Car Rental Toowoomba Downtown

Toowoomba is the largest regional inland town in Queensland, a two-hour drive directly west of Brisbane and the coast. Toowoomba has many fantastic attractions and stunning drives on offer in your rental car. Toowoomba is perhaps best known for its many gardens dotted throughout the city, earning the city the epithet "The City of Gardens". 

Toowoomba is a great city to drive around in, not only to hop from garden to garden but also to take in its many heritage-listed buildings. Toowoomba has done a terrific job of preserving its heritage, and this is shown through the churches, hotels, manors, homes, cathedrals and government buildings. While driving around, you will also notice the impressive street art that paints the city's walls. The first street art festival in Toowoomba was in 2014 and was made up of local and international street artists. They started with 16 walls, and it has grown from there. The street art adds just another layer to why this city is so much fun to drive around in.

To find out more about the locations and stories behind the gardens, heritage-listed properties and street art, visit the Toowoomba Visitor Information Centre. The centre is housed in a replica of an 1800s style Toowoomba house with stained glass motifs of Toowoomba's floral emblem, the violet. You can find all the brochures and pamphlets here to accompany your drive around town, detailing locations and information of the best spots to see.

Stop and Smell the Roses in Your Car Hire

When in Toowoomba you should pay a visit to some of the many gardens in the city.  Here are the three of the top parks in the city, but if you have the time, you should certainly drive around and see more.

First off is the famous Queensland State Rose Garden, famous for its many varieties of native and international roses. There are over 2,000 roses during peak bloom season - the best time to see them is October-November, but any time through to April is excellent. The park started in 1999 and has been growing ever since. The rose garden forms part of Newtown Park, with barbeque areas, an oval and a children's playground making up the rest. The garden was awarded the World Federation of Rose Societies 2018 Garden of Excellence. The park has easy car parking, allowing you to save your walking for the walking paths.

The Toowoomba Japanese Garden or 'Ju Raku En', which translates to peace and longevity in a public place, is number two on the list of must-see gardens. Many visitors and locals find peace every day in this traditional Japanese garden, spread across three-hectares. The space features a central lake, with a mountain and stream leading to a waterfall, over 3 kilometres of walking paths and 230 different species of Japanese and Australian plants.

Finishing the list of three is the Queen's Park and Botanic Gardens. The space is 25-hectares, making it one of the larger parks inside the city. With a huge variety of trees and seasonal plants, the park is dotted with attractions from the Alfred Thomas Memorial, Naval Cannon and various horticultural hubs.

Top Attractions to See with a Rental Car

Toowoomba is filled with galleries and museums to enjoy. Start off with the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, the oldest public art gallery in regional Queensland, with exhibitions from local, Australian and International artists. The gallery is a purpose-built facility (moving from the Town Hall in 1994). The gallery is a public art gallery, so entry is free, but donations are appreciated.

Take in one of the many galleries; there are some ticketed spaces, but also more free options too. It is best to spend at least three days in Toowoomba, with national parks and other regional towns only a short drive away in your rental car.