Local History

History of the Toowong Shire

The Toowong and Districts area covers the suburbs of Toowong, Milton and Auchenflower, and also part of Mt Coot-tha. These suburbs were formerly administered by the former Shire of Toowong, which was created on 20 May 1880.

Find out more about the history of the Toowong, the people and places in the articles below:

Places of interest

November 6, 2023/by TDHS

Chinese Market Gardens in Toowong

October 15, 2023/by TDHS

Lauriston House

Toowong District Historical Society - High street and Sherwood road Toowong Brisbane c1890

<img decoding="async" width="80" height="80" src="https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/High-street-and-sherwood-road-Toowong-Brisbane-c1890-TDHS-80x80.jpg" class="wp-image-9663 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-9663 attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="Toowong District Historical Society - High street and Sherwood road Toowong Brisbane c1890" srcset="https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/High-street-and-sherwood-road-Toowong-Brisbane-c1890-TDHS-80x80.jpg 80w, https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/High-street-and-sherwood-road-Toowong-Brisbane-c1890-TDHS-36x36.jpg 36w, https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/High-street-and-sherwood-road-Toowong-Brisbane-c1890-TDHS-180x180.jpg 180w" sizes="(max-width: 80px) 100vw, 80px" />

November 23, 2021/by TDHS

Toowong

Mt Coot-the picnic at waterfalls - image courtesy SLQ

November 20, 2021/by TDHS

Mt Coot-tha

Milton View across Milton Heights from Rosalie

November 20, 2021/by TDHS

Milton

Auchenflower Toowong

November 20, 2021/by TDHS

Auchenflower

June 20, 2021/by TDHS

The naming of our streets: Archer Street

Bywong Street 1967 courtesy BCC

June 20, 2021/by TDHS

The naming of our streets: Bywong Street

November 11, 2019/by TDHS

Botanical Gardens Talk by Ray Seward

Badger’s house Arlington, Toowong Brisbane

<img decoding="async" width="80" height="80" src="https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/arlington-photo-fr-genevieve-150x150.png" class="wp-image-9319 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-9319 attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="Badger’s house Arlington, Toowong Brisbane" />

December 19, 2018/by TDHS

Badger’s house ‘Arlington’; now known as ‘Endrim’

Brisbane General Cemetery ca 1889 courtesy SLQ

<img decoding="async" width="80" height="80" src="https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Brisbane-General-Cemetery-ca1889-courtsey-SLQ-IE1182073_FL1182329-80x80.jpg" class="wp-image-9711 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-9711 attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="Brisbane General Cemetery ca 1889 courtesy SLQ" srcset="https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Brisbane-General-Cemetery-ca1889-courtsey-SLQ-IE1182073_FL1182329-80x80.jpg 80w, https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Brisbane-General-Cemetery-ca1889-courtsey-SLQ-IE1182073_FL1182329-36x36.jpg 36w, https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Brisbane-General-Cemetery-ca1889-courtsey-SLQ-IE1182073_FL1182329-180x180.jpg 180w" sizes="(max-width: 80px) 100vw, 80px" />

August 16, 2018/by TDHS

Brisbane General Cemetery (aka Toowong Cemetery)

Badger’s house Arlington, Toowong Brisbane

<img decoding="async" width="80" height="80" src="https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/arlington-photo-fr-genevieve-150x150.png" class="wp-image-9319 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-9319 attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="Badger’s house Arlington, Toowong Brisbane" />

April 25, 2018/by TDHS

Places of significant interest

Toowong District Historical Society - High street and Sherwood road Toowong Brisbane c1890

<img decoding="async" width="80" height="80" src="https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/High-street-and-sherwood-road-Toowong-Brisbane-c1890-TDHS-80x80.jpg" class="wp-image-9663 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-9663 attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="Toowong District Historical Society - High street and Sherwood road Toowong Brisbane c1890" srcset="https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/High-street-and-sherwood-road-Toowong-Brisbane-c1890-TDHS-80x80.jpg 80w, https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/High-street-and-sherwood-road-Toowong-Brisbane-c1890-TDHS-36x36.jpg 36w, https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/High-street-and-sherwood-road-Toowong-Brisbane-c1890-TDHS-180x180.jpg 180w" sizes="(max-width: 80px) 100vw, 80px" />

May 24, 2017/by TDHS

History of the Toowong Shire

William and Margaret Winterford Regatta Hotel Toowong

May 6, 2016/by TDHS

WILLIAM and MARGARET WINTERFORD

February 2, 2014/by TDHS

The naming of Toowong

The People of Toowong

November 21, 2023/by TDHS

Alfred Delves Broughton and the Broughton Estate

October 15, 2023/by TDHS

Lou Peets: Toowong Rocking Horse maker

March 11, 2019/by TDHS

My Toowong Business

Brisbane General Cemetery ca 1889 courtesy SLQ

<img decoding="async" width="80" height="80" src="https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Brisbane-General-Cemetery-ca1889-courtsey-SLQ-IE1182073_FL1182329-80x80.jpg" class="wp-image-9711 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-9711 attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="Brisbane General Cemetery ca 1889 courtesy SLQ" srcset="https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Brisbane-General-Cemetery-ca1889-courtsey-SLQ-IE1182073_FL1182329-80x80.jpg 80w, https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Brisbane-General-Cemetery-ca1889-courtsey-SLQ-IE1182073_FL1182329-36x36.jpg 36w, https://toowonghistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Brisbane-General-Cemetery-ca1889-courtsey-SLQ-IE1182073_FL1182329-180x180.jpg 180w" sizes="(max-width: 80px) 100vw, 80px" />

August 16, 2018/by TDHS

Brisbane General Cemetery (aka Toowong Cemetery)

May 17, 2018/by TDHS

Raymond Dart: Toowong-born world renowned palaeontologist

September 8, 2016/by TDHS

Fond Memories of our family home

History of Cricket in Toowong

January 20, 2015/by TDHS

A history of cricket in Toowong

Toowong A Tram Ride from the past - books about Toowong by TDHS

January 20, 2015/by TDHS

Sojourn in Toowong – the Shirley Lahey Story

Elizabeth Harpur Toowong Historical Society

August 31, 2013/by TDHS

Elizabeth Harpur (Tabb) Bailey: Toowong’s first lady of real estate (1885-1965)

Charles Patterson

August 22, 2013/by TDHS

Charles Patterson

1824
John Oxley, Surveyor-General for NSW, camps on the river near Milton as part of a visit to look at possible settlement sites
1875
Brisbane to Ipswich railway line was opened, with a station at Toowong and Milton

The Regatta Hotel was opened on River Road (Coronation Drive) overlooking Toowong Reach

The new Brisbane General Cemetary (also known as the Toowong cemetery) is officially opened
1879
Toowong State School established in Aston St
1880
Toowong Division separated into the Shire of Toowong and the Indooroopilly Division

Mt Coot-tha area was gazetted as a public park/reserve
1889
Milton State school opens in 1889 on the site of Red Jacket Swamp
1903
Toowong Shire become Town of Toowong
1904
Electric Tram opens along Milton Road
1925
Town of Toowong is incorporated in Greater Brisbane Council