Whilst other Brisbane suburbs have been named after a distinct landmark, Toowong derived its name from its local birdlife.
The name Toowong is believed to have originated from the call of a migratory bird, the Eastern Koel, which nests in the area between September and April. The bird was known for its call which was thought to mark the arrival of rain.
The Koel has a unique survival tactic. It lays its eggs in the nests of other species and lets them raise their young before returning to Papua New Guinea and other South-East Asian countries for winter.
Eastern Koel Eudynamys orientalis Cuculidae Photo credit: birdlife.org.au
According to the District Historical Society, the suburb was named after the native bird known as the white-throated nightjar. The Aborigines referred to this bird as the “tu-wong” — an onomatopoeic word which copies the sound of the bird’s call. Since the native bird nested in several eucalyptus trees along the river bank on the bend of the Brisbane River below the Indooroopilly Bridge, the Aborigines named the locality Tu-wong.
Bird researcher Ian Venables said that other early records say that Toowong was named after the Koel. The confusion would explain why a newcomer to Toowong, John O’Neil Brenan (who arrived in 1872), came to understand the origin of the word as the Koel’s call. To this day, the confusion as to where the name of Toowong really came from, remains.
Toowong Creek Photo credit: Kgbo/Wikimedia Commons
Survey maps from as early as 1849 show that Toowong Creek was the first to use the name. The word was later adopted as a locality name when local landowner Richard Langlar Drew advertised land along Toowong Creek for sale as “The Village of Toowong”.
The name became more widely used when Toowong was given to the area’s newly-opened local railway station. The district’s inhabitants later identified with the name of “Toowong”, and its inhabitants adopted the name for the locality after the railway station’s name.
Today, Toowong is a popular suburb, home to more than 10,800 people.
Keeping Toowong kids busy for the winter school holidays is made easy as the BCC organised a number of activities at the Toowong Library and the Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha. Check out the list below to see child-friendly activities for your kids to enjoy.
Smart Phone Eco Photography
Saturday, 30 June 2018 (2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
Photo credit: CC0 Public Domain / PxHere
An activity ideal for aspiring photographers aged 10 to 17 years, the Smart Phone Eco Photography lets you see nature through a different lens.
Bookings required for this free activity. Visit Bazil Grumble to learn more about the session and reserve your place.
Participants are asked to meet outside the Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha planetarium and don’t forget to bring a hat, some sunscreen, a water bottle, and your smartphone.
Maker Space
Multiple dates
Let your little maker get creative in this free library activity for children aged two to 10 years.
The Maker space will run in the Toowong Library from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on the following dates: 2-6, 9, 11, and 12 July 2018.
Bookings required for this free event. Call the Toowong Library on 07 3403 2590 to reserve your place.
Create a Mood Board
Monday 2 July 2018 (2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
Photo credit: CC-BY/decor8 holly/Flickr
Get inspired by making your own mini mood board. A mood board is goal orientated and includes clips of where you want to live, go on holiday, and what you want to become.
This activity is ideal for young adults aged 12-18 years old.
Bookings required for this free event. Call the Toowong Library on 07 3403 2590 to reserve your place.
Poke-Tanical Hunt
Tuesday, 3 July 2018 (10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
Inspired by the game Pokemon Go, the Poke-Tanical Hunt is a plant and animal hunting game in the Botanic Gardens. This game is ideal for kids 6-12 years.
Safely hunt through the gardens to find special specimens and “battle” to win badges. You will get a certificate if you “get them all.”
Bookings not required. Participants are asked to meet at the Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha Visitor Information Centre.
Performance: The Bear in Our Backyard
Tuesday, 3 July 2018 (10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.)
Photo credit: emmamiddleton.com
Let the kids experience the story of The Bear in our Backyard with songs, dance, puppetry, and rhyme with children’s author and performer Emma Middleton.
This session is ideal for children aged 3-7 years.
Bookings required for this free event. Call the Toowong Library on 07 3403 2590 to reserve your place.
Drop in and Meet NAO
Tuesday, 3 July 2018 (2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
Don’t miss the chance to meet NAO robot, an amazing humanoid robot can sense its environment and interact with people using surprisingly lifelike gestures and movement.
This meet and greet session with NAO robot is open to all ages. Drop by the library any time between the listed times.
Bookings required for this free BNEtechkids workshop. Call the Toowong Library on 07 3403 2590 to reserve your place.
Chocolate At Risk
Thursday, 5 July 2018 (10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.)
Photo credit: CC0 Public Domain / PxHere
Let your little chocolate lover learn more about chocolates in this free learning session for kids eight years and over.
Participants are asked to meet at the Kitchen in the Garden of Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha.
Bookings required for this free event. For more information and to book, call 07 3403 2535.
Indigenous Stories with Craig Kemp
Saturday, 7 July 2018 (10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.)
Open for kids aged 8-12 years, this event will let your child learn more about Aboriginal culture with the help of Craig Kemp.
Working as a cultural facilitator for 25 years, he is capable of engaging young people with light-hearted educational and comedic cultural immersion.
This workshop is perfect for 10-17-year-old sushi lovers. Learn the art of preparing delicious healthy sushi in this hands-on cooking workshop.
Bookings essential. Visit NAQ Nutrition to book. Registration for the event costs $5.
Participants are asked to wear closed in shoes and meet at the outdoor kitchen in the garden of Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha.
Tinker Table: Bee-Bots
Monday, 9 July 2018 (2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
Wednesday, 11 July 2018 (2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
A BNEtechkids workshop for kids and teens, let the children have some hands-on experimenting with Bee-Bots. Learn basic programming skills while helping your Bee-Bot navigate and solve a maze.
Booking not required.
Venue: Toowong Library
Palm Sheath Baskets – School Holiday Version
Tuesday, 10 July 2018 (10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
Photo credit: Brisbane City Council
Learn how to shape and stitch native palm sheaths into beautiful shapes. Discover some of our native palms such as the Piccabeen Palm, while learning about their place in our rainforest ecosystems.
Ideal for kids 10 years and over, all materials will be provided in this free workshop.
Bookings required. Call 07 3403 2535 for more information and to reserve your place.
Participants are asked to meet at the Administration Building of the Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha.
Treasure Hunt
Tuesday, 10 July 2018 (10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
Race against the clock and crack the clues to discover the natural treasures hidden within the Botanic Gardens at Mt Coot-tha. Work alone or in a group and explore the Botanic Gardens to solve this exciting treasure hunt.
The treasure hunt is suitable for children aged 5-12 years and they must be accompanied by an adult.
Bookings not required. Participants are asked to meet at the Visitor Information Centre. Don’t forget to bring a pencil or pen.
Toowong Library School Holidays Children’s Book Club
Thursday, 12 July 2018 (2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
Photo credit: Brisbane City Council
Join the Toowong Library for fun activities and a reading of the laugh-aloud Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables by Tim Harris. Mr Bambuckle cooks breakfast for his students and gives lessons in drone building!
This free event is ideal for children aged 7-12 years. Bookings required so call the Toowong Library on 07 3403 2590 to reserve your place.
The Tiger Who Came to Tea
Friday, 13 July 2018 (2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
What would you do if a tiger arrived on your doorstep to join you for tea? Join the Toowong Library to celebrate the 50th birthday of the beloved picture book The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr. Lots of fun to be had with a storytime, crafts and games.
This free event is ideal for children aged 5-9 years.
Bookings required. Call the Toowong Library on 07 3403 2590 to reserve your place.
Active Transport Committee Chairman Adrian Schrinner said that they came to the decision after public consultation and after receiving tender responses.
Following community consultation and the receipt of construction tender responses, Council has decided not to proceed with the Land Street Tunnel Bikeway project. Any funds freed-up will be invested into other bikeway projects as part of our $100m program over 4 years.
Cycling groups were not supportive of the project which was supposed to be part of the $100-million Better Bikeways for Brisbane plan by the City Council. Cycling advocacy group Space4cyclingBNE questioned the need for the project.
Draft plan for the tunnel duplication (Photo credit: Brisbane City Council)
Photo credit: Brisbane City Council
The group insisted that there was no need for the project, considering that they have not received any reports of issues concerning the existing tunnel. Space4cyclingBNE also said that people who take tunnel route have not experienced actual conflicts or have reported any risky behaviour.
There was one incident where a pedestrian was hit by a bicycle, but the advocacy group stressed that even the victim does not see a need for a duplicate tunnel.
The project was primarily intended to improve safety and capacity for cyclists and pedestrians using the Land Street tunnel. It was also planned to anticipate an increasing number of cyclists and pedestrians.
Because of the decision to not proceed with the project, Cr Schrinner assured that any unused funds will be allocated to other Better Bikeways for Brisbane projects by the council.
After competing against five other Catholic girls’ schools from across Brisbane, Toowong’s Stuartholme School took home the CaSSSA Cross Country championship for the second year.
Photo credit: Supplied
Stuartholme School’s Cross Country Team won big in the recently concluded CaSSSA Cross Country championships. The team’s hard work in training with cross country coach Chris Gale paid off as they won win first place in the 17 years, 16 years, 15 years, 14 years, and 13 years age categories and fifth place in the 12 years category.
Photo credit: Supplied
Mr Gale couldn’t be more proud as the team wins second place at the Percentage Cup and first place at the Aggregate Cup making them CaSSSA Cross Country 2018 Champions.
In their annual Cross-Country Launch on Sunday, 25 February 2018, the school was visited by former Olympic marathon runner Steve Moneghetti who also spent time with members of the Stuartholme cross country team during their training session.
Following Stuartholme cross country team’s winnings, Holly Robertson was named as Stuartholme Cross Country Runner of the Year during the Stuartholme Cross Country Presentations.
Photo credit: Supplied
Other awards recipients include Ema Stebbins, Harriet Williams, and Grace White who received five-year cross country merit awards.
Truly, the Stuartholme School cross country team has made their coach, school, and most importantly, their parents proud.
Toowong Child Care Centre
Long day care
78 Sherwood Rd
TOOWONG Q 4066
3371 2232
Website: Wesley Mission QLD listing
See map here.
Toowong Outside School Hours Care Centre 1
After school care / Vacation care / Before school care
Toowong State School, Osyth Street
TOOWONG Q 4066
0419 648 126
Website: OSH Care Centre 1
See map here.
As part of Brisbane City Council’s Streets of Remembrance project, additional street sign upgrades have been seen in neighbourhoods across the city since 2015. This project does not only aim to honour those who have been part of the armed forces but also to raise community awareness and pride.
In the suburbs of Toowong and Auchenflower, there are several streets that have been upgraded as part of the council’s project.
Birdwood Terrace (Toowong & Auchenflower)
Both present in Toowong and Auchenflower, the street is a tribute to Lieutenant General Sir William Birdwood. He was a senior officer in Britain’s pre-1914 Indian Army and was later on appointed to the command of the Australian and New Zealand forces.
Haig Road (Auchenflower)
Field Marshall Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE, ADC commanded the 1st Army Corps of the British Expeditionary Force. He is also known for his take on machine guns and tanks as he thought they were overrated. He was the mastermind behind the campaign at Passchendaele in 1917 and the successful Allied advances on the Western Front in 1918.
Hobbs Street (Auchenflower)
Originally an architect in Perth, Lieutenant General Sir Joseph John Talbot Hobbs KCB, KCMG, VD, joined the volunteer artillery in 1893. From then on, he rose through the ranks. He was knighted in 1918 and 1919 and he was also awarded the Serbian Order of the White Eagle in 1917.
The Streets of Remembrance is an ongoing project and the council aims to identify more streets.
On 11 March, learn how to turn your kitchen scraps into rich nutrients for your garden at the Vera Street Community Garden in Toowong from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
The workshop is part of Brisbane City Council’sprogram to keep the city clean, green, and sustainable. With the free workshop, locals will get to learn more about organic waste recycling.
Benefits of Organic Waste Recycling
Organic waste recycling helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the garden’s health.
For a city burdened with landfill problems, Brisbane is in need of strong community commitment to minimise waste. The composting and worm farm workshop is one way of educating residents on how to lessen food waste.
In Brisbane, food waste is reportedly a huge part of what goes to the city’s bins that go to the landfills.
Mulch and compost also provide significant benefits to your garden. Using these organic soil additives, you get to:
Spend less time weeding and watering your garden;
Have less need for artificial fertiliser;
Produce healthier soil;
Save more time and money.
The free compost and worm farm workshop is also available in various times and areas in Brisbane. It is open to all ages.
The council reminds participants to wear a hat, flat enclosed shoes and to BYO sunscreen and drinking water.
Bookings are essential. Call 3403 888 for to reserve a slot.
In the coming months, the Toowong RSL Sub-Branch will officially open a permanent new home at the Wests Bulldogs Rugby Union Headquarters on Sylvan Rd.
Mr Kerry Gallagher, the RSL president is delighted that the sub-branch is working on a permanent home, perfect for its centenary celebration next year. He is also hopeful that on this year’s Anzac day, more people will come to celebrate the centenary of Armistice Day.
Since 1991, the sub-branch has been holding their meetings at the Toowong Library and in a few months, the sub-branch will finally have its own headquarters. Mr George Vaivarins, the sub-branch executive committee member also said that they are starting to grow in members again. They also have included social members who haven’t necessarily served but supported them such as Cr Peter Magic and former Channel Nine reporter, Spencer Jolly.
The group is also calling out to the public for memorabilia since they have lost theirs during the 1974 floods. To donate, loan memorabilia, or to join, you can call 3870 1379.
The Salvation Army’s student accommodation in Toowong has finally been sold and Aurrum, an aged-care developer based in Sydney, has just submitted a proposal for the site.
Located at 15 Jephson Street, a two-storey brick student accommodation currently stands on a 5248-square-metre block. The accommodation has been closed since November 2016 after being sold in June of last year. It was finalised on 20 December and the next day, the Brisbane City Council received a development application from Urbis on behalf of Aurrum.
The development application is proposing a five-storey 120-unit aged care facility on the site. Three levels will house 120 residential units, whilst the ground level will be for facilities and a drop-off area and a 21 basement car parking. There will be an amenity area on the rooftop for the staff.
Should the council approve the development, this will be the first Queensland project for the developer. Currently, they have 1,000 operating facilities in Victoria and NSW.
