CQUniversity is helping put high school students on the 'Road to Reading', literally, by sponsoring travel assistance for up to a third of the 60 schools participating in the Whitsunday Voices Youth Literature Festival, scheduled for July.

Whitsunday Voices Festival Manager Sonia Andersen said that subsidising travel costs for schools is among innovative ways the Festival is keeping the event affordable for schools and their students.

"Whitsunday Voices is the only event of its kind in regional Queensland and simply wouldn't exist without extensive support from local businesses," Ms Andersen said.

"Business sponsorship allows us to provide a fantastic opportunity for students, teachers, parents and the general community to be exposed to a unique literary, educational and cultural experience.

"We have students coming from as far south as Rockhampton, across the Bowen Basin and up to Bowen and it's important to keep the festival costs down for those schools that need to travel."

Pro Vice-Chancellor and Head of the Mackay CQUniversity campus, Professor Pierre Viljoen, said he is excited that CQUniversity is supporting the Festival through the Road to Reading transport grants.

"We are keen to ensure that students who live outside major regional centres have the same access to learning opportunities that are available to their urban counterparts," Professor Vilijoen said.

Ms Andersen added that a number of additional sponsorship opportunities are still available for the Festival held from July 11 - 14.

Now in its ninth year, Whitsunday Voices Youth Literature Festival is the only youth literature festival north of the Sunshine Coast and the majority of events are hosted at the Whitsunday Anglican School campus in North Mackay.

For more information about the 2012 Whitsunday Voices Youth Literature Festival, including outline of events, full author list and other supporting businesses, visit the website: www.whitsundayvoices.com.au