Sep 26th, 2017

Sep 26th, 2017

Fancy a dip in Thurston Bay?

Or to peer off Mount Morgan?

Maybe collect your thoughts at Ethan Lowe Point? OK, that last one may need a bit of work.

No, the North Queensland Cowboys have not launched their own resort.

Although that may just be a matter of time after Magnetic Island, off Townsville, was renamed Cowboys Island ahead of North Queensland's NRL grand final clash with Melbourne on Sunday.

With Cowboys fever gripping the region in the wake of their injury-hit NRL team's giant-killing run in the finals, Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill proudly announced the island's temporary rebranding on Tuesday, in what she believed was a fitting tribute.

Locations on the island have also been renamed after prominent members of the Cowboys team, including the resort which has been renamed Jason Taumalolo Island Paradise.

Hill said the plan was to keep the names for a week but she wasn't ruling anything out if North Queensland defy the odds again to claim their second title in three years in Sydney this weekend.

"It could be forever if they win the competition," she said.

"In north Queensland we do things a bit differently but we value the culture of this club and we want to do something special.

"I can't think of a better way to celebrate this great event.

"This team has shown the rest of Australia the true spirit of north Queensland."

Backpackers appeared confused when met with "Cowboys Island" signage at Townsville's ferry terminal to Magnetic Island on Tuesday morning.

But Hill believed everyone would embrace the change as grand final delirium with the north Queensland community already widely sporting blue, yellow and grey.

"A lot of Magnetic Island residents are major fans," Hill said.

"And tourists are getting right behind the initiative; people want to be a part of it (the NRL grand final)."

Hill hoped other north Queensland regions would follow.

So confident ahead of Sunday's grand final, Hill believed a wager with Melbourne Mayor Robert Doyle was called for -- although she wasn't quite sure what it might be at the moment.

Doyle may have to brace himself as Hill called for frenzied Cowboys fans to come up with suggestions.

"I am very happy to take the Cowboys flag so that they fly it from Melbourne Town Hall," she said.

"But I want north Queensland to think of a way of challenging Melbourne and show them that we have a bit more guts and spirit than what they have down there.

"Then we'll see if he has the courage to take us up on that challenge."

In the meantime, North Queensland CEO Greg Tonner hoped those locals who could not attend Sunday's decider in Sydney embraced the Magnetic Island name change while soaking up the grand final.

"Mount Morgan may explode on Sunday," he said.

©AAP2017