Post Code: 4066 Distance to CBD: 4 km
Toowong is a Brisbane suburb which is located 5 kilometers West from the Central Business District. Its proximity to the city makes an ideal home for office workers. Most of the residents either walk or ride a bike to their work in the city. The flat walkway along the Brisbane River makes up for the easy stroll. Toowong has its own shopping mall, the Toowong Shopping Village. It also has some popular pubs in the historic The Regatta Hotel and the Royal Exchange Hotel.
The name of suburb is derived from the word ‘tuwong’, the Aboriginal term for the Koel Cuckoo or place of doves.
Toowong’s Popular Attractions
o Toowong Cemetry
Toowing Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Brisbane. It is located at the slopes of Mount Coot-tha adjacent to Brisbane Forest Park and The Botanical Gardens. It opened in 1875 and is still being used. It’s 250 acres area and the number of people buried there, about 120,000 makes it a necropolis or a city of the dead. The cemetery is a relic in history for it provides a unique record of the people who once lived there. It is like what they said that every headstone tells a story. In 1975, the cemetery is closed for new burials except for family graves because the Brisbane City Council decided to renovate the place. The cemetery was reopened in 1998. A volunteer group called Friends of Toowong Cemetery helps in its preservation. The place is popular with joggers. For those who are interested in the paranormal, some group offers ghost tours. The place is off-limits at night to prevent vandalism.
o Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium
For serious astronomy lovers or simple stargazers, Toowong offers the largest planetarium in Australia. The planetarium and the city itself are named after Sir Thomas Brisbane, a lover of astronomy himself and a New South Wales Governor. The planetarium has a regular program that projects the stars and the constellations in a domed ceiling. It also offers a private stargazing session in the adjoining observatory.
o The Botanical Garden
The Botanical Garden is adjacent to Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium. The garden’s main feature is Tropical Display Dome which was opened in 1977. It also has a Japanese Garden section and a collection of bonsais in the Bonsai House. It features different plants in different ecosystems or environment, like the Arid Zone where they feature cacti. The place also has a fine dining restaurant.
A notable mention of other Toowong places includes the historic The Regatta Hotel, the Royal Exchange Hotel and the Brisbane Boy’s College which was originally in Clayfield but moved to Toowong. Also, there’s the Toowong Memorial Park dedicated to Toowong’s World War I veterans, the Anzac Park, and the Toowong Municipal Library.