Articles

1814

• October 29th: Allan Cunningham departs England on H.M.S. Duncan for Rio de Janeiro to collect specimens in Brazil where he remained for two years.

1816

• September 16th: Thomas Alford born in Somerset, England
• On the 20th December, Allan Cunningham arrives at Sydney Cove, Australia, aboard the Surry.

1827

• In June of this year, Allan Cunningham discovers the Darling Downs.

1828

• On his return from Brisbane, Cunningham discovers what later becomes named Cunningham's Gap.

1834

• December: Patrick Leslie leaves London.

1835

• May: Patrick Leslie arrives in Sydney, aged 20.

1838

• May 10: Thomas Alford leaves England, aged 22.

1839

• January 25th: Thomas Alford arrives in Sydney.
• June 27th: Allan Cunningham dies in Sydney.

1840

• June 9th: Thomas Alford's first child Elizabeth junior born at Patterson NSW.
• July: Patrick Leslie establishes his headquarters at Toolburra.

1842

• The Springs established (later to be renamed Drayton).
• March 21: Thomas Alford departs for Brisbane.
• May 7: Alford's second child, Mary born.
• July 11: Elizabeth Horton arrives in Brisbane.
• July: Thomas Alford and family arrive in Cambooya.
• August: The Alfords move on to 'The Springs'.

1843

• December, Battle of One Tree Hill (A battle between white settlers and the Jagera people of the Lockyer).

1845

• Mail service commences in Drayton (Thomas Alford's store licensed as first post office).

1846

• First general census taken, Population 658 (551 males, 107 females).

1847

• Royal Bull's Head Inn first built.
• Drayton population 50.

1848

• Rev. Benjamin Glennie moves to Drayron.

1849

• Horton sends William Gurney and William Shuttlewood to clear away reads a few miles north east of Drayton. (surveyed Drayton Agricultural Reserve)
• Josiah Dent is found living in a tent amongst the reads, possibly the first person to live in 'The Swamp'.

1851

• The National School (later renamed Drayton State School) established.

1852

• Thomas Alford moves to 'The Swamp'.
• July 22nd: Henry Alford - First white child born in Toowoomba.
• August 29th: Both of Thomas Alfords children christened by Rev. Benjamin Glennie.
• First day the usage of the word Toowoomba was noted on a public document.

1853

• Town blocks surveyed and became known as Toowoomba.
• July, Thomas Alford and family move back to Brisbane.

1856

• St. Luke's church established.
• Thomas Alford leaves Brisbane and moves to Pikedale station, past Warwick.

1857

• 28th May: Toowoomba's official name gazetted.

1858

• First Toowoomba post office (in James Street).

1859

• January, Thomas Alford and family move back to Toowoomba.
• June 6th: Queensland separates from New South Wales.

1858

• The area's first newspaper, the Darling Downs Gazette, published in Drayton.
• Toowoomba's population is now 700.
• 'The Swamp' is renamed to Toowoomba.

1860

• June 30: a petition of 100 names was sent to the Governor requesting that Toowoomba be declared a Municipality.
• On 24th November, Toowoomba becomes a municipality.
• Toowoomba population now 1000.

1861

• 4th January: first town council election took place, William Henry Groom polls the most votes.
• Toowoomba Chronicle begins publication.
• First School of Arts was erected in 1861 on land which would later be used for construction of third Town Hall.

1862

• January, Toowoomba's first town hall built in James Street.
• In August of this year, telegraphic communications channel between Brisbane and Toowoomba established.

1863

• First St. Patrick's Church built on James Street.

1864

• January 9th: Thomas Alford dies. (8th January 1884?).
• William Horton dies aged 47.

1865

• Toowoomba State South School, first actual school in Toowoomba established.
• Council gains Queen's park.

1867

• April: Rail link between Toowoomba and Ipswich opened.

1870

• Alderman Spiro replaced William Groom as Mayor.

1871

• Toowoomba Foundry established.

1873

• Council was granted control of the swamp area and offered a prize of £100 for the best method of draining it.

1875

• Toowoomba Gas and Coke Company floated.
• Council pledged to erect street lamps with the assistance of the company.
• Toowoomba Grammar School founded.
• Toowoomba Permanent Building Society formed.

1877

• February 1: Toowoomba Grammar School first opens it doors to students.

1880

• Toowoomba's second town hall opened, designed by Sydney architect Albert Myers.

1881

• August 12: Patrick Leslie dies in Sydney.

1883

• Foundation stone of current day St. Patrick's Cathederal laid.

1887

• Site of the School of Arts in Ruthven Street acquired by Toowoomba Council.

1889

• March 17: Current day St. Pat's cathedral opened (St. Pat's day).

1892

• Toowoomba proclaimed a township (1887?).

1896

• Summer, The Lamington cake possibly invented in Toowoomba (Harlaxton House).

1897

• Darling Downs Building Society formed.

1898

• 21 June: School of Arts building is badly damaged by a fire.

1900

• February 20: Foundation stone laid for third Toowoomba City Hall.
• New hall opens on December 12 of this year.

 

1903

• Toowoomba Philharmonic Society founded.

 

1904

• 29th October: Toowoomba becomes a city.

 

1906

• South Toowoomba Boys' School built on site of Toowoomba's second Town Hall.

 

1908

• The Glennie School first opened as The Church of England Girls Grammar School with sisters Miss Margaret Lawrance and Miss Grace Lawrance as Co-Heads of School. There were 5 staff and 25 students.

 

1910

• Completion of new Glennie School in Herries Street (on current site). Staff Day students and boarders moved to new building. The Main Building was designed by prominent Toowoomba Architect in the 1900’s, Henry James Marks.

 

1911

• June, Empire State Theatre opened, Technical college built on corner of Hume and Margaret Street.

 

1930

• August 19: Henry Alford (First white child born in Toowoomba), son of Thomas Alford dies.

 

1932

• Colours of purple and gold adopted by the city.

 

1933

• February, Fire breaks out at the Empire Theatre, almost completely destroying it.

 

1940

• McCaffertys establishes bus company.

 

1941

• March, HMAS Toowoomba (J157) launched at Maryborough.
• Cooby dam completed.

 

1942

• Toowoomba/Drayton celebrate centenary of establishment.

 

1949

• Drayton becomes a suburb of Toowoomba.

 

1950

• First Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers.

 

1965

• Perseverance dam completed.

 

1981

• Heritage Building Society formed (Merger of Toowoomba Permanent Building Society & Darling Downs Building Society.

 

1983

• Cressbrook dam completed.

 

1997

• Grand Central Shopping Centre opens.

 

2003

• 16th May: HMAS Toowoomba (FFH 156) launched.

2004

• Toowoomba celebrates a century as a city.

2006

• July 29: Majority of Toowoomba residents vote against drinking recycled sewage water.

 

2009

• Toowoomba celebrates the 60th Annual Carnival of Flowers.

 

2011

• January 10: Flash flooding after more than 160mm of rain fell in the preceding 36 hours caused the death of four people and millions of dollars worth of destruction in a matter of hours.

2013

• April: Construction begins on Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport

2014

• October: Toowoomba Wellcamp airport opens for business.

2015

• May: Outer Circulating Ring Road opens

2019

• September: Toowoomba Second Range Crossing opens.
• Toowoomba celebrates 70 years of The Carnival of Flowers.

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