A leisurely country drive is good for the soul and with this historical driving tour, you might just learn something along the way too. We of course recommend starting at Jimbour and working your way down the list until you reach the Glengallan Homestead and Heritage Centre.
This route will take you 3 hours and 22 minutes (258km) if you follow it directly, however where is the fun in that? Make a day of it and stop off at each spot to take a look or enter the sites to gain a deeper exploration of the abundant history of the Darling Downs region.
For the Google Maps directions, see here.
We would also recommend looking up the opening hours or each spot before heading off to avoid disappointment.
1. Jimbour
Jimbour is both a tiny village and the location of one of the nation’s most gracious historical homes, Jimbour, built in 1876. The heritage-listed home with its spectacular gardens is a Queensland landmark and perfectly blends history, grandeur and graciousness.
Visitors are welcomed daily to tour the grounds and gardens and your entry will include access to the Living History Walk, which lets you explore our living museum including informational plaques, sights and sounds that bring a rich and colourful heritage to life.
2. Dalby Pioneer Park Museum
The Dalby Pioneer Park Museum will provide you with a greater understanding of the prosperous agricultural history of the area.This museum displays one of the largest collections of working pioneer tractors and agricultural machinery in Queensland, alongside authentic colonial buildings and heritage artefacts.
The many buildings at this museum are of original colonial construction or rebuilt from original materials and the museum recently acquired an Eclipse Windmill, which is now up and running.
3. Museum of Australian Army Flying
This museum will help you discover our military aviation history and it includes a vast collection of aircrafts and related memorabilia from all eras of the Australian Military Flying. You’ll not only get to witness the innovations required to survive under the threat of war and the advancements made in aviation technology but also see an array of personal items carried and used by our Soldiers and Airmen throughout their service.
It houses 22 aircrafts on display within the museum alongside other objects and relics from WW1 all the way through to the conflicts in Afghanistan.
4. Crows Nest Museum and Historical Village
Displaying over 21 buildings packed to the brim with local history, a trip to the Crows Nest Museum and Historical Village will be a dream come true for history buffs. This spot has interactive displays, a museum with memorabilia and tributes to the services and 21 buildings from the local district. It really will be like you’ve taken a trip into the past.
You can take a self-guided tour or be guided around the site by a tour guide.
5. Cobb+Co Museum
The Cobb+Co Museum is a part of the Queensland Museum and is famously home to the National Carriage Collection. This collection of 47 vehicles shows how horse-drawn carriages shaped our social history and influenced Australia’s development.
Alongside its coaches it offers a wide collection including a vast variety of vehicles from the horse-drawn era, farm wagons, delivery carts and what it describes as the Rolls Royce of Carriages, the landau.
This museum has many events and exhibitions that you can check out here.
6. DownsSteam Railway Museum
While you’re in Toowoomba we recommend taking a lunch break before hitting the DownsSteam Railway Museum. This museum will allow you to explore Darling Down’s substantial rail heritage.
DownsSteam is a volunteer-run organisation dedicated to the establishment of a tourist railway for the Darling Downs region and used to preserve and actively restore the last remaining steam locomotive built at the historic Toowoomba Foundry Company, C16-106 Southern Cross Works No. 28. circa 1914.
The Tourist Railway and Museum includes a completely restored station building and two restoration sheds, one of which is open to the public. You’ll have the opportunity to take part in an informative guided tour to see its rolling stock, museum displays and Dreamtime Journey Coach.
7. Royal Bull’s Head Inn
The rooms at the Royal Bull’s Head Inn seem to be frozen in time, you’ll feel like you’re taking a step back into the 19th century. This Inn turned historic landmark was built by an ex-convict and includes artefacts similar to those used in the early trading days and other items that were used by the members of the Lynch family who used the property as a family home in 1879.
In particular you’ll want to check out the old kitchen, which is the part of the Inn that has seen the least change, however many of the rooms show off what life was like in the early settlement days of the Darling Downs.
8. Steele Rudd Selection
The Steele Rudd Selection is a site dedicated to the Australian author Steele Rudd, a pseudonym for Arthur Hoey Davis, of the well known Dad and Dave stories and the book On Our Selection. On arrival you’ll find a replica of the shingle hut, built at the site of the Rudd Homestead.
Nearby you can also stop in for a drink at Rudd’s Pub, which is thought to be the site where some of his stories were written.
9. Mary Poppins House
If you are a Mary Poppins fan and grew up with a spoon full of sugar, then you’ll want to visit this house that was once the home of Mary Poppins creator, P.L. Travers. This Victorian-style Allora property was built in 1879 and was originally the bank manager’s residence for the Australian Joint Bank, which happened to be the father of P.L. Travers in 1905.
This house is on the local heritage register and the current owners offer tours by appointment. It truly is a magical spot that will transport you to your childhood.
10. Glengallan Homestead and Heritage Centre
End your day with a time-warp experience at the Glengallan Homestead and Heritage Centre. Having been uninhabited for more than half of its existence, this iconic sandstone mansion offers a unique heritage experience. When at this spot you’ll be able to relive the home’s rich life story and learn how it rose from the ashes to return from ruin.
