88-577: The Gore Highway is a highway running between Toowoomba and Goondiwindi in Queensland , Australia. Together with Goulburn Valley Highway and Newell Highway , it is a part of the National Highway 's Melbourne to Brisbane link. It is signed as National Highway A39. The highway is named after two brothers, St. George Richard Gore and Ralph Thomas Gore who established the Yandilla pastoral run in
176-461: A design for the town of Drayton and chose a site 3–4 miles (4.8–6.4 km) to the north-east for suburban allotments of 27–40 acres (11–16 ha). Located where two swampy creeks converged as the headwaters of Gowrie Creek, this area was known as The Swamp/s or the Drayton Swamp, and later as Toowoomba. When preparing the detailed survey of Drayton in 1850, Burnett added a cemetery to the north of
264-624: A news story he wrote for the Sydney Morning Herald . He claimed that when he was looking for work as a tar boy, he camped overnight near the Toowoomba Swamp. He claimed that when he asked a shepherd about the naming of the Toowoomba Swamp, he was told that near the junction of the East and West Swamps, there was a log with an inscription informing swagmen of the way to a well-known homestead where food rations were available. He claimed that
352-652: A situation somewhat unique among Queensland cities, snow has been reported on the higher parts of the city on several occasions; this is a trait it shares with the Granite Belt to the south along the Great Dividing Range. Light frost will be experienced several nights each winter in the city centre, more often in the western suburbs. According to the Bureau of Meteorology , the highest temperature ever recorded in Toowoomba
440-547: A small mail run in the 1800s to transport mail and passengers to Brisbane and beyond. It also houses Australia's largest collection of horse-drawn vehicles. The museum has undergone a A$ 8 million redevelopment before reopening in September 2010. Toowoomba has many heritage-listed sites, with over fifty on the Queensland Heritage Register in addition to listings on other local heritage registers. Toowoomba
528-520: A water source for important reservoirs and water supply projects such as the Upper Nepean Scheme , Snowy Mountains Scheme and Warragamba Dam . The Bradfield Scheme has been mooted as a way to transport water from the Wet Tropics of Queensland in the coastal northeast of Far North Queensland via a series of Dams & Tunnels , southwest to inland dryer regions, including a tunnel through
616-575: Is 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph). Between Millmerran and Goondiwindi the maximum permitted speed is 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph). The Roads of Strategic Importance initiative, last updated in March 2022, includes the following projects for the Gore Highway. A lead project to upgrade Queensland sections of the Toowoomba to Seymour corridor, including the Gore Highway and surrounding state and council roads, at an estimated cost of $ 62.5 million,
704-563: Is a 17.1 km (10.6 mi) former section of the Gore Highway that runs south-west from the city of Toowoomba in Queensland , Australia. With the opening of the Toowoomba Bypass in 2019 the Gore Highway was redirected to part of it, and the bypassed section of the highway was renamed Toowoomba Athol Road and assigned the route number A139. The road commences at an intersection with the Toowoomba Connection Road (A21) on
792-517: Is a city in the Darling Downs region of Queensland , Australia. It is located 132 km (82 mi) west of Queensland's capital, Brisbane . The urban population of Toowoomba as of the 2021 census was 142,163, having grown at an average annual rate of 1.45% over the previous two decades. Toowoomba is the second-most-populous inland city in Australia after the nation's capital, Canberra . It
880-671: Is also the second-largest regional centre in Queensland, and is often referred to as the capital of the Darling Downs. The city serves as the council seat of the Toowoomba Region . Toowoomba, one of Australia's oldest inland cities, was founded in 1849 on the lands of the Giabal and Jarowair people. The city's central streets were named after the history of the House of Stuart . The city became
968-594: Is celebrated for its preserved Victorian-era and traditional Queenslander architecture , historic churches and gardens, and vibrant food, and coffee culture . The city boasts street art, laneways, and numerous nature trails. The city experiences a distinct four seasons and is home to festivals including the Carnival of Flowers . Notable landmarks include Queens and Laurel Bank Park , the Empire Theatre , St James' Palace , and Mt Meewah. The surrounding Darling Downs region
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#17330938342991056-492: Is correct, as this dialect was not spoken in the Darling Downs region (but rather in the Wide Bay-Burnett region) and Lawrence did not state why he transferred the name to the Darling Downs. In fact, the distance between Toowoomba and Gayndah is just over 218 kilometres as the crow flies . In 1899, George Essex Evans published his theory in a pamphlet. He wrote that "Toowoomba" was an Aboriginal word meaning "meeting of
1144-450: Is equal to the adverb "There", so the whole word means "melons there", and to an Aborigine it meant "the place where the melon grows". While this melon still exists and can be found in areas along the Balonne and Warrego Rivers , as well as in areas closer to Toowoomba, there is no evidence that the melon grew near the Toowoomba swamps. A man named Enoggera Charlie proposed another theory in
1232-588: Is even known to have the odd snowfall. As a result, the city has a reputation for being cooler than many other towns and cities in Queensland. Toowoomba is generally sunny, receiving 103.9 clear days annually on average, mostly in winter. Daily maximum temperatures in Toowoomba average 28 °C (82 °F) in summer and 17 °C (63 °F) in winter. Unlike most of inland Queensland, summer temperatures above 33 °C (91 °F) are uncommon, whilst winter days rarely above 23 °C (73 °F). Winter nights seldom drop below 0 °C (32 °F); however, in
1320-544: Is highlighted during the Australian Carnival of Flowers festival held in September each year. Deciduous trees from around the world line many of the parks, giving a display of autumn colour. The City of Toowoomba includes the following suburbs: - from former Shire of Jondaryan Giabal and Jarowair are recognised as the two main Aboriginal language groups of the Toowoomba with Giabal extending south of
1408-457: Is known for its rolling hills and pastures, agricultural produce, and historic homesteads. The exact origin of the city's current name is unknown, although it is widely accepted that the name derives from an Aboriginal language. When Toowoomba was first discovered by Europeans, it was named "Drayton Swamp" (in reference to the Toowoomba Swamp) and was often nicknamed "The Swamp". One theory
1496-676: Is only one major road crossing the highlands from north to south, the Great Alpine Road . Parts of the highlands consisting of relatively flat and, by Australian standards, well-watered land were developed for agricultural and pastoral uses. Such areas include the Atherton Tableland and Darling Downs in Queensland, and the Northern Tablelands , Southern Highlands and Southern Tablelands in New South Wales . Other parts of
1584-464: Is that after European settlement, the local Aboriginal people referred to it as "Tawampa", which is borrowed from "The Swamp". Another theory is that it derives from the name "Toogoom". This theory was first proposed by author Steele Rudd in a letter to the Toowoomba City Council . He claimed that his father told him that in 1848, he first saw Toowoomba and that he assisted in laying it out
1672-661: Is the seat of the Toowoomba Region local government area . The city is represented in the Parliament of Queensland by three seats: Toowoomba North , Toowoomba South and Condamine . In the Commonwealth Parliament , Toowoomba forms part of the Division of Groom , which is held by Garth Hamilton for the Liberal National Party of Queensland . Great Dividing Range The Great Dividing Range , also known as
1760-512: The 2016 census , the Urban Centre of Toowoomba recorded a population of 100,032 people. Of these: Toowoomba has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification : Cfa ) with warm summers and cool winters. The city's inland location as well as elevation and exposed location on the Great Dividing Range influence its climate in several notable ways: Toowoomba experiences more frequent high winds, hail, fog, low maximum temperatures and
1848-652: The Australian Alps . The central core of the Great Dividing Range is dotted with hundreds of peaks and is surrounded by many smaller mountain ranges or spurs, canyons , valleys and plains of regional significance. Some of the major plains include the High Plains of South-Eastern Australia, the Southern Highlands, the Central Highlands and Bogong High Plains of Victoria. Other tablelands considered part of
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#17330938342991936-687: The Bass Strait . Rivers west of the Dividing Range drain in various westerly directions according to latitudes: the Murray–Darling basin in southeastern Australia ( Darling Downs /eastern South West Queensland , West/Central New South Wales , Northern Victoria and the Murraylands / Riverland region of southeastern South Australia ) drain southwestwards into the Great Australian Bight via
2024-622: The Calder Highway , the Western Highway , and the Murray Valley Highway traverse parts of the range. Much of the range lies within a succession of national parks and other reserves . Most of the national parks are listed below, and there are almost double that amount of state forests. In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, the Great Dividing Range was announced as one of
2112-587: The East Australian Cordillera or the Eastern Highlands , is a cordillera system in eastern Australia consisting of an expansive collection of mountain ranges , plateaus and rolling hills . It runs roughly parallel to the east coast of Australia and forms the fifth-longest land-based mountain chain in the world , and the longest entirely within a single country. It is mainland Australia 's most substantial topographic feature and serves as
2200-475: The Gulf of Carpentaria . The sharp rise between the coastal lowlands and the eastern uplands has affected Australia's climate , mainly due to orographic precipitation , and these areas of highest relief have revealed an impressive gorge country. Areas to the east of the mountain range in southern NSW usually experience a Föhn effect , which is a dry wind originating from the Great Dividing Range that abruptly raises
2288-619: The Latrobe Valley and Wilsons Promontory ). Whereas on the downwind (eastern) slopes, Cooma , Omeo , Goulburn , Bowral , Bombala , Nimmitabel , and Canberra , are warmer and drier relative to altitude. Moreover, Oberon , Shooters Hill and Sunny Corner are on the crest of the ranges and thus exposed from all directions, hence their evenly spread rainfall. The main ski resorts in New South Wales, such as Thredbo Village , Perisher and Charlotte Pass , lie transitionally between
2376-583: The Liverpool Range , Mount Royal Range and the Monaro District . Whilst some of the peaks of the highlands reach respectable heights of a little over 2,000 metres (6,600 ft), the age of the range and its erosion mean that most of the mountains are not very steep, and virtually all peaks can be reached without mountaineering equipment. In some areas, such as the Snowy Mountains , Victorian Alps ,
2464-627: The New England region and in June 1827 encountered 4 million acres (16,000 km ) of rich farming and grazing land, which he named as the Darling Downs , bordered on the east by the Great Dividing Range and 160 kilometres (100 mi) west of the settlement of Moreton Bay . In 1840, Patrick Leslie (second son of the ninth Laird of Warthill ) and Peter Murphy established Toolburra Station 56 miles (90 km) south-west of Toowoomba, being
2552-526: The Scenic Rim and the eastern escarpments of the New England region, the highlands form a significant barrier. The eastern escarpment is the site of many spectacular waterfalls which were formed by rivers plunging off the tablelands. In other areas the slopes are gentle and in places the range is barely perceptible. Well known passes on the range include Coxs Gap , Cunninghams Gap , Dead Horse Gap , Nowlands Gap , and Spicers Gap . Major cities located on
2640-559: The Shoalhaven River . Those that flow south, primarily through Victoria, include the Snowy , Cann , Tambo , Mitchell , Latrobe , Thomson , Yarra , Werribee , Hopkins and Glenelg rivers. At some high hill passes the range provides cool sites appropriate for vineyards . The engineers of early rail passages across the Great Dividing Range needed to find low sections of the range to cross, as well as suitable, "low" gradient paths up
2728-423: The Snowy Mountains portion of southern Great Dividing Range. The Dividing Range does not consist of a single continuous mountain chain , but is rather a combined complex ( cordillera ) of mountain ranges , plateaus , hilly upland areas and escarpments with an ancient and complex geological history . The physiographic division name for the landmass is called the East Australian Cordillera . In some places
Gore Highway - Misplaced Pages Continue
2816-556: The Wimmera plains as rolling hills west of the Grampians region . The width of the Range varies from about 160 km (100 mi) to over 300 km (190 mi). The Greater Blue Mountains Area , Gondwana Rainforests and Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Areas are located in the Range. The highest place in Australia, the 2,228 m (7,310 ft) Mount Kosciuszko , resides in
2904-414: The drainage basins of river systems east (the coastal or rainward side) and west (the inland or leeward side) of it. The higher and more rugged parts of the "range" do not necessarily form part of the crest of the range, but may be branches and offshoots from it. The term "Great Dividing Range" may refer specifically to the watershed crest of the range, or to the entire upland complex including all of
2992-470: The 1900s. In July 1902, 80 subdivided allotments of "The Lilley Estate" owned by the late Sir Charles Lilley, were advertised to be auctioned by Scholefield & Godsall. A map advertising the auction shows that the estate was bordered by Bridge, Mary and Lindsay Streets and overlooking and adjoining the Royal Agricultural Society's Showgrounds. In 1905, the Royal Agricultural Society and
3080-403: The Aboriginal term "great in the future". However, he did not provide a source for his information. Another theory was proposed by botanist Archibald Meston in a book titled A Geographical History of Queensland . He wrote: "Toowoom" or "Choowom" was the local blacks' name for a small native melon ( Cucumis pubescens ) which grew plentifully on the site of the township. The terminal "ba"
3168-687: The Blue Mountains were later named after each of these men. This was the start of the development of the agricultural districts of inland New South Wales . A road was built to Blaxland by convicts within six months. Easier routes to inland New South Wales were discovered towards Goulburn to the southwest, and westwards from Newcastle . Subsequent explorations were made across and around the ranges by Allan Cunningham , John Oxley , Hamilton Hume , Paul Edmund Strzelecki , Ludwig Leichhardt and Thomas Mitchell . These explorers were mainly concerned with finding and appropriating good agricultural land. By
3256-565: The Drayton and Toowoomba Agricultural and Horticultural Society merged and the Toowoomba Showgrounds on Campbell Street became the sole venue for the annual show. The Rotary Club of Toowoomba was established in 1930. During World War II , Toowoomba was the location of RAAF No.7 Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot (IAFD), completed in 1942 and closed on 29 August 1944. Usually consisting of 4 tanks, 31 fuel depots were built across Australia for
3344-632: The Empire Theatre is now the largest regional theatre in Australia. The former Drayton railway station now functions as the DownSteam heritage railway and museum . Rollingstock includes the only surviving C16 Class , No. 106 "Pride of Toowoomba", Built in 1914 and originally retired in Cairns by 1964. The city also is home to the Cobb & Co Museum , hailing to the famous mail company's beginnings as
3432-507: The Great Divide is only a slight rise in the surrounding topography. Knowing that local Aboriginal people had already established routes crossing the range and by making use of Aboriginal walking trails, a usable ridge-top route was finally discovered by Europeans directly westward from Sydney across the Blue Mountains to Bathurst by an expedition jointly led by Gregory Blaxland , William Lawson and William Charles Wentworth . Towns in
3520-536: The Great Dividing Range are the Atherton Tableland , Canberra wine region and the Southern Tablelands . The Dandenong Ranges , Barrington Tops , Bunya Mountains , Blue Mountains , Liverpool Range , McPherson Ranges and the Moonbi Range are some of the smaller spurs and ranges that make up the greater dividing range. Other notable ranges and tablelands which form part of the Great Dividing Range include
3608-728: The Great Dividing Range into the Flinders River then a tunnel into the Torrens Creek in the White Mountains National Park then flows south into Thompson River / Cooper Creek , part of the Eyre Basin . Many other variations have been proposed. The Great Dividing Range creates the drainage basins of the Australian south-east coast drainage division and the Australian north-east coast drainage division , whose water flows to
Gore Highway - Misplaced Pages Continue
3696-737: The Murray–Darling Basin from Victoria include the Goulburn , Mitta Mitta , Kiewa , Ovens , King , Loddon and Campaspe rivers. Rivers that flow east into the Pacific Ocean include the Annan River , Barron River , Brisbane River , Burdekin River , Burnett River , Clarence River , Daintree River , Fitzroy River , Hastings River , Hawkesbury River , Hunter River , Karuah River , Macleay River , Mary River , Pascoe River , Richmond River and
3784-404: The air temperature in the lee of that mountain range and reduces atmospheric moisture. This dry wind, which elevates fire danger in the warm months, occurs because of the partial orographic obstruction of relatively damp low-level air and the subsiding of drier upper-level air in leeward of the mountains. The drier air is then heated more because of the adiabatic compression as it comes down
3872-608: The area (between Pittsworth and Milmerran ), through which the road traverses. It was elevated to National Highway status in February 1993, and replaced the Cunningham Highway as the main route between Goondiwindi and Brisbane. Interstate traffic was rerouted through Toowoomba and the Warrego Highway as it presented a less steep gradient than via Warwick and Cunninghams Gap , shortening travel time especially for trucks. It
3960-550: The area off the local Aboriginal people. He wrote that hundreds of Aborigines were killed in a bitter war that lasted three years from the time they arrived in the area. The interior of Eton Vale homestead was decorated with spears and boomerangs and other spoil which the Hodgsons had collected after hard fought battles with "the blacks". Hodgson wrote "who would not rather put a ball in their hearts to rid themselves of their ceremonials and presence at once?" The general mode of attack by
4048-476: The area; they replied with "Woomba Woomba", meaning "the springs and the water underneath". However, she claimed that the Alfords thought this would not be a suitable name for their house and store, so they added the prefix "too-" and omitted one "Woomba" (as this would be a synonym of "two Woomba"), hence "Toowoomba". In 1875, William Henry Groom wrote an account of Toowoomba. He stated that "Toowoomba" derived from
4136-512: The building. However, the Empire was rebuilt and reopened in November 1933. The architectural styling of the new Empire Theatre was art deco , in keeping with the trend of the 1930s. After years of neglect, the Empire Theatre was extensively renovated in the late 1990s, but retains much of its art deco architecture and decorations, especially the proscenium arch. Able to seat approximately 1,500 people,
4224-439: The city while Jarowair extends north of the city. The Jarowair (also known as Yarowair, Yarow-wair, Barrunggam, Yarrowair, Yarowwair and Yarrow-weir) language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Toowoomba Regional Council, particularly Toowoomba north to Crows Nest and west to Oakey . This traditional landscape changed dramatically from 1840 with the incursion of British pastoralists into
4312-428: The city's waterways to become swollen. Around midday, an intense storm moved in from the northeast, completely overwhelming East Creek and West Creek which run through the CBD. 149.6 mm (5.89 in) fell in one day with rainfall peaking at 144 mm/h (5.7 in/h) over one 10-minute interval. The flood caused damage to properties and infrastructure, and resulted in the deaths of 2 people in Toowoomba. At
4400-466: The coastal Lake Alexandrina ; the eastern half of the Lake Eyre basin in east central Australia (the Cooper Creek and Warburton River systems in Central /western South West Queensland and eastern Far North of South Australia) drain southwestwards into the endorheic Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre ; the numerous rivers of western Cape York Peninsula in northeastern Australia ( North / Far North Queensland ) drain westwards or northwestwards directly into
4488-403: The coastal and inland regions. Many descendants of these nations still exist today, and some remain the traditional owners and custodians of their lands. After British colonisation in 1788, the ranges were an obstacle to exploration and settlement by the British settlers. Although not high, parts of the highlands were very rugged. Crossing the Blue Mountains was particularly challenging due to
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#17330938342994576-504: The colonists would involve an early morning raid on the Aboriginal camps. The Hodgsons would "generally employ our [black] boys from distant tribes to act as trackers" to locate defiant groups of Aboriginal people. Sometimes a prisoner was taken and "ordered to conduct us to his own camp on risk of his life" and once at this camp, "we rushed to attack it and we had, notwithstanding, ample revenge". Hodgson describes how Aborigines would try to recover "the corpses of those who had fallen victims to
4664-416: The definitive watershed for the river systems in eastern Australia, hence the name. The Great Dividing Range stretches more than 3,500 kilometres (2,175 mi) from Dauan Island in the Torres Strait off the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula , running the entire length of the eastern coastline through Queensland and New South Wales , then turning west across Victoria before finally fading into
4752-401: The east coast and into the Pacific Ocean, Tasman Sea , and Bass Strait with the westerly Murray–Darling basin which flow inland, away from the coast into the interior plains. Some of the rivers which flow west of the ranges includes the Condamine River , Flinders River , Herbert River , Lachlan River , Macdonald River , Macintyre River and Namoi River . Rivers that flow north into
4840-409: The first British pastoralists to take land on the Downs. Later that same year, Eton College graduate, Arthur Hodgson , together with Gilbert Elliot and Cocky Rogers established "Eton Vale" on land which included "The Swamp", now known as Toowoomba. In forming Eton Vale , Hodgson's brother Christopher Pemberton Hodgson , later described the "constant skirmishes with the natives" to wrest control of
4928-409: The following year. He believed that it derived from the native name "Toogoom" because of the reeds that grew in the area. Rudd also wrote that he remembered that the original Aboriginal name for "The Swamp" was Chinkery Yackan meaning "water like the stars". Another theory was proposed by the wife of pioneer Toowoomba resident Thomas Alford. She claimed to have asked the Aboriginals what they called
5016-429: The heritage-listed Russell Street. Immediately to the east of the CBD is the Caledonian Estate, an area of turn-of-the-20th-century housing, ranging from humble workers cottages to large stately homes, in the classic wooden Queenslander style. Toowoomba is also home to the Empire Theatre , which was originally opened in June 1911, as a silent movie house . In February 1933, fire broke out, almost completely destroying
5104-432: The highlands are too rugged for agriculture and have been used for forestry. Many parts of the highlands which were not developed are now included in National Parks . All of mainland Australia 's alpine areas, including its highest mountain, Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 metres or 7,310 feet AHD ), are part of this range, called the Main Range . The highest areas in southern New South Wales and eastern Victoria are known as
5192-423: The hills and mountains between the east coast of Australia and the central plains and lowlands. At some places it can be up to 400 km (249 mi) wide. Notable ranges and other features which form part of the range complex have their own distinctive names. As a rule of thumb , rivers east/southeast of the Dividing Range drain directly eastward into the South Pacific and the Tasman Sea , or southward into
5280-407: The inscription read "To Woombrah". A man named Ardlaw Lawrence put forward his theory shortly after Enoggera Charlie. He suggested that the name was an Anglicised form of "Boowoomga", which comes from the term for "thunder" in the dialect spoken by the Aboriginal tribe inhabiting areas along the Upper Burnett River (including the town of Gayndah ). However, it is highly unlikely that this theory
5368-477: The late 1830s, the most fertile rangelands adjacent to the mountain ranges had been explored, appropriated from the traditional inhabitants and some settled. These included the Gippsland and Riverina regions in the south, up to the Liverpool Plains and the Darling Downs in the north. Various road and railway routes were subsequently established through many parts of the ranges, although many areas remain remote to this day. For example, in eastern Victoria there
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#17330938342995456-600: The late 19th century – groups from south east and south west Queensland as well as northern New South Wales gathered at Gummingurru, near Gowrie (west of Toowoomba) prior to attending the festival. The Gummingurru site with its ancient stone circles is being restored by the Gummingurru Aboriginal Corporation and is an important ceremonial place for not only the traditional groups but neighbouring groups. Toowoomba's colonial history traces back to when English botanist and explorer Allan Cunningham arrived in Australia from Brazil . He conducted an inland expedition north from
5544-676: The lee slopes, forming a rain shadow . In the cool season, the Great Dividing Range would shield much of the southeast (i.e. Sydney , Central Coast , Hunter Valley , Illawarra , the ACT , the Monaro and South Coast ) from south-westerly cold fronts that originate from the Southern Ocean , which bring chilling rains, sleet and snow to the upwind side of the ranges, such as on the western Central Tablelands , South West Slopes and Snowy Mountains regions – all which have relatively wetter winters. Upwind locations include Crookwell , Batlow , Tumut , Corryong , Bright , Beechworth , Eildon , Tolmie and those in West Gippsland (namely
5632-430: The leeward and windward side (the former town being more leeward and the latter more windward). Although they receive substantial precipitation from over the crest of the ranges, they lack the persistent cloud cover which characterises truly windward locations on the western face, which are; Cabramurra , Kiandra , Mount Buller , Falls Creek , Mount Hotham , Mount Buffalo and Mount Baw Baw . The Great Dividing Range
5720-421: The midpoint of the Toowoomba suburbs of Newtown and Harristown . It runs south-west through the residential suburb of Harristown and the rural suburbs of Drayton and Westbrook to the rural locality of Athol , where it ends at an intersection with the Gore Highway. It is concurrent with State Route 85. There are no major intersections on this road. In 1849 government surveyor James Charles Burnett prepared
5808-485: The mistaken idea that the creeks should be followed rather than the ridges, and almost impenetrable, labyrinthine, sandstone mountains. The Blue Mountains actually lie to the east of the watershed that divides the Hawkesbury - Nepean system and the Murray-Darling system , the true Great Dividing Range. The watershed in this area lies to the west of Lithgow , passing near the locality of Mt Lambie and village of Capertee . There, as in some other places in New South Wales,
5896-861: The mountains on either side. Rail passages include: Many of Australia's highways such as the Alpine Way , Great Alpine Road , Snowy Mountains Highway , Hume Highway , Illawarra Highway , Northern Highway , Melba Highway , Maroondah Highway , Midland Highway , Pyrenees Highway , Sunraysia Highway , Monaro Highway , Olympic Highway , Newell Highway , Lachlan Valley Way , Barton Highway , Federal Highway , Kings Highway , Great Western Highway , Mitchell Highway , Mid-Western Highway , Castlereagh Highway , Mulligan Highway , Capricorn Highway , Cunningham Highway , Gore Highway , Flinders Highway , Gregory Highway , Peak Downs Highway , Dawson Highway , New England Highway , Golden Highway , Bruxner Highway , Gwydir Highway , Oxley Highway , Warrego Highway , Summerland Way , Waterfall Way , Thunderbolts Way ,
5984-432: The mouth of the Murray River near Adelaide , South Australia. Rain falling on the easternmost streets of Toowoomba flows east to Moreton Bay , a distance of around 170 km (110 mi). The rich volcanic soil in the region helps maintain the 159 public parks that are scattered across the city. Jacaranda , camphor laurel and plane trees line many of the city streets. The city's reputation as 'The Garden City'
6072-443: The peak rainy months. Like most of south-east Queensland, severe thunderstorms can be a threat and Toowoomba may occasionally be affected by ex-tropical cyclones . Toowoomba's history has been preserved in its buildings. Examples of architecture drawing from the city's wealthy beginnings include Toowoomba City Hall which was Queensland's first purpose-built town hall, the National Trust Royal Bull's Head Inn and many examples in
6160-407: The region. Those Aboriginal Australians that survived the frontier conflict of this time were pushed to the fringe of society in camps and later moved to missions such as Deebing Creek , Durundur and later Barambah (now Cherbourg ). Some local Aboriginal Australians worked on the properties around Toowoomba in this contact period. Ceremonies such as the Bonye Bonye festival remained active until
6248-527: The south) and the Warrego Highway (A2) interchange at Charlton . The original section of Gore Highway to Toowoomba was renamed Toowoomba Athol Road (A139). The highway passes through Queensland's Darling Downs region. Typical of the scenery are grazing cattle, orchards and grain farmland. It is concurrent with State route 85 from Goondiwindi to Athol, and with State route 82 from Milmerran to Pampas . The highway has two different speed zones. From Athol to Millmerran (60 kilometres (37 mi) south west) it
6336-585: The southern boundary, originating from springs on either side of Middle Ridge near Spring Street, at an altitude of approximately 680 metres (2,230 ft). These waterways, East Creek and West Creek, converge just north of the CBD to form Gowrie Creek. Gowrie Creek drains west across the Darling Downs and is a tributary of the Condamine River , part of the Murray–Darling basin . The water flowing down Gowrie Creek travels approximately 3,000 km (1,900 mi) to
6424-630: The storage and supply of aircraft fuel for the RAAF and the US Army Air Forces at a total cost of £900,000 ($ 1,800,000). In 1985, the show left the Toowomba Showgrounds for the new site in Glenvale . Toowoomba was named as Australia's Tidiest Town in 2008. On 10 January 2011, Toowoomba suffered a catastrophic flash flood . Unusually heavy rainfall had occurred in the preceding days, causing
6512-408: The terrain is relatively flat, consisting of very low hills. Typically the highlands range from 300 to 1,600 metres (980 to 5,250 ft) in height. The mountains and plateaus, which consist of limestones , sandstone , quartzite , schists and dolomite , have been created by faulting and folding processes. The crests of the Great Dividing Range is defined by the watershed boundary between
6600-465: The towns/cities located on or near the range include: The lower reaches are used for forestry, an activity that causes friction with conservationists. The range is also the source of virtually all of eastern Australia's water supply, both through runoff caught in dams, and throughout much of Queensland, through the Great Artesian Basin . Valleys along the chain of mountains have yielded
6688-432: The upland areas of the range include Canberra , Toowoomba and the outer suburbs of Sydney , Melbourne , Brisbane , Gold Coast and Cairns in north Queensland. Many towns and cities are located on the range, and also in lowland areas and foothills adjacent to the highlands. There is a strong natural history and cultural attachment to the Dividing Range region in towns and on many, sometimes remote, landholdings. Some of
6776-575: The viceregal summer retreat of Queensland's governors . The city witnessed several significant events during Australia's Victorian period , including the War of Southern Queensland and Battle of One Tree Hill . During the Federation period , Toowoomba emerged as a major artistic and cultural centre with the establishment of the Austral Society . Toowoomba, a city renowned for its cathedrals and universities,
6864-418: The village, midway between Drayton town and the Drayton Swamp suburban allotments, on slightly elevated land close to the road connecting the two settlements. This road, later named Anzac Avenue, is now part of Toowoomba Athol Road. The Toowoomba Bypass was completed in September 2019 and bypasses the urban area of Toowoomba and provides a better crossing of the Great Dividing Range . The Warrego Highway (A2)
6952-408: The waters", although no evidence was provided to support this claim. Toowoomba is on the crest of the Great Dividing Range , around 700 metres (2,300 ft) above sea level. A few streets lie on the eastern edge of the range, but the majority of the city is situated west of the divide. The city is situated on the edge of the range and the low ridges behind it. Two valleys extend north from
7040-476: The white man's gun in defiance of a sentry on the lookout". Those who were at peace with the Hodgson brothers, were kept in line with methods such as the taking of young boys from the tribe as hostages. Hodgson claimed that if the local Aboriginal people were to be considered a species of simia acaudata or tail-less monkey, they had to be "hunted down and exterminated". Towards the end of the 1840s, closer settlement
7128-512: The wish of locals and a new municipality was proclaimed on 24 November 1860. The first town council election took place on 4 January 1861 and William Henry Groom won. The railway from Ipswich was opened in 1867, bringing with it business development. In 1892, the Under Secretary of Public Land proclaimed Toowoomba and the surrounding areas as a township and in 1904 Toowoomba was declared a city. Pastoralism replaced agriculture and dairying by
7216-412: Was 40.8 °C (105.4 °F) on 12 February 2017, while the lowest was −4.4 °C (24.1 °F) on 12 July 1965. Average annual rainfall is 735 mm (28.9 in), which peaks in the warm season. Rainfall in the eastern suburbs along the Great Dividing Range nudges 1,000 mm (39 in) per year. The majority of Toowoomba's rain falls from November to March, with January and February being
7304-566: Was formed during the Carboniferous period —over 300 million years ago—when Australia collided with what are now parts of South America and New Zealand. The range has experienced significant erosion since. (See Geology of Australia .) For tens of thousands of years prior to British colonisation the ranges were home to various Aboriginal Australian nations and clans. Evidence remains in some places of their traditional way of life including decorated caves, campsites and trails used to travel between
7392-490: Was initially designated State Route 85 until February 1993 when National Highway 85 was proclaimed, splitting State Route 85 into two. In 2005 it was given the National Highway A39 designation. The Toowoomba Bypass was completed in September 2019. It bypasses the urban area of Toowoomba and provides a better crossing of the Great Dividing Range . Gore Highway (A39) was rerouted via the bypass between Athol (in
7480-472: Was occurring and the nearby township of Drayton had grown to the point where it had its own newspaper, general store, trading post and the Royal Bull's Head Inn , which was built by William Horton and still stands today. The first Britishers began to live at "The Swamp" (Toowoomba) from 1849, where Josiah Dent, William Shuttleworth and William Gurney were employed to cut reeds and timber for use at Drayton. Dent
7568-456: Was rerouted via the bypass between Helidon Spa (in the east) and an interchange at Charlton (in the west). The Gore Highway (A39) was rerouted via the bypass between Charlton and Athol, and the original section of Gore Highway from Toowoomba to Athol was renamed Toowoomba Athol Road (A139). Toowoomba Download coordinates as: Toowoomba ( / t ə ˈ w ʊ m b ə / tə- WUUM -bə ), nicknamed 'The Garden City’,and 'T-Bar',
7656-456: Was said to have "lived in a tent, and with his axe, he killed the blacks". In 1852, Thomas Alford established the first store at Toowoomba. Land for the town of Toowoomba at "The Swamp" was first surveyed in 1849, then again in 1853. By 1858 Toowoomba was growing fast. It had a population of 700, three hotels and many stores. Land selling at £4 per acre (£10 per hectare) in 1850 was by then £150 per acre (£370 per hectare). Governor Bowen granted
7744-461: Was to commence in 2020 and is scheduled for completion in mid-2028. A project for surface rehabilitation of a section of the Gore Highway between Pittsworth and Millmerran at a cost of $ 17 million is planned to be completed by mid-2023. A project to plan safety upgrades on the Gore Highway and the Toowoomba - Athol Road, at a cost of $ 400,000, was completed in December 2021. The Toowoomba Athol Road
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