Toowoomba City, Queensland Explained

Type:suburb
Toowoomba City
City:Toowoomba
State:qld
Coordinates:-27.5594°N 151.9508°W
Local Map:yes
Zoom:13
Pop:2321
Postcode:4350
Area:2.7
Timezone:AEST
Utc:+10:00
Dist1:126
Dir1:W
Location1:Brisbane
Lga:Toowoomba Region
Stategov:Toowoomba North
Fedgov:Groom
Near-N:North Toowoomba
Near-Ne:North Toowoomba
Near-E:East Toowoomba
Near-Se:South Toowoomba
Near-S:South Toowoomba
Near-Sw:Harristown
Near-W:Newtown
Near-Nw:Newtown

Toowoomba City is an urban locality in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia.[1] It is the central suburb of Toowoomba, containing its central business district and informally known as the Toowoomba CBD. In the, Toowoomba City had a population of 2,321 people.

Geography

The suburb is roughly rectangular, bounded to the north by Bridge Street, to the east by Hume Street, to the south by James Street, and to the west by West Street.

Toowoomba railway station is in Russell Street (-27.5572°N 151.9519°W).[2] It serves the city of Toowoomba, and is the junction and terminus for the Main Line railway from Brisbane, the Western railway from Cunnamulla, and Southern railway from Wallangarra on the Queensland – New South Wales border.

Mort Estate is a neighbourhood in the north-west of the suburb (-27.5525°N 151.9469°W). It takes its name from an 1862 land sale by Thomas Sutcliffe Mort and Henry Mort.[3] [4] [5]

History

Toowoomba North Boys State School and Toowoomba North Girls and Infants State School both opened in 1869. In 1937, the two schools were combined to form Toowoomba North State School.

In 1881, a Baptist Church opened in Toowoomba.[6] [7]

The Holy Name Primary School was opened on 23 January 1905 by the Sisters of Mercy who were already operating the school at St Patrick's Church (the church is now St Patrick's Cathedral and the St Patrick's school is now known as St Saviours School & College). The Holy Name school was burned down on 4 August 1919, so the school operated from the Mr and Mrs Hannant on the corner of West and Norwood Streets, until the school was rebuilt. Archbishop James Duhig laid the foundation school for the new church and school on 23 November 1919 and officially opened it on 23 January 1921.[8]

The Toowoomba City library opened in 2016. The Toowoomba local history library opened in 1999 with a major refurbishment in 2016.[9]

Demographics

In the, Toowoomba City had a population of 2,281 people.

In the, Toowoomba City had a population of 2,088 people.

In the, Toowoomba City had a population of 2,321 people.

Heritage listings

There are many heritage-listed sites in Toowoomba City, including:

Shopping

Toowoomba City contains two significant shopping centres, presently under the same ownership. Grand Central Shopping Centre, with a GLA of 46000m2, contains the region's only Myer store, as well as a Coles, Target and 145 specialty stores. Garden Town Shopping Centre, across Gowrie Creek and containing a GLA of 12434m2 (2009), contains a Supa IGA supermarket, Best & Less and Lincraft along with 40 other stores. Both are currently owned by QIC, following its acquisition of Garden Town in January 2009 from Aspen Group, they are now being redeveloped to join together via a two level galleria to form one shopping centre.[40]

Two smaller centres, the Hooper Centre and a homeware centre, and street shopping along Ruthven Street round out the city centre's retail offerings.There is also a small shopping area on the corner of Ramsay and South streets called Southtown. It contains several eating places, supermarket, newsagent and Post Office.

Transport

Toowoomba City is situated at the intersection of the New England Highway and Warrego Highway, and contains Toowoomba railway station (the terminus of the Westlander service) and the city's bus interchange on Neil Street, from which various buses depart for the suburbs. Toowoomba also has a taxi facility available.[41]

Education

Toowoomba North State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls on the south-west corner of Mort and Taylor Streets (-27.5565°N 151.9487°W).[42] [43] It includes a special education program. In 2015, the school had an enrolment of 157 students with 12 teachers (11 full-time equivalent).[44] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 142 students with 11 teachers (10 full-time equivalent) and 15 non-teaching staff (9 full-time equivalent).[45]

Holy Name Primary School is a Catholic primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 188 Bridge Street (-27.5506°N 151.9467°W).[46] It is a Mercy tradition school. In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 154 students with 12 teachers (10.3 full-time equivalent) and 8 non-teaching staff (5 full-time equivalent).[47] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 140 students with 11 teachers (10 full-time equivalent) and 9 non-teaching staff (5 full-time equivalent).

There are no secondary schools in Toowoomba City. The nearest government secondary schools are:

Libraries

The Tooowoomba City library is located at 155 Herries Street. The library is open seven days a week.[48]

The local history library is located at 155 Herries Street.[49] The local history library has a comprehensive archival collection that is of local, state and national significance, including the Robinson Collection named after Toowoomba's first female mayor Nellie E. Robinson. This comprehensive collection contains records from local personalities, businesses and community organizations.

Both libraries are operated by the Toowoomba Regional Council.

Community groups

The Toowoomba branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at 263 Margaret Street and the Toowoomba City Business Women’s branch meets at 161 Margaret Street.[50]

Notes and References

  1. 17 November 2019.
  2. Web site: 2 October 2020. Railway stations and sidings - Queensland. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201005070354/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/84fff9a0-e315-4844-9c4d-63934562a9bd. 5 October 2020. 5 October 2020. Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government.
  3. 8 March 2023.
  4. News: 9 January 1862 . Advertising . IV . 2 . . 189 . Queensland, Australia . 23 August 2023 . National Library of Australia . 22 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230822204800/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/75467385 . live .
  5. Web site: Mort Estate, Toowoomba . 2023-08-22 . www.toowoomba.org . 31 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230331193032/https://www.toowoomba.org/index.php/articles/history/mort-estate-toowoomba . live .
  6. Web site: Queensland Baptist churches by date of erection/opening. live. 2021-11-29. Baptist Church Archives Queensland. 26 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211126074653/https://www.bhsq.org/barq/churches100years/index.html.
  7. Web site: 1881 Toowoomba. live. 2021-11-29. Baptist Church Archives Queensland. 6 April 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230406103903/https://www.bhsq.org/barq/churches100years/images/1881-Toowoomba.html.
  8. Web site: History. Holy Name Primary School. https://web.archive.org/web/20180211132409/http://www.hntwb.catholic.edu.au/documents/history.html. 11 February 2018. live. 11 February 2018.
  9. Web site: Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-17. November 2017. Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. 16. 29 January 2018. 30 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180130022546/http://www.plconnect.slq.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/388497/SLQ_StatsBulletin1617_20171109.pdf. live.
  10. 15 July 2013.
  11. 15 July 2013.
  12. 15 July 2013.
  13. 15 July 2013.
  14. 15 July 2013.
  15. 15 July 2013.
  16. 15 July 2013.
  17. 15 July 2013.
  18. 11 February 2018.
  19. 15 July 2013.
  20. 15 July 2013.
  21. 15 July 2013.
  22. 15 July 2013.
  23. 15 July 2013.
  24. 15 July 2013.
  25. 15 July 2013.
  26. 15 July 2013.
  27. 15 July 2013.
  28. 15 July 2013.
  29. 15 July 2013.
  30. 15 July 2013.
  31. 15 July 2013.
  32. 15 July 2013.
  33. 15 July 2013.
  34. 15 July 2013.
  35. 15 July 2013.
  36. 15 July 2013.
  37. 15 July 2013.
  38. 15 July 2013.
  39. 15 July 2013.
  40. Web site: Garden Town Shopping Centre, Toowoomba, Queensland. Leasing Information Services. 4 June 2011.
  41. Web site: Toowoomba/Highfields/Crows Nest bus network. Transport and Main Roads (Queensland). March 2011. 4 June 2011. 29 March 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110329051330/http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/b25ac199-603e-406d-8a77-091b0bfe2ede/pdf_toowoomba_timetable.pdf. live.
  42. Web site: 9 July 2018 . State and non-state school details . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20181121065959/https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/state-and-non-state-school-details/resource/5b39065c-df32-415c-994c-5ff12f8de997 . 21 November 2018 . 21 November 2018 . Queensland Government.
  43. Web site: Toowoomba North State School . 21 November 2018 . 25 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131125234109/http://www.toownortss.eq.edu.au/ . live .
  44. Web site: 2015 School Annual Report . 10 January 2017 . Toowoomba North State School . 10 January 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170110015834/https://toownortss.eq.edu.au/Supportandresources/Formsanddocuments/Annual%20reports/Toowoomba%20North%20State%20School%202015%20Annual%20report.pdf . dead .
  45. Web site: ACARA School Profile 2018 . 28 January 2020 . . 27 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200827085246/https://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-profile-2018.xlsx . live .
  46. Web site: Holy Name Primary School . 21 November 2018 . 24 October 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181024051535/http://www.hntwb.catholic.edu.au/ . live .
  47. Web site: 2016 Annual Report. Holy Name Primary School, Toowoomba. https://web.archive.org/web/20180211132635/http://www.hntwb.catholic.edu.au/formsdownloads/annualreport2016.pdf. 11 February 2018. live. 11 February 2018.
  48. Web site: Toowoomba City Library. 3 February 2017. Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. 29 January 2018. 29 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180129141058/http://plconnect.slq.qld.gov.au/networking/directory-of-public-libraries/branches/toowoomba/toowoomba_library. live.
  49. Web site: Local history library. 2 February 2017. Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. 29 January 2018. 29 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180129140805/http://plconnect.slq.qld.gov.au/networking/directory-of-public-libraries/branches/toowoomba/local-history-library. live.
  50. Web site: Branch Locations. Queensland Country Women's Association. 26 December 2018. 26 December 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181226010724/http://www.qcwa.org.au/branch-locations/. dead.