History in Stone
Taking a stroll through Toowoomba’s past, we talk to local Architect Stephanie Keys of 'Toowoomba Trails' about local architecture and Toowoomba's History.
08 October 2024
Written by: Stephanie Keys & Sam Kirby
Photography: Castle & Crown & Ana Ott
Ask any Architect and they'll tell you, Architecture is more than just buildings. It's a living history, a celebration of the city's past, a nod to its future. It defines it's personality, guides it's identity and shapes the way people experience and interact with their surroundings and each other.
Beyond that, it is the silent storyteller of a place, speaking volumes about its culture, values, and aspirations through the materials, forms, and spaces it creates (that's also why it is so important).
Toowoomba's architecture, with the grandeur of its public buildings, and the charm of our early colonial homes, tells a story of resilience, creativity, and a deep connection to the land; a testament to its history and a reflection of the city's evolution from a pastoral outpost to a thriving regional center.
But Toowoomba's history stretches back well before European settlement; the Jarowair and Giabal peoples called this land home, living in its plains and swampy areas for untold generations. The name "Toowoomba" itself is believed to be derived from words meaning "swamp" or "the place where water sits," a nod to the area's original landscape.
With the arrival of European settlers in the early 19th Century, English botanist and explorer Allan Cunningham's 1840 discovery of the fertile Darling Downs sparked a wave of settlement, transforming the area into an agricultural heartland. By 1860, Toowoomba was officially gazetted as a township, and the municipality began to take shape.
The further arrival of the railway in 1867 and the construction of both the Spring Bluff and Toowoomba Railway Station further cemented its importance, linking Toowoomba to Brisbane and ushering in a period of rapid growth. By the late 19th Century, Toowoomba had evolved into a bustling urban centre, serving as a key regional hub in Queensland. By 1904, it was proclaimed a city.
Earning the nickname "The Garden City", the city's reputation began to solidify in the 1920s and 1930s due to its extensive and beautifully maintained gardens, parks, and public spaces, cemented by the post war launch of the Carnival of Flowers and floral parade in 1950.
One of the most notable architectural periods in Toowoomba's history, the late 19th and early 20th centuries were a time when the city was flourishing. Many of Toowoomba's oldest buildings date back to this period, characterized by the grandeur and elegance of Victorian and Federation architecture.
Walking through the city, one can't help but admire the stately homes, churches, and public buildings that exemplify this era. The Toowoomba City Hall, built in 1900, is a prime example of Federation architecture. With its red brick façade, arched windows, and ornate detailing, it stands as a symbol of the city's growth and civic pride during this period.
Queenslander homes, another hallmark of Toowoomba's architectural heritage, dot the city's leafy suburbs. These elevated timber houses, designed to suit Queensland's warm climate, often feature wide verandahs, intricate latticework, and expansive gardens, contributing to the city's distinctive character.
As local architect Stephanie Keys of Toowoomba Trails, a local business that specialises in architectural, street art and history walking tours around the city, explains, "Toowoomba's urban landscape, its architecture, and our love of gardens are a product of our city and region's unique geography and the historical patterns of European settlement over time."
"One of the earliest examples of Toowoomba's adaptation to its environment is the 1847 Royal Bull's Head Inn in Drayton. With its oiled exterior timber, wide sheltering verandah, modest French doors, and cow-hair plastered interiors, the inn tells a tale of adaptation to the Australian climate, using local materials at hand and easily imported materials such as lightweight corrugated iron roof sheeting."
Moving into the heart of the city, Toowoomba's great sandstone edifices, like the original General Post Office and Court House on Margaret Street, reflect the typical 19th-century architectural education in the classical tradition. Designed by FDG Stanley of the Colonial Architects Office, these buildings emphasize symmetry, proportion, and detailing consistent with Greek and Roman design. However, as Stephanie notes, "the Helidon Stone façade shows a distinct, pared-back, local character and reflects the sometimes varied skill of its immigrant stonemasons."
"Toowoomba's grander homes, often located high on hills overlooking the city centre, are made of stone and brick, such as Clifford House or Fernside, or situated on bucolic semi-rural estates on the outskirts of the city. Architects James Marks and Sons developed a wonderful palette of polychrome, patterned brickwork, and timber windows so high they act as doors, leading out to shaded verandahs and picturesque gardens in homesteads such as Vacy Hall, Smithfield, and Weetwood."
Looking South over the intersection of Ruthven & Russell St. (Image Courtesy: Remember Toowoomba When)
As you move down the hills and into the swampy areas, you'll find more modest homes built from timber and tin. Toowoomba's early houses follow the typical pattern of house design throughout Queensland, from the modest gabled railway worker-style cottage to the pyramid-roofed cottage and the interwar-era favourite, the Queensland Bungalow. But as Stephanie emphasizes, "the detail is uniquely Toowoomba!"
Compared to their tropical and sub-tropical counterparts, Toowoomba's houses "hug the ground for warmth, not shade" and feature decorative elements in cast iron and tin, such as window hoods, gable detailing, verandah balustrades, and brackets with distinct local designs. This unique architectural character was undoubtedly influenced by the presence of one of Queensland's largest foundries right here in Toowoomba.
Ruthven Street, City Hall in the background: Image Courtesy: Remember Toowoomba When
The interwar period saw the emergence of Art Deco architecture in Toowoomba, reflecting the global trend towards modernism. Buildings like the Empire Theatre, originally opened in 1911 and later renovated in the 1930s in the Art Deco style, showcase the geometric lines, bold colours, and stylized motifs characteristic of this movement. The theatre remains a cultural icon in Toowoomba, hosting a variety of performances and serving as a reminder of the city's ongoing architectural evolution.
As Stephanie suggests, "A wander in the 1860s Mort Estate and the 1900s Caledonian Estate is the best way to experience the variety and unique quality of Toowoomba's early homes." These neighbourhoods offer a living history of the city's architectural evolution, each home a chapter in the ongoing story of Toowoomba.
