Toowong

Toowong is a riverside inner suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Toowong is a riverside inner suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Toowong is 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) west of the Brisbane CBD, within the Paddington Ward of Brisbane City Council.

Toowong is situated between Mount Coot-tha and the Brisbane River and is made up of rolling hills with little flat land. Since European settlement most of the land has been cleared for residential and commercial use with the exception of some park land and bushland near the Western Freeway.

Several early settlers subdivided their blocks, including Richard Drew who named his subdivision the 'Village of Toowong' in 1862. The origin of the name Toowong was derived from an Aboriginal word describing a bird.Toowong started developing with the arrival of the Ipswich railway line in 1875. It was originally suburb of detached villas and large yards owned by an elite upper-middle class that worked in the city and socialised with each other. As access to the suburb improved with regular train services the population increased.

A Primitive Methodist Church was opened in Toowong on Sunday 9 April 1876.The Shire of Toowong was created in 1880, in response to a petition from Toowong residents. In 1881 the population numbered 1,275 and seven years later it had almost doubled to 2,230. By 1901 the population numbered around 4,700.

In 1899, 461 allotments were advertised to be auctioned by Isles, Love & Co on Saturday, 2 September 1899 (Federation Day), Saturday 9 September 1899 and Saturday 16 September 1899. This area was called the Dunmore Estate and is now mostly in Toowong as well as partly in Milton. On the real estate map for Dunmore Estate, Cribb's Paddock, Milton is a black and white photo titled "Panoramic view of the river looking towards town". In 1899 it was advertised in the Brisbane Courier for contractors for the Dunmore Estate, Cribb's Paddock, Milton to make an access road through the lagoon and a roadway under the railway bridge. It was reported in The Brisbane Courier and The Telegraph that a total of 240 lots were sold - 108 lots on 2 September 1899, 81 lots on 9 September 1899 and 51 lots on 16 September 1899.In 1903 the Brisbane Tramways Company built a tram line along Milton Road to service the western side of the suburb.Initially the tram line terminated at the cemetery, but was later extended up Woodstock Road (Formally Dean Street), to the palatial home of the then Manager of the tram company Joseph Stillman Badger.In 1922, along with the rest of Brisbane's tram system, the line was taken over by the government (see Transport for Brisbane.)The tram line closed in December 1962, after the disastrous Paddington tram depot fire.

The Toowong Baths were first constructed as a 25 metres (82 ft) swimming pool in 1909 on Coronation Drive south of Booth Street (27.4838°S 152.9945°E? / -27.4838; 152.9945? (Toowong Swimming Pool)). Originally established by a private company, the baths were acquired in 1920 by the Toowong Town Council. In 1925, the Town of Toowong was amalgamated into the City of Brisbane and the baths come under the control of the Brisbane City Council. In the late 1950s, the buildings associated with the pool were replaced with new iconic buildings designed by Brisbane City Council architect James Birrell. The new Birrell-designed Toowong Library was constructed on Coronation Drive on the northern side of Booth Street. Despite public outcry, the Brisbane City Council sold the pool complex to fund the redevelopment of Toowong Library (which was also controversial) blaming declining patronage of the pool. The Toowong Swimming Pool was demolished on 21 March 2001. An office block now occupies the site.On Saturday 25 October 1930 a stump-capping ceremony was held for a public hall in Grosvenor Street in West Toowong.In the late 1920s Brisbane Boys' College was relocated to Kensington Terrace in Toowong. The school was originally was originally established in Clayfield in 190, but was decided that there were insufficient facilities at the Clayfield location so a new location was required.On 21 November 1959 the Anglican Church of the Holy Spirit in West Toowong was dedicated by Archibishop Reginald Halse. It was on Exmouth/Orchard Street (27.4846°S 152.9779°E? / -27.4846; 152.9779? (Holy Spirit Anglican Church (former))). Its closure on 28 November 2006 was approved by Assistant Bishop Ron Williams.

Toowong has been part of a number of different local governments:

Toowong Division (1879 - 1880)

Shire of Toowong (1880 - 1903)

Town of Toowong (1903 - 1925)

City of Brisbane (1925–present day)