The country music centre wants to foster young talent

Teacher Geoff Walden said he believed the centre at Gympie State High School was the first of its kind in the world.

"We are hoping that Gympie will be the launch pad for many careers in the country music industry," he said.

Country is the second biggest-selling style of music in Australia, according to the Country Music Association.

Mr Walton said country music was more popular than rock and pop in many parts of Australia because of the "frontier mentality" of outback inhabitants, similar to that which produced the US country music scene.

Slim Dusty was one of Australia's best-known country performers

But he acknowledged some school pupils did not take the genre seriously.

"They associate it with twangy, hillbilly music and don't realise there are many different styles within the genre," he said.

Classes will teach young people the basics of song-writing, video production, marketing and management alongside their usual curriculum studies.

Mr Walden hopes to expand the scheme with the help of the Australian Institute of Country Music so students will be able to take a degree in country music at the local university.

The Country Music Association of Australia already runs short intensive courses to help young up-and-coming musicians progress in their music careers.

Gympie, two hours north of Brisbane, is well-known for its country music associations - the city hosts the annual National Country Music Muster every August.

The festival has 12 venues featuring country, blues, and bluegrass performers.