CLONCURRY’S own Mikaela Tapp has been named the Queensland Country Life Showgirl for 2018.
The 21-year-old from north-west Queensland was selected out of a pool of 11 young women from across the state.
Ms Tapp, who grew up in Cloncurry, has a passion for her community and aspires to draw new people to the outback town.
Georgia Hoolihan, from Dirranbandi in south-west Queensland was named runner up in the hotly contested competition.
At just 19-years-old, she was the youngest finalist in the competition.
Ms Tapp said she was shocked to have taken out the coveted prize, which will include representing the 128 affiliated show societies in Queensland over the next 12 months.
“I’m very shocked and emotional, but it's a great program that we're in and I'm just very happy that we get to stay a bit longer at the Ekka,” Ms Tapp said.
“It's going to open so many doors and it's going to be something that I never thought I would experience because I come from a little country town.”
Ms Tapp said the wonderful experience would be a huge benefit to her local showgirls competition.
“We can bring back so much knowledge and boost the showgirl movement in our area, and the show movement and getting young people involved,” she said.
“It'll be fantastic and it'll just completely boost our towns.
“When your whole town is barracking for you, it means so much and will help our show societies.”
Ms Tapp is currently studying a Diploma of Events Management, while working as an administration assistant at Ernest Henry Mine.
As part of the major prize, Ms Tapp will attend the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth (RSAC) conference in Canada in November.
Ms Hoolihan said it was her first time at the Ekka and she was thrilled with the opportunity.
“It’s so eye opening,” she said.
“There's no traffic lights in Dirranbandi, none in Cloncurry either, so just walking up and down the street is crazy.
“The opportunities we've had, the people we’ve met, and just everything is unreal.”