Charleville honours hometown hero Kurt Capewell

What began as a throwaway line from a very proud mayor has quickly been made a reality, putting an iconic western outback town in lights across Australia.

Today, Charleville has been officially renamed 'Kurtsville' to celebrate one of Queensland's newest Maroons Kurt Capewell, who hails from from the township 750 kilometres west of Brisbane.

As Charleville's second Origin representative behind Adrian Vowles who donned the jersey over 26 years ago, Murweh Shire Council mayor Shaun 'Zoro' Radnedge is "very proud" of the edge forward's call-up, but was only joking about renaming his beloved community at first.

However the idea came to fruition when Kurt's brother Liam cheekily suggested to Channel Nine's Michael Atkinson that Radnedge was planning to change the name should he play three Origins.

"Kurt's brother Liam told former Quilpie boy Michael Atkinson tongue-in-cheek that I was going to rename the town after him if he played... so that's how it kind of started," Radnedge said.

"So when I was speaking to Dobbo a few weeks ago, he asked me what I was going to do because he [Capewell] was in [the Queensland team].

"So I said.. 'oh well, I suppose we better have a go at it'... so we did this picture up because I was only going to do it virtually.

"But then I was telling a fella about it who is filming some liveability videos for us [Murweh Shire Council] and he said... 'let's run with it'.

"So that's where it started and it's gone absolutely ballistic."

The popularity from the initial waggish idea has been that great that the official Charleville signs were replaced by the new town's name - Kurstville, and the community's excitement was shared on a number of breakfast television programs this morning.

"They're all pumping," the Murweh Shire Council mayor said.

"There's a little video being filmed and all the schools are getting behind it by wearing their jerseys.

"Any State of Origin paraphernalia that was available in town has gone.

"It's just been mad.

"It's actually funny because I just didn't think it'd get this big.

"Little towns like this don't get the opportunity very often.

"Vowlesy was our last in 1994, so I'm pretty adamant we need to celebrate it.

"I honestly thought... we'd just do it [renaming the town] for shits and giggles but I didn't expect anything like this.

"Holy dooley."

Honoured by the renaming of his hometown, Capewell said the exposure had been great for Charleville and believed he wouldn't be wearing maroon if it wasn't for the support of his local community.

"It's awesome for our little town to get some exposure," FOG #206 said.

"I was so lucky to grow up out there and be a part of such a great community.

"I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of my home town."