The Toowoomba Region is a local government area (LGA) on the border of Darling Downs and South East Queensland regions of Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, the LGA was preceded by several other local government authorities with histories extending back to the early 1900s and beyond.
In 2018–2019, it had a A$491 million budget, of which A$316 million is for service delivery and A$175.13 million capital (infrastructure) budget.
In the , the Toowoomba Region had a population of 173,204 people. With an estimated population as of 2025 of 186,276 people.
History Prior to the 2008 amalgamation, the Toowoomba Region existed as eight distinct local government areas: the City of Toowoomba and the Shires of Cambooya, Clifton, Crows Nest, Jondaryan, Millmerran, Pittsworth, and Rosalie.
The City had its beginning in the Toowoomba Municipality which was proclaimed on 24 November 1860 under the Municipalities Act 1858,22 Vic No. 13 (Imp), assented 27 October 1858 a piece of New South Wales legislation inherited by Queensland when it became a separate colony in 1859. William Henry Groom, sometimes described as the "father of Toowoomba", was elected its first mayor. It achieved a measure of autonomy in 1878 with the enactment of the Local Government Act. With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Toowoomba became a town council on 31 March 1903. On 29 October 1904, Toowoomba was proclaimed a City.Queensland Government Gazette, Vol. LXXXIII, 29 October 1904, p.878.
The Toowoomba Region also encompassed four of Queensland's 74 divisions created under the Divisional Boards Act 1879 on 11 November 1879: Clifton, Highfields, Jondaryan and Rosalie. On 31 March 1903, these became Shires. Between 1913 and 1917, a number of changes occurred: the Millmerran and Pittsworth areas voted to split from Jondaryan on 24 April 1913, whilst in the same year Crows Nest became a shire, and in 1914, Cambooya followed. On 19 March 1949, Highfields and Drayton were abolished, with their land going to Crows Nest and Toowoomba respectively.
2008 amalgamation In July 2007, the Local Government Reform Commission released its report and recommended that the eight areas amalgamate. Its main reason for recommending such a large area was that the region was a growth area and a new organisation would have political advocacy capabilities on behalf of the region. Two other key factors were that Toowoomba's suburbs had expanded well beyond the City of Toowoomba and a new entity would be able to manage the entire area under one plan. Additionally, environmental and natural resource challenges could, in the Commission's view, be better met by an organisation with "a scale and capacity to undertake... management across the region in an integrated manner." Four of the councils, Jondaryan, Millmerran, Pittsworth and Rosalie were rated as financially weak by the Queensland Treasury. While no council had supported the Commission's model, most were willing to consider some form of amalgamation, and the Commission considered whether Millmerran should be united with Dalby or Toowoomba carefully. In the end, its proposal was unchanged. On 15 March 2008, the City and Shires formally ceased to exist, and elections were held on the same day to elect councillors and a mayor to the Regional Council.
Since amalgamation
Council Toowoomba Regional Council is unsubdivided and its elected body consists of 10 councillors and a mayor. Neither the Labor Party nor the Liberal National Party officially endorse candidates for council.
Current composition The current council, elected in 2024, is: PositionCouncillorParty Mayor Geoff McDonald Independent Councillor Bill Cahill Independent Edwina Farquhar Independent Gary Gardner Independent Trevor Manteufel Independent Labor Tim McMahon Independent LNP James O'Shea Independent Kerry Shine Independent Labor Carol Taylor Independent Melissa Taylor Independent Rebecca Vonhoff Independent LNP
Mayors Peter Taylor (2008–12). Elected 2008, defeated 2012. Paul Antonio (2012–23). Elected 2012, 2016, 2020. Retired 2023. Geoff McDonald (2023-current). Elected by council 2023, Elected 2024.
Election results 2024
Towns and localities The Toowoomba Region includes the following settlements:
Toowoomba suburbs
Blue Mountain Heights1 Centenary Heights Cotswold Hills2 Cranley Darling Heights Drayton East Toowoomba Glenvale2 Harlaxton
Harristown Highfields1 Kearneys Spring Middle Ridge Mount Kynoch Mount Lofty Newtown North Toowoomba Prince Henry Heights
Rangeville Redwood Rockville South Toowoomba Toowoomba City Torrington2 Wilsonton Wilsonton Heights
Close Regional Localities
Birnam1 Charlton2 Finnie3 Gowrie Junction2
Hodgson Vale3 Mount Rascal3 Preston4 Spring Bluff1
Top Camp3 Vale View3 Wellcamp2
1 - split with the former Shire of Crows Nest 2 - split with the former Shire of Jondaryan 3 - split with the former Shire of Cambooya> 4 - split with Lockyer Valley Region>
Regional localities
Cambooya area: Cambooya East Greenmount Greenmount Westbrook Clifton area: Back Plains Clifton Ellangowan Kings Creek Nobby Pilton Ryeford Spring Creek
Crows Nest area: Crows Nest Cabarlah Cawdor Djuan Emu Creek Geham Glenaven Haden Hampton Meringandan Pechey Pierces Creek Ravensbourne
Jondaryan area: Oakey Athol Aubigny Evanslea Gowrie Mountain Grassdale Jondaryan Millmerran area: Millmerran Bringalily Cecil Plains Domville Lavelle Lemontree Millmerran Downs Pampas Tummaville Turallin Yandilla
Pittsworth area: Pittsworth Biddeston Bongeen Branchview Brookstead Broxburn Felton Irongate Kincora Linthorpe Mount Tyson Nangwee North Branch Norwin Rossvale Scrubby Mountain Southbrook Springside St Helens Stoneleigh Yarranlea
Rosalie area: Goombungee Acland Evergreen Glencoe Gowrie Junction Meringandan West Upper Yarraman Yarraman Mixed-area localities: Bowenville Gowrie Mountain Kingsthorpe Nobby Wyreema
Economy Economic growth potential in the region has been identified through retail, construction and the development of energy resources found in the Surat Basin and in food processing. As well as the development of the newly built Wellcamp Airport and Second Range Crossing, and proposed Inland Rail the city is set to become one of the largest logistical centres in the country as well as a major inland port.
Demographics The total population recorded at each census before the foundation of the Toowoomba Region combines the population of its component entities prior to their amalgamation in 2008. Its population was officially recorded for the first time in the 2011 Census.
Year Total Region Toowoomba Cambooya Clifton Crows Nest Jondaryan Millmerran Pittsworth Rosalie Notes 1933 56,687 26,423 2,047 3,105 2,850 5,231 2,335 3,544 7,095 1947 62,548 33,290 1,780 2,760 2,361 5,346 3,012 3,599 6,716 1954 70,430 43,149 1,848 2,542 3,733 5,416 3,473 3,731 6,538 1961 77,131 50,134 1,732 2,572 3,474 5,785 3,423 3,821 6,190 1966 81,757 55,799 1,617 2,549 3,244 5,752 3,512 3,713 5,571 1971 84,295 59,524 1,558 2,378 3,111 5,704 3,435 3,795 4,790 1976 92,144 66,436 1,676 2,260 3,445 6,576 3,309 3,714 4,728 1981 94,605 66,698 1,894 2,188 4,125 7,832 3,047 3,605 5,216 1986 106,596 73,390 2,477 2,354 5,308 9,457 3,115 3,880 6,615 1991 117,500 81,043 2,860 2,301 6,644 10,308 3,014 4,035 7,295 1996 124,849 83,633 4,079 2,308 8,644 11,056 2,830 4,264 8,035 2001 132,868 86,642 4,856 2,327 10,005 12,323 3,935 4,445 8,335 2006 141,986 90,466 5,652 2,549 12,595 13,965 3,078 4,688 8,993 151,189 160,779 173,204
Toowoomba Regional Library Services The Toowoomba Regional Council operates the following libraries: Toowoomba City Library Toowoomba Local History Library Cecil Plains library Clifton Library Crows Nest Library (also known as the John French Library) Goombungee Library Highfields Library Millmerran Library Oakey Library Pittsworth Library Quinalow Library Yarraman Library and a mobile library which visits the communities of Bowenville, Cambooya, Cooyar, Gowrie Junction, Greenmount, Haden, Jondaryan, Kingsthorpe, Kulpi, Meringandan West, Mount Tyson, Westbrook, and Wyreema.
The Toowoomba Regional Libraries also provide a range of services including (but not limited to) free computer and internet access, free computer classes, and a Homebound Library Service for those who are temporarily or permanently home bound.
References
External links
Toowoomba.org - Toowoomba's Homepage