Toowoomba

Toowoomba sits at around seven hundred metres on the crest of the Great Dividing Range, with the city's eastern edge dropping away in an escarpment that gives long views over the Lockyer Valley from Picnic Point. Its cool climate and volcanic soil produce gardens good enough that the Carnival of Flowers, running since 1949, has become one of Australia's longest-standing floral festivals, filling Queens Park and Laurel Bank Park with mass plantings each September along with private garden openings, a parade and food events. Beyond the flowers, the city has a substantial street art programme, heritage sandstone buildings, and the Cobb and Co Museum with a large collection of horse-drawn vehicles.

History

The Giabal and Jarowair are the two main Aboriginal language groups of the area, and groups from far around gathered at Gummingurru, near Gowrie, for the Bonye Bonye festival until the late 19th century. Allan Cunningham reached the Darling Downs in June 1827, the first pastoralists took land there in 1840, and that year Arthur Hodgson and his partners set up Eton Vale, which took in the swamp where the city stands; from 1849 Josiah Dent, William Shuttleworth and William Gurney lived at The Swamp cutting reeds and timber for nearby Drayton. The town was surveyed in 1849 and again in 1853, Thomas Alford opened the first store in 1852, by 1858 there were 700 people and three hotels, a municipality was proclaimed on 24 November 1860, the railway from Ipswich arrived in 1867, and Toowoomba was declared a city in 1904 (Wikipedia, Toowoomba).

What you'll find

• The Carnival of Flowers - mass plantings and open gardens through September.
• Picnic Point - the escarpment lookout over the valley below.
• The street art - large murals across the city from an ongoing programme.
• The Cobb and Co Museum - a major collection of horse-drawn vehicles.

When to go

September for the carnival, when the parks are at their peak and the city fills; accommodation is booked out and priced accordingly. Outside that month the parks are pleasant but ordinary. Winter is cold with frost, summer mild for Queensland.

Practical notes

The carnival is the reason to come, and outside it the city has limited draw for visitors. September accommodation must be booked months ahead. The range crossing from Brisbane is steep and often congested with trucks.

Nearby

The Lockyer Valley lies below the range; Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt are south.

Key facts