Flowers and their beauty never fail to attract tourism anywhere and as a result, every year Queensland’s Carnival of Flowers, what is popularly known as Toowoomba Flower Festival, attracts thousands of local people as well as tourists across the world to admire its beauty and mesmerizing culture which is why it serves as a multitude of cultural and natural adventures.
It is fascinating to know how the revival and rejuvenation of gardens become a festival in itself which is why the Toowoomba Flower Festival is popular across the world and is a must to be witnessed and this led to the nickname of Toowoomba as ‘The Garden City of Darling Downs’.
History of Toowoomba Carnival
The history of the Toowoomba Carnival or the Toowoomba Carnival of flowers is worth knowing.
Post World War II, in 1949, a decision was made right inside the Toowoomba Town Hall that led to the inception of the improvement of the garden to face competitions and festivals, marking the beginning of the Toowoomba Flower Festival.
The first-ever Toowoomba Flower Festival was held in October 1950, with the success of attracting over 50,000 people. People were eager and enthusiastic to line up on the main street to witness the Opening parade of flower floats.
Toowoomba Flower Festival includes festivities for eight days, with a focus on Toowoomba’s garden, stunning private gardens, and the public parks to raise monetary funds for local charities.
The Toowoomba Carnival boosted the city’s economy post hardships from World War II which eventually came to an end after these festivities attracted tourists from all over the world. This not only freed them from economic hardships but also became a tourist attraction for years and counting.
Later, in 1950, the Toowoomba Flower Festival of 10 days was shifted to September due to Schooling Holidays to coincide for young visitors across the country. This increased the enthusiasm among the young children and instigated a feeling of love and care towards flowers and floral gardens and made them explore their splendid culture.
5 Charming Attractions of Garden City
Situated next to the Toowoomba town hall are the gardens of the Art Gallery that look immaculate and have a spring vibe.
Not only this but also, they host an Ikebana display by the Toowoomba group from the Sogetsu School, which is Japanese ancient art of flower arrangements, which dates back to the mid-1500. This adds a cultural variety and a new taste to the Toowoomba Flower Festival.
1. The Floral Parade
The Flower Parade was first introduced as a part of the Toowoomba Flower Festival in 1950, which was headed by bullock teams for 3 miles. It turned out to be a crowd-puller for attracting over 50,000 people to watch it.
For the past two years, owing to the importance of maintaining social distance and other COVID-safe protocols, it wasn’t feasible and safe to have plenty of people line up the main street at the Toowoomba Flower Festival, while the floats went past. To do so they came up with an idea of an alternative arrangement.
However, this year rather than parading the floats past people in the street, people move past the floats to witness the culture.
2. Queens Park and Botanic Gardens
Among display parks in Toowoomba flower festival, there are the Queens Park Botanic Gardens, Laurel Bank Park, Spring Bluff Heritage Railway Station, DownsSteam Tourist Railway & Museum, and the Picnic Point that adds a must-to visit reason to the Toowoomba Flower Festival.
On top of all parks is Queens Park and the adjacent of it are the Botanic Gardens. These are pleasant, picturesque stops to a beautiful journey to enjoy the Queens Park Botanic Gardens which are pet-friendly and with community activities alongside enjoying a Gala Dinner, Food and Wine festival.
As the sun sets, Twilight falls, Queen Park Botanic Garden turns lively with luminous displays that spread across a sequestered area of the park. The night garden is installed with lights and illumination which are powered by ergon energy that brings out riots of colors and fragrances and adds lives to the tourism experience during the Toowoomba Flower Festival.
Do not forget to make your tastebuds experience the richest flavors of wine from Southern Queensland City, fresh from the rich and abundant orchards and wine vineyards.
Also, enjoy the night concerts held at Toowoomba every year. Queens Park also serves as a tourist attraction with various memorials in the beloved memory of well-known local citizens, including the Thomas Memorial Vera Lacaze.
3. Laurel Bank Park
Laurel Bank Park, which is closer to the city, is featured as the most important attraction during the Toowoomba Flower Festival, owing to its manicured and curated garden beds, large trees, picnic spots, and Barbeque spots, and park for children to play.
4. Picnic Point
Pack your picnic basket, and blanket and set high on the pinnacle of the Great Dividing Range, and there is the scenic Picnic Point. Spectate the astonishing beauty of Australia’s Southern Queensland city, over the range and back across the Lockyer Valley along with food, family, and friends.
5. Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery
Enjoy the setting twilight as the Sun sets over Drayton & Toowoomba Cemetery and its historic tombs, the jubilation of the film experience will captivate you during the cemetery’s first twilight movie screening.
There will be two movie sessions, one with the PG movies and the other with classic movies featured from yesteryear.
Year-End Beauty
The fascinating thing is that even though we might know the Toowoomba Region for the splendid Toowoomba Flower Festival in September – but they have their phenomenal blooms, seasonal shades, and natural beauties year-round for the entire world to enjoy anytime they visit.
Yes! This is true for all the people who love to travel seasonally. Queensland, Australia won’t disappoint the floral enthusiasts at all. Take a vacation any time you wish to. The Carnival of flowers begins right from January itself!
Marking from January to March is the season of Sunflowers. Dwell into the beauty of Shades of yellow, get yourself photographed amidst the Sunflowers.
Then comes the autumn shades-full of leafy lawns. The cool climate here offers scenic phenomenal beauty of shedding leaves to enjoy.
One can ensure self to visit the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery with Vines of deciduous territory with a backdrop of red and gold. For an exceptional blend of scenic beauty experience and entertainment, take your family and friends to the Ferris wheel and experience the never-before magnificent florals and feel on top of the world.
The months of June and July are the attractions of tourists to admire the beauty of Camellias. These bring the glorious color of winter. Don’t forget to save the date because the Toowoomba regional council also holds a Toowoomba’s Camellias Show and Garden Expo every year in July.
Then comes the breathtaking 10 days of Toowoomba Flower Festival, the Carnival which takes you to the variety of blooms, flavors, and sounds that take over the garden city in its mesmerizing way. It is not only a program of 60 unique events, but it is an experience in itself. You can spectate the award-winning parks, magnificent gardens, and a street parade bursting with color.
Not only floral colors, but you can also behold the sound art, which is internationally acclaimed musical acts, and a variety of best food is offered which is worth trying for. The rich soil here offers a variety of staggering blooms like Tulips, Poppies, Ranunculus, stock, snapdragons, petunias, and many other annuals bursting into color under the warm Sun Rays.
Just stop, stare and smell the fragrance of the full bloom roses. Feel the beauty from October through May. Newtown Park serves as a home to the various award-winning gardens of Rose, popularly known as Queensland State Rose Garden with over 2000 roses and over 250 cultivars planted in spectacular display and collection.
On the other hand, Darling Downs Rose Society’s Spring show in October and Autumn Show in May are splendid.
Don’t forget to visit Toowoomba’s annual Jacaranda Day on the first Saturday of November where the trees are taking center stage for a memorable and free community event. The jacarandas were planted by the repatriated soldiers after WW-I in Mocatta Street which serves as a special historic place of heritage in Queenstown.
Stay a Little Longer
Toowoomba Flower Festival has now blossomed into its 68th year and the glorious 10 days will enchant your mind. Keep in mind the healthiest way to behave in this pandemic situation while traveling and exploring festivals.
Australia has offered the world a beauty and taste of culture like never before and its Toowoomba Flower Festival will surely make you fall in love with the floral color of the gardens bursting around, the food and Wine to lighten your mood, the music to sink into, the art and craft to be adored, activities with many of them free to enjoy and captivating beauties to capture in your cameras.
Find an excuse to travel; grab your keys and set on a 2-hour drive from Brisbane to the city of Toowoomba, and sink in the beauty of florals alongside wines, foods, trails, lakes, and rainforests.
So, add Australia to your Wishlist or plan your vacations with your family and friends this year and experience this must-to-visit Country to witness its beauty because Toowoomba Flower Festival is eagerly awaiting your gracious presence.
Also check out, Beautiful Australian Native Flowers
That sounds so exciting!! Thinking of visiting Australia