Unique Things To Do In Toowoomba

From huge flower festivals to quirky little rail museums and the city’s nascent arts scene, there’s plenty of things to do in Toowoomba.

Queensland’s largest inland city is home to its fair share of attractions and events, drawing in visitors from near and far whatever the season. Choose your own adventure from this list of the city’s best.

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Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers

The so-called Garden City is awash with a sea of colourful petals come spring, when the annual Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers descends. The longest running floral event of its kind in Australia, this festival takes place every September and welcomes hundreds of thousands of flowers in full bloom, planted across the city’s parks and public spaces, and a similar number of anthophile attendees. But it’s not just the plants that attract out-of-towners: during the festival, you can expect twilight tours, light installations, live music, fairground rides and plenty of foodie events to boot.

Cobb+Co Museum

This highly rated Toowoomba museum’s primary calling card is the National Carriage Collection, comprising 47 restored horse-drawn vehicles, which played an important role in Queensland’s development. But the Cobb+Co Museum has plenty more to offer beyond: kids will love the interactive displays in the Sciencentre, as well as the Coach Stop play area, where little ones can become shop attendants in the old Museum General Store, dressing up in old fashioned clothes. Adults, meanwhile, can dabble in the super niche heritage trade workshops (think leadlighting, blacksmithing or millinery), which are available for beginners right through to consummate professionals looking to polish their skills.

Cobb & Co horse and cart — The museum explores more than 50,000 years of history of the Darling Downs and Toowoomba.

Public parks

Even if you don’t venture to Toowoomba for its annual Carnival of Flowers, green thumbs and budding botanists will still find themselves in total floral heaven in Toowoomba: simply stroll around the city’s plethora of public parks to find a bit of zen, or a perfect picnic spot. Two of the city’s standouts are Queens Park and Laurel Park. The former is an impeccably manicured 26-hectare heritage-listed garden that sits smack bang in the centre of town. The latter is home to ‘scented gardens’, a vast arched trellis dripping with wisteria and even croquet greens.

Toowoomba Queens Park from above — Queens Park is something to behold.

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The great outdoors

Toowoomba’s doorstep is littered with bushland, mountains and national parks waiting to be explored. Go for a bushwalk and journey to the summit of Table Top Mountain: a walk that typically takes around two hours one-way, and is steep in parts. Or save your legs and drive up to Picnic Point Lookout and Parkland, which promises panoramic views over the surrounding farmland.

To the northeast of Toowoomba, less than an hour’s drive away, lies Ravensbourne National Park, home to towering red cedars, eucalypts, rainforest and an abundance of birdlife – at least 110 species of birds either visit or live in this park. There’s a handful of short walks to uncover, as well as lookout points and picnicking areas.

And some 49 kilometres north of Toowoomba lies the Crows Nest National Park, which features a eucalypt forest, granite boulders, cascades and a waterhole that’s perfect for a dip. Lucky day trippers may even spy platypus, swamp wallabies, echidnas, bandicoots or lace monitors on their travels through this sprawling park.

Crows Nest National Park boulders — Crows Nest National Park protects spectacular creek scenery.

DownsSteam Tourist Railway & Museum

Trainspotters rejoice! This volunteer-run attraction in the Toowoomba suburb of Drayton has quite the collection, and is staffed by rail enthusiasts who offer tours of the old carriages it has rehomed. Peruse the historic displays and railway memorabilia, and wander through the Dreamtime Journey Coach, an SX coach that’s been repurposed as a permanent art installation in acknowledgement of the contribution made by Indigenous people to the building of Queensland’s Range Railway. Entry is by donation and there’s a small gift shop on-site too.

Pride of Toowoomba: C16-106 undergoing steam tests at DownsSteam Drayton.

Explore the local arts scene

Toowoomba might not have all the arty assets of a major city, but it still punches above its weight when it comes to creative attractions. For one thing, the Southern Queensland city is home to a bit of a burgeoning street art scene. The murals painted along the side of the CUA bank building in 2012 are recognised as Toowoomba’s first, kickstarting the trend city-wide. More than 90 different artworks now pepper the city’s streets, including creations by internationally acclaimed artists Adnate and Fintan Magee, based in Melbourne and Sydney respectively.

Those a bit more traditionally inclined should pay a visit to the Toowoomba Regional Arts Gallery , the oldest of its kind in regional Queensland, and a venue that plays host to three permanent collections, as well as contemporary exhibitions that change each month. Or, spend an evening at the heritage-listed art deco Empire Theatre , the largest regional performing arts complex in Australia, which regularly hosts music and ballet recitals and comedy events. You can also uncover a little more of the building’s architecture and history, by signing up for one of the venue’s backstage tours.

Read more about Toowoomba here.

Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

Exploring K’gari

ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island — Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island — Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise . Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

Unwind at sunset

two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort — Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

The Sunset Bar , located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

Indulge and disconnect

woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa — Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

Getting there

kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island — The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.

Unique things to do in Toowoomba