Elton John touches down in Mackay ahead of 'Once In A Lifetime' tour

Superstar Sir Elton John has touched down in Mackay this afternoon for the first leg of his ‘Once In A Lifetime’ tour.

Up to 15,000 devoted fans will pack out BB Print Stadium in the Queensland city’s south, with Australian Band Busby Marou due to take the stage about 7pm.

The main act, Sir Elton himself, will dazzle the crowd for two-and-a-half hours from 8pm.

The concert follows a full week of preparation, with stage and production crews working frantically to transform what is normally a 2000-seat stadium into a world-class arena.

Almost 10,000 chairs have been brought in from across the country as well as sound and lighting equipment from the United Kingdom.

Site manager Jeremy Sheaffe said they are working to deliver a world-class performance for a world-class performer.

“I don’t have any stress about us getting the job done, but remembering we're inviting thousands of people here to have a good time creates its own level of stress as well,” he said.

Sir Elton John’s performance will inject roughly $4 million dollars into Mackay’s economy alone, aided by state government sponsorship.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will be in the audience tonight after refusing to divulge the cost of taking the tour to the region.

After Sir Elton’s Mackay concert, he will play in Wollongong and Hobart before wrapping up in Cairns next Saturday.