TOOWOOMBA VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE

Welcome to the Garden City

Take a trip to the top of the Great Dividing Range to discover a city brimming with history and blooming with gorgeous green spaces.

The heritage city of Toowoomba is the picturesque centrepiece of the surrounding Darling Downs region. Lovingly referred to as ‘The Garden City’, Toowoomba boasts a pleasant subtropical climate and an abundance of carefully manicured public parks and gardens. This vibrant and growing community presents a fascinating fusion of metro living and warm country charm. With a blend of excellent urban amenities and relaxed, rural serenity, it’s an inclusive and peaceful place that proudly wears its heritage and heart on its sleeve.

Inhale the clean mountain air, immerse your senses in the magic of four seasons, and experience the tranquillity of a country escape just a stone’s throw from the bustling capital of Brisbane. With a mix of rustic rural retreats, historic sandstone streetscapes, stunning parks and gardens, contemporary art-filled laneways and amazing farm-fresh produce, Toowoomba is well worth a visit.

Our passionate team at the Toowoomba Visitor Information Centre welcome you to our region as a valued guest, with true country hospitality and a genuine desire to help you make the most of your time here. With a wealth of local knowledge, we offer first-hand insights and top local tips to help you explore with ease and discover the hidden secrets of our beloved heritage hometown. Along with our friendly, expert advice and extensive range of brochures and maps, our centre also showcases a selection of our region’s finest producers and artisans, with a curated collection of local fine fare and hand-crafted items for sale.

So, swing by for a chat and load up on some handy travel tips and gorgeous gifts. Our local experts look forward to welcoming you!

Explore the Centre

The Toowoomba Visitor Information Centre reflects the intriguing history and quiet natural beauty of the surrounding region.

As you enter the car park, magnificent towering swamp oaks and camphor laurel trees greet you with open arms. The centre is housed within a beautiful ‘Queenslander’ building, surrounding by lush gardens and peaceful parklands. This architecturally designed structure is based on a late 1800s-style Toowoomba home, adding to its warm ambience and quaint country charm.

Several stairs (and a ramp to the left) provide access to the outdoor deck area, complete with tables and chairs perfect for perusing travel brochures and soaking in the tranquil surrounds. The deck also features an accessible bathroom and an after-hours pamphlet rack. To the right of the stairs is the main entry. As you step inside, you’ll enter an open and inviting space, and receive a warm welcome from our friendly volunteers stationed at the information desk directly ahead of you. On the surrounding walls at this end of the centre you’ll find maps, brochures and travel guides covering the Toowoomba region and beyond. Above the tiered brochure racks, a series of canvas photos depict some of our beautiful local attractions, and a TV screen plays a loop of regional points of interest.

Further to the left on entry, a well-stocked retail area offers irresistible opportunities to pick up some of the region’s finest local products, showcasing the rich and diverse talents of our local makers and creative community. Indulge your sweet tooth with an enticing range of candies, cake mixes and cordials; check out our extensive range of hand-crafted giftware, or shop for locally made mementos of your time in Toowoomba.

Our centre is set amidst leafy parklands and beside picnic and playground facilities, an idyllic place to stretch your legs before continuing your exploration of the beautiful Toowoomba region.

A Rich History

For at least 40,000 years before European settlement, the Jagera, Giabal and Jarowair people inhabited the diverse landscapes of the Darling Downs, where present-day Toowoomba is located. Their long history is a significant and celebrated part of the region’s rich heritage.

English botanist and explorer, Allan Cunningham, arrived in Australia in 1816, and in 1827, he discovered four million acres of rich farming and grazing land to the west of Moreton Bay, which he named the Darling Downs, in honour of Sir Ralph Darling, Governor of New South Wales. The area at the top of the Great Dividing Range was predominantly swampland, which would later be drained to form the foundations for the establishment of Toowoomba. The municipality of Toowoomba was declared in 1860, paving the path for further growth and development, with Toowoomba now officially recognised as the second largest city in Queensland.

Within the Toowoomba Visitor Information Centre are a series of stunning stained-glass windows depicting the city’s beautiful floral emblem – the violet. Treasured far beyond the beauty of its brilliant blooms, this radiant purple flower holds a special place in the town’s history and hearts of local residents. During World War I, posies of sweet violets were sold for sixpence by mothers and families of soldiers who didn’t return home, to raise funds to build a large memorial in honour of their fallen loved ones. This was one of very few such memorials commissioned by women, and has become the site of Toowoomba’s Anzac Day commemorations since 1916. You can visit the Mother’s Memorial at East Creek Park, near Queens Park.

You can discover more of the hidden history of Toowoomba by visiting some of our many heritage attractions, including Cobb+Co Museum, the Army Flying Museum in Oakey, and the intriguing Highfields Pioneer Village.

Gorgeous Gardens and Country Charm

With historic haunts, gorgeous gardens, farm-fresh flavours and an emerging arts scene, Toowoomba is the perfect place to explore in any season.

In summer, be rejuvenated by the fresh mountain air at Picnic Point. This picturesque parkland on the edge of the escarpment will leave you feeling on top of the world, surrounded by nature’s splendour.

As the weather turns cooler, our parks and bushlands are ablaze with the colours of Autumn – a brilliant tapestry of reds, oranges and golds. This is an ideal time to explore our wide-open spaces, with invigorating hikes or meandering drives past quaint country villages and fields ripe for harvest.

As winter arrives, discover the art-filled laneways and fresh foodie finds of Toowoomba’s inner-city precinct, or visit one of our quaint country pubs, where the hospitality is as warm as the crackling log fire.

Then winter gives way to warmer weather, and the city bursts to life in a dazzling display of brilliant blooms. Each September, the Carnival of Flowers unites the community in a colourful celebration of Spring. Every green space seems to blossom in a kaleidoscope of colour. Sweet floral fragrances fill the air, and the whole city seems to buzz with renewed energy.

Toowoomba is also an inclusive destination, with accessible and immersive experiences that everyone can enjoy. JE Duggan Park is home to the region’s first sensory trail, featuring braille information signs and guide ropes along the path. The park is also suitable for wheelchair users, with accessible tracks, picnic areas and toilet facilities.

Laurel Bank Park is a multi-sensory delight, where you can soak in the serenity, inhale a bouquet of sweet floral scents, and be soothed by the sound of fountains and water features. Centrally located Queen’s Park boasts a sensory playground complete with accessible swing and audible play equipment.

Accessibility

Toowoomba is perched on the top of the Great Dividing Range, just 90 minutes’ drive west of Brisbane. The Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport is your aerial gateway to the region, with regular domestic flights offered by Qantas, Bonza and Rex Regional Express airlines. The airport is located 20 kilometres from Toowoomba’s CBD, with airport shuttles, hire cars and taxi services available.

Several coach companies operate services to the region, with convenient connections to air, rail and local buses. Alternatively, take a scenic journey to Toowoomba and the Darling Downs aboard Queensland Rail’s Westlander service. Once in the region, taxi and ride share services are available, and Translink buses provide local public transport within the city. An on-demand bus service to pick up or drop off at the Visitor Centre can be ordered by phone or online to connect you with hospitals, shops and the bus interchange. For further journey planning and ticketing information please visit translink.com.au or call 13 12 30.

Our centre is located at 82-86 James Street (on the corner of Kitchener Street). We’re open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday, and 9am to 1:30pm on weekends and selected public holidays, with additional opening hours in September. For any enquiries, please give our team a call on 1800 33 11 55 or email infocentre@tr.qld.gov.au.

There’s a large, shady car park adjoining the centre, with accessible parking close to the entrance, and ample space for larger vehicles, coaches and caravans. The centre is all on one level, with a ramp and wide doorways ensuring ease of access for wheelchair users and visitors with limited mobility. An accessible toilet is available on the left side of the deck as you face the building.

If you’re travelling with an assistance animal, the centre provides a tap and dog water bowl to the right of the stairs (prior to entry) for your convenience. There are plenty of grassy areas suitable for toileting your dog in the surrounding parklands.