Toowoomba

I visited Toowoomba station on 22 September 2020.

Services

Toowoomba is located on the Main Line and is served by the Westlander train services travelling between Charleville and Roma Street. Toowoomba is located 161.3 km from Roma Street and the approximate travel time is 3 hours and 50 minutes towards Toowoomba and 4 hours and 25 minutes towards Roma Street. There are only two services a week departing Toowoomba on Thursdays and Saturdays at 7:00 am arriving at Roma Street at 11:25 am and departing Roma Street on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:15 pm arriving at Toowoomba at 11:05 pm. Alternatively, there are many coach services travelling between Brisbane and Toowoomba that depart 7 days a week at the bus station on Neil Street.

During the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers a special excursion trip runs twice a day to Spring Bluff.

Fares

Toowoomba is not located within the TransLink network and the only service that stops at Toowoomba is the Westlander. The fares between Brisbane and Toowoomba is $26.46 for adults and $22.05 for children. Note that these fares may vary in different times of the year and type of ticket purchased and must be prebooked.

History

In mid 1866, Sir Charles Fox designed what was going to be the structure of Toowoomba Railway Station however due to the collapse of Agra Bank in 1866, this contract was cancelled and a replacement structure was decided to be built similar to the one at Laidley station with the first train arriving on 12 April 1867 and the official opening on 1 May 1867, however in 1871 it was decided that a new building was required due to the growth in passenger numbers at the station. There were delays but finally R. Godsall was awarded the contract in March 1873 and the building designed by FDG Stanley who was the Queensland Colonial Architect was handed over on 26 October 1874 and it was the first masonary station to be built in country Queensland.

The original station building included a dining room however a new one began constructed in 1901 and was completed in 1902 and other major extensions happened which included the tea room in 1915 and two extensions of the dining room in 1920 and 1926.

Extensions were made to the canopies and platforms and in 1906 the platform was extended towards Russell Street and the canopies followed this extension in 1911 and during this period a wrought iron footbridge was provided for pedestrian access for £4,000 which was relocated to Grantham in 1985.

There is a Roll of Honour Board located at the north end of the station paying tribute to the role of rail workers in the armed services during World War 1 which was built at the North Ipswich Workshops by Vincent Price who was the architect for Queensland Railways Department and even though the criteria for the first 209 names added in 1918 was stated to be within a radius extending from Helidon to Chinchilla and Clifton and adjacent branch lines the final list of 559 names cover a wider geographical area.

The station includes to WWII air raid shelters with one being near the Honor Board and the other being near the main station entrance.

A signal cabin was constructed in the 1950s and it is part of the station masters office however it was disconnected in May 1993.

Toowoomba station along with the Honor Board and Railway Yard Structures were heritage listed on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria:

The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.

The Toowoomba Railway Station, Honour Board, and Railway Yard Structures are important in demonstrating the development in the 19th century of the first main line railway in Queensland, and the growth and decline of railway passenger traffic in Queensland. The station building, erected in 1867, is the oldest extant masonry railway station in Queensland, and the Railway Refreshment Rooms are the last remaining commercially operating public refreshment rooms at a railway station in Queensland.

The intact yard structures are evidence of the development of railway operations since the turn of the century.

The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage.

The Honour Roll is a rare example of a memorial element crafted in railway workshops.

The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places.

The place has a strong community association as the site of the Toowoomba railway station since 1867, and as the railway station building since 1874, and a special association with colonial architect FDG Stanley,

The place is important because of its aesthetic significance.

The fine detailing of the exterior of the Station Building and Refreshment Room Wing, the impressive interior and fine detailing of the Refreshment Room and its internal furnishings and fittings, and the finely-crafted Honour Roll have aesthetic quality.

The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.

The place has a strong community association as the site of the Toowoomba railway station since 1867, and as the railway station building since 1874, and the Queensland Government, in particular the Railway employees.^[1]

There is debate on how Toowoomba received it's name. Some theories include:

that it derived from the aboriginal word for swamp which is Tawampa as the Aboriginal peoples had no "s" in their language sound system.
that the aboriginal interpretation for "reeds in the swamp" Woomba Woomba was used as the original source
that the word Toowoomba was taken from the aboriginal term for a native melon "Toowoom" or "Choowoom" which grew plentifully in the township.

Platforms

Toowoomba consists of two platforms with 1 side platform (platform 2) and 1 bay platform (platform 1). Services typically use platform 2.

Access

Toowoomba station has one entrance from the carpark on Railway Street.

Toowoomba station does have disability access.

Bus Connections

There are bus stops nearby on Mort Street and Ruthven Street served by routes 901 (to Harlaxton and University), 907 (to Wilsonton Heights) and 950 (to Highfields and Crows Nest). Toowoomba station is also within walking distance to Grand Central Shopping Centre and Toowoomba Bus Station which as well as the above is serviced by routes 902 (to Glenvale), 903 (to Mount Lofty), 904 (to University), 905 (to University), 906 (to Toowoomba Plaza) and the Kan-go roaming service to Rangeville as well as a number of long distance coach services.