportunities.
The last edition of QME drew more than 5000 attendees. Of these, 13 per cent were engineers, exemplifying how the event reaches its target market.
The audience was predominantly local, with 89 per cent of attendees from Australia and 11 per cent travelling from overseas.
This article appeared in the Summer edition of Mining Magazine.
