| TOOWOOMBA - QUEENSLAND - 4350 | ||||
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Population: 157,000, Height above sea level: 690m Latitude: -27.3400 Longitude: 151.5700 Location: 130km west of Brisbane Highway: Warrego Hwy or New England Hwy Nearest Major Town: Toowoomba Nearest Airport: Toowoomba Touring Area: Toowoomba & Golden West |
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 Toowoomba - Courtesy of Tourism Queensland | |
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Set on the edge of the Great Dividing Range, Toowoomba, the Garden City, with its more than 1044
hectares of parkland and magnificent private and public gardens, is undoubtedly one of the most
beautiful cities in Australia. The thriving metropolis of 80,000, with all advantages of both a
city and country town, is home to a wealth of attractions to capture the visitor's interest. Apart from the numerous magnificent parks, including the 26 hectare, tree-filled Queens Park and adjacent Botanic Gardens, and Picnic Point, one of Queensland's most famous lookouts, Toowoomba is also a heritage city, home to many beautiful, stately residences and buildings, several of which now house restaurants or historic accommodation. Also in keeping with its heritage theme, Toowoomba has several fine antiques, arts and crafts galleries featuring some of the best pieces in Australia at prices much cheaper than those in comparative cities. Also within Toowoomba is the Cobb & Co. Museum, housing one of Australia's largest collections of horse-drawn vehicles including a full-size original Cobb & Co. coach. The museum is open every day and visitors during the week may see coach restoration work in progress by the museum's trained professionals. Set amidst 10 acres of landscaped grounds on Toowoomba's southern outskirts is Willow Springs Adventure Park, whose facilities, including water slides, swimming pools, skating rink, mini-golf course and paddle swans, provide fun and entertainment for the whole family in a relaxing, parkland atmosphere. Sport and recreation facilities within the city are comparable to none and include two golf courses, several lawn bowls clubs, tennis, squash, swimming, cycling, and horse and greyhound racing. Bicycle tracks also criss-cross much of the city and visitors can hire bikes in Queen's Park on weekends and take the slow, scenic route through the city's parks and gardens. Toowoomba also features many attractions in its surrounding districts. Half an hour west of the city at the Oakey Army Aviation Base is 'Flypast', the museum of the Australian Army Flying, featuring every aircraft used in Army campaign since 1945. A further 10 minutes west brings the traveller to the Jordaryan Woolshed Living Museum where visitors can see sheep shearing, backsmithing and wheel-wrighting demonstrations or partake of some traditional billy tea and camp oven damper. Also nearby at the tiny town of Acland is the Acland Coal Mine Museum, once Queensland's oldest operating coal mine, but now a museum dedicated to the coal miners of the region. Heading north of Toowoomba is the highway to the quaint little town of Crow's Nest, named for local Aborigine, Jimmy Crow, who once made his home in a hollow log. Numerous arts and craft cottages and quaint little coffee shops along the 40km. drive are just waiting to be discovered, or visitors may like to take a picnic lunch to Crows Nest Falls National Park and swim in the rock pools. Whether you are just passing through Toowoomba, or planning to stay a few days, there is a wealth of things to see and do. PLACES OF INTEREST: ACCOMMODATION & SERVICES: 
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© Copyright Peter W. Wilkins