Voting locations Toowoomba: Full list of polling centres in Groom

The Federal Election has arrived. From where to vote to who you're voting for, here's what you need to know before you cast your ballot in Toowoomba today.

Here is where you can vote for the federal election in Toowoomba. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

Residents in the electorate of Groom will cast their votes for the Federal Election today, with polling booths across the region opening at 8am and closing at 6pm sharp.

With more than a quarter of residents having already cast their votes, remaining people will number their preferences for fellow Groom candidates, Garth Hamilton, Gen Allpass, Melissa Bannister, Kirstie Smolenski, Suzie Holt, Grant Abraham, Mickey Berry and Ryan Otto.

Australian Electoral Commission staff will be on hand to supervise voting on the day.

• READ FINAL PITCHES FROM EIGHT GROOM CANDIDATES HERE
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Here are the locations where you can vote today:

• Biddeston State School – 2425 Toowoomba Cecil Plains Rd
• Bowenville State School – Irvingdale St
• Cambooya State School – 6 Harrow St
• Centenary Heights State High School – 60 Ramsay St
• Concordia Lutheran College – 404 Hume St
• Darling Heights State School – 46-64 Wuth St
• Drayton State School – 55 Brisbane St
• Fairview Heights State School – 75 McDougall St
• Gabbinbar State School – 189 Stenner St
• Geham State School – 9625 New England Hwy
• Glenvale State School – 224 Glenvale Rd
• Goombungee State School – 52 Mocatta St
• Gowrie State School – Old Homebush Rd
• Emu Creek State School – 14534 New England Hwy
• Harlaxton State School – 110 Ruthven St
• Harristown State High School – 341-367 South St
• Toowoomba Philharmonic Society – 7 Matthews St
• Toowoomba Community Baptist Church – 100 Glenvale Rd
• Highfields State School – 10459 New England Hwy
• Highfields State Secondary College – 10 O’Brien Rd
• Mary MacKillop School – 75 Highfields Rd
• Jondaryan State School – 10 Scott Rd
• Kingsthorpe State School – 50 Goombungee Rd
• Kulpi Community Hall – 1 Beckman St
• Meringandan State School – 10 School Rd
• Middle Ridge State School – 193-203 Spring St
• Toowoomba State High School – Stuart St
• Mount Tyson State School – Main St
• Newtown State School – 24 Albert St
• Oakey State High School (Assembly Hall) – 1 Campbell St
• Pittsworth Function Centre – 42 Hume St
• Quinalow State School – 1/5 Progress St
• Rangeville State School ROSHC – 32A High St
• St Joseph’s College – 54 James St
• Rockville State School – 3 Holberton St
• Southbrook Central State School – 1 School Rd
• Fairholme College – 40 Wirra Warra St
• St Luke’s Hall – 152 Herries Street
• Toowoomba East State School – cnr Arthur St & Mary St
• Toowoomba North – 21 Jones St
• St Saviour’s College – Neil St
• Toowoomba North State School – cnr Taylor St & Mort St
• Good Shepherd Lutheran Hall – 23 Glenvale Rd
• Sacred Heart School – 263 Tor St
• Wellcamp State School – 609 Drayton Wellcamp Rd
• Bunker’s Hill State School Hall – 315 Bunkers Hill School Rd
• Wilsonton State School – 429 Bridge St
• Wilsonton High School – 275 North St

Wyreema State School – 12 High St

EARLIER: More than a quarter of registered Groom residents have already voted in the upcoming federal election, with a huge turnout at pre-polling booths meeting a record number of postal ballots.

Data from the Australian Electoral Commission has revealed nearly 7300 votes were cast at the four booths between Monday and Thursday this week.

Another 22,000 residents have applied for postal ballots, meaning nearly 30,000 people have potentially cast their vote already.

This represents 26 per cent of the registered voting electorate in Groom.

The surge in early and postal voting means candidates are running out of time to convince undecided voters.

It comes as new polling from YouGov suggests the LNP is on track for its worst primary vote in Groom since it became a unified party in Queensland in 2008, but Garth Hamilton is still expected to comfortably win re-election.

The survey also revealed Labor achieve its best primary result in the safe conservative seat since 2007.

Nearly 2000 people have already cast their vote in Groom for the upcoming federal election, with Toowoomba’s pre-polling booths packed with residents on Monday.

The city is on track for a record-low election day turnout, as voters follow nationwide trends by casting their ballot early and registering for postal votes.

More than 22,000 postal applications have been received by the Australian Electoral Commission for Groom, a nearly 70 per cent increase on the total for the 2019 election (13,089).

Monday saw 1944 residents lodge their votes across Toowoomba, including more than 650 at the CBD booth and 530 at the Harristown station off Anzac Avenue.

Election 2022 live: 300,000 Australians cast early votes at pre-poll

A strong turnout of older and more decided voters on the first day of polling favoured incumbent Garth Hamilton, who drew solid support in The Chronicle’s exit polling across two booths.

Of the 100 people anonymously surveyed outside the Toowoomba City early voting centre on Ruthven Street and another at the old council depot on Anzac Avenue, 53 of them said they had given their first preference to Mr Hamilton.

Labor’s Gen Allpass earned support from 19 respondents, while independent Suzie Holt finished third with 12 votes.

One Nation’s Grant Abraham was the only other candidate to hit double digits.

While the exit polling hardly predicts the outcome, it gives a strong indication of the LNP’s level of support among older residents.

Barbara Talbot outside a Groom pre-poll booth. Picture: Kevin Farmer

It comes just a few weeks after The Chronicle’s online survey revealed a percentage of traditional Coalition voters were considering switching their support, most notably to Ms Holt and Labor.

Pensioner support, aged care, cost of living, healthcare and an upcoming anti-corruption commission were among the issues listed by locals after casting their votes.

Disability pensioner Barbara Talbot said that the cost of living was the defining feature of the campaign, not just for her but many other people.

“(We need) to give pensioners more help and more money,” she said.

“They seem to be looking after workers, although the workers need more money too because everything is going up.

“We really need to help the pensioners because everything is going up and we can’t keep up with it.

“I’m a pensioner myself, we’re trying to keep up with the rent and it’s a large challenge.”

Sandra McCarthy said she wanted to see more support for aged care and public transport, noting she had given support to Mr Hamilton.

“The issues were aged care, health and public transport,” she said.

“It was probably the standing member – I just stick with who I know.”

Rusted-on Labor voter Mike Mulligan said establishing a federal integrity commission was one of his top priorities.

“The integrity commission was vital to me, and like everyone else, cost of living,” he said. “Fortunately, we’re reasonably well-off (but) we don’t want the haves and have-nots developing a huge gulf like they have overseas.

“There are enough problems going on in the world. I’m a Labor voter and I’m quite proud of it.”

Mr Hamilton was busy handing out how-to-vote cards in the CBD, while candidates Ms Allpass, Ms Holt and Mr Abraham were all spotted manning polling booths.

Toowoomba has four booths open during pre-polling, in response to strong demand for early and postal voting.

Originally published as Voting locations Toowoomba: Full list of polling centres in Groom