Toowoomba
$Queensland's Garden City, a world-class carriage museum, Japanese gardens, and dramatic range views 90 minutes from Brisbane
Drive 90 minutes west and up the Great Dividing Range to Toowoomba, Queensland's largest inland city and a completely different world to the coast. The highlight is Queensland Museum Cobb+Co, home to the National Carriage Collection, Australia's finest collection of over 50 horse-drawn vehicles, from Cobb & Co coaches to sulkies and wagons. The museum also features interactive science exhibits (Sciencentre), heritage trade workshops (blacksmithing, silversmithing, leather plaiting), and rotating exhibitions. Across the road, Queens Park Botanic Gardens and the Ju Raku En Japanese Gardens (one of Australia's largest) are free to explore. Finish at Picnic Point Lookout for panoramic views over the Lockyer Valley and the Great Dividing Range.
Step by step
From start to finish, what to expect.
Drive to Toowoomba (90 min from Brisbane via the Warrego Highway)
Start at Queensland Museum Cobb+Co, allow 2 hours for the carriage collection, Sciencentre, and any workshops running
Walk across to Queens Park Botanic Gardens
Drive or walk to Ju Raku En Japanese Gardens, traditional lake, bridges, tea house, and cherry blossoms
Lunch at one of the Margaret Street or Ruthven Street cafes in town
Finish at Picnic Point Lookout for sunset views over the range
Cost breakdown
Estimated per person, in AUD.
How you get there
Your options for the trip.
Drive yourself
Local tips
Stuff your mates would tell you.
The Cobb+Co Museum runs heritage trade workshops (blacksmithing, silversmithing, leather plaiting) on select days, check the schedule online and book if one interests you
The Toowoomba Farmers Market runs every Saturday 7am-12pm under the windmills at Cobb+Co
The Carnival of Flowers in September is Toowoomba's biggest event and Queensland's largest regional festival, book accommodation well ahead
Toowoomba sits at 700m elevation and is noticeably cooler than Brisbane, bring a layer, especially in winter
The drive up the range via the Toowoomba Connection Road is more scenic than the highway if you have time