History of Toowoomba

By epoul9

  • Birth of Allan Cunningham

  • Birth of Patrick Leslie

  • 6 June- Allan Cunningham discovered the Darling Downs.

  • Patrick Leslie arrived in Australia

  • Death of Allan Cunningham

  • 4 June- Leslie’s main party arrived at Leslie’s crossing on the Condamine River about 8km below what became Toolburra Station.

  • 20 March- Patrick Leslie arrived at the junction of Sandy Creek (later named) and the Condamine River.

  • Lieutenant Gorman’s party passed through Gorman’s Gap.

  • October- Joe Archer, the bullocky, and Gilbert Elliot, found that the Cunningham’s Gap road was far too steep for drays.

  • Thomas Alford came to the Darling Downs and established a store on the Leyburn Road leading west. Arthur Hodgson later assisted his move to establish his store at “The Springs”.

  • There were 26 stations on the downs.

  • William Handcock set up a store at “ The Springs

  • The original Bull’s Head Inn was built

  • A bridle track along the Mt Loft ills came into use.y footh

  • The original Bull’s Head Inn was built

  • The first land sales were held at Drayton and Warwick.

    An acute water shortage in the Drayton area caused further settlement at the “ Swamp”

  • Census of the Downs showed 564 men, 24 women.

    . 55% of the Darling Downs’ population had been transported as convicts. This is easy to understand as all Pastoralists used convicts or “ticket of leave” labour.

  • 6 Sept- Drayton School was opened and it became the first National school in the area.

  • Gold rush fever discovered the discovery of gold in NSW new Bathurst by Edward Hargreaves.

  • Thomas Alford moved to the Drayton Swamp agricultural Area using the name “Toowoomba” for his house and store.

  • 1 January- a 2 pence ( 2 cent) toll was introduced on the Toll Bar Road.

  • The first group of German immigrants arrived on the Downs.

  • 1 Jan- The naming of “Toowoomba” was celebrated by the people of Drayton and Toowoomba.

  • Toowoomba was officially named

  • John Watts, the first representative for Drayton and Toowoomba, in the state parliament was elected with 119 votes.

  • Clifford House was built as a Squatter’s Club.

  • Freeman Cobb ran coaches between Bigge’s Camp (Grandchester) and Toowoomba.

  • The first train reached Toowoomba from Ipswich, taking 6 hours to complete the journey.

  • 6 September- The North State School was opened.

  • Toowoomba’s population was 3541.

  • Toowoomba’s swamps were drained.

  • The Royal Bull’s Head Inn became a private residence.

  • Jackie Howe, at Isis Downs Station, Blackall, shore 321 sheep in 8 hours 40 minutes.

    He established a record never to be equalled by blade shearers. At Barcaldine Downs, using machines for the first time, Jackie Howe shore 370 sheep in eight hours. Even with the introduction of mechanical shears, Jackie’s record stood for 58 years. In 1950 Ted Rieck shore 326 sheep on a Julia Creek property. Jackie Howe who was born in Warwick became immortalised through the low-necked sleeveless, flannel singlets which he introduced into the shearing sheds.

  • Toowoomba declared a city.

  • 11 June- Cunningham’s Gap road was opened.

  • September- The Royal Bull’s Head Inn was acquired by the National Trust of QLD.