SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia will host the next edition of the Pan Pacific swimming championships in 2014 in a still to be determined venue in the state of Queensland, Swimming Australia said on Friday.

The now quadrennial championships feature Australia, United States, Canada, Brazil, New Zealand and Japan and are the most fiercely contested international meet outside the Olympics and world championships.

The state capital Brisbane hosted the second PanPac championships in 1987. Swimming Australia said the 12th edition of the event would be held in August, 2014.

Queensland will also host the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the seaside resort of Gold Coast.

"Swimming is a key Commonwealth Games sport and securing a major international swimming event in the lead up to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games gives us a chance to reiterate Queensland's expertise in delivering world class events and is an important step in our preparations for the Games," said state minister Jann Stuckey.

(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Greg Stutchbury)