Toowoomba (1 Day's Stay)
At Toowoomba you can enjoy a Heritage walk or Drive to see the many historical buildings such as the Empire Theatre (heritage listed art deco venue with state of the art technology and providing historical tours) which is Australia’s largest regional performing arts complex holding regular performances. Also you can visit the Spring Bluff Railway Station with its picturesque Gardens and heritage railway station.  There is also the Mort Estate Historic Self-guided Walking Tour for which a brochure is also available from the Toowoomba Visitor Information Centre.

With over 150 parks and gardens Toowoomba is known as the garden city of Queensland. Aside from the Toowoomba Botanical Gardens there is the Floral gardens of Queens Park (just next to the Botanic Gardens) with extensive grassed areas for sports, children's play equipment including a swing designed for disabled children and walking tracks.  Then there is themed Lake Annand Park (with a the simulated lava flow, appropriate plants and a pulsing fountain emulating a geyser themed like New Zealand) where you can feed the ducks and enjoy a Barbecue/picnic facilities and a playground and there is the Newtown Park State Rose Garden where more than 1500 roses have been planted with a Brass plaque showing history of park (since 1912) as well as the history of roses amongst many lovely public parks and gardens. Vistas of the city can be enjoyed from Picnic Point Lookout and Parkland which provides views of Lockyer Valley and Tabletop Mountain.

At the Toowoomba Bicentennial Water Bird Habitat you can enjoy bird watching, picnicking, a walking trail, or just indulge in photography of the native flora and fauna. Continuing the natural history theme is Crows Nest National Park where you can enjoy bushwalking, the beauty of Crows Nest Falls and the Koonin Lookout which is a platform above the 25m falls that reigns over the “Valley of Diamonds” Gorge possibly so named due to sparkly effect of sunlight on the granite there. The park is a Eucalyptus Forest with diverse bird and wildlife and the possibility of seeing platypus in the creeks (late afternoon or early morning). History of the town and region starts to come alive at the Cobb & Co Museum whose National Carriage Collection is the biggest in Australia. Here you can see the history of horse drawn vehicles, enjoy the traditional and contemporary indigenous displays at the Binangar Aboriginal Language centre, be entertained at the Coach Stop children's activity centre, browse the extensive merchandise and memorabilia in the gift shop or soak in the local and regional history.

For food lovers, a large store filled with gourmet foods, the Toowoomba Gourmet Market with its large selection of local and Darling Downs regional fare is also worth a visit, while there is excellent fishing claimed for Severn dam, Macintyre River and Dumaresq River for keen anglers. Of special note is the Japanese Garden on the grounds of the Toowoomba campus of University of South Queensland, at 4.5 hectares it is Australia's largest and most authentic Japanese Stroll Garden with 230 species of Japanese & Australian plants used.

These are some of the great destinations to see while exploring Toowoomba. Be sure to add them to your list of places to visit.

Toowoomba Heritage Drive Empire Threatre (heritage listed art deco venue) historical tours Australia's largest regional performing arts complex Spring Bluff Railway Station (heritage railway station) Picnic Point Lookout and Parkland see Lockyer Valley and Tabletop Mountain Cobb & Co Museum (National Carriage Collection, History of horse drawn vehicles) Aboriginal Language centre (Childrens Langauge Centre) local and regional history Toowoomba Botanical Gardens Lake Annand Park (New Zealand theme) Queens Park

Botanical Gardens Newtown Park State Rose Garden Toowoomba Bicentenial Water Bird Habitat (Bird watching, native flora) Toowoomba Gourmet Market (Darling Downs regional fare) Fishing Severn dam Macintyre River Dumaresq River Mort Estate Historic Self-guided Walking Tour Japanese Garden (on Toowoomba campus of USQ - authentic Japanese Stroll Garden) Crows Nest National Park Bushwalking Crows Nest Falls Koonin Lookout Valley of Diamonds Gorge (Eucalyptus Forest, birdlife and wildlife)