New journalist shares the highs and lows of life in Toowoomba

After one month into my new life in Toowoomba and the Garden City is starting to feel more and more like home.

NEW FACE: New Toowoomba Chronicle journalist, Kate McCormack hailed from Kingaroy and is enjoying life in the Garden City, despite the lack of hand soap in Queens Park. Picture: Nev Madsen

It’s always a little daunting leaving your hometown, particularly when it’s been your safe haven through a global pandemic.

After 12 months spent working from my childhood backyard of Kingaroy, I decided I was ready for the city lights and garden beds of the glamorous city to the south – Toowoomba.

After getting very lucky and landing myself a furnished flat on the Upper East Side (East Toowoomba) and spending the last several weeks working out of the Chronicle office, I feel like I’m ready to share some of my insights into life on the Downs.

Firstly, I’ve learnt to avoid Ruthven St at lunch time at all costs.

There’s no such thing as a quick food break when you enter that part of the city and my childlike optimism about ever getting a park in the CBD anytime between 11am and 2pm was swiftly crushed after several laps of Margaret St resulted in me returning to work sans lunch with my tail between my legs.

I’ve also learnt no Toowoomba handbag is complete without a good hat and a light sweater because you can never predict what kind of weather you’re going to get on any given day.

After spending an evening over the weekend atop a groovy rooftop bar I now understand why some people refer to Toowoomba as “little Melbourne’’ – and it’s not for the growing number of trendy little cafes wedged up pokey alleyways.

New Toowoomba Chronicle journalist Kate McCormack. Picture: Nev Madsen

The four seasons we experienced had me initially concerned everyone could see the sweat patch on my back before spending the rest of the night trying equally as hard to get feeling back in the toes of my strappy sandals.

But the high maintenance climate is worth putting up with when you get to take your pick of eye-wateringly beautiful parks and gardens.

Between the stunning Laurel Bank and Queens Park, my niece Charlotte and I are spoiled for choice when it comes to our afternoon play dates.

I think the council gardeners deserve a huge kudos for the immaculate garden beds – it’s just a shame the council can’t find the funding or staff numbers to keep any of the toilet dispensers in soap or sanitiser, like, ever.

I’ve had a wonderful time meeting the creatives who bring colour and spunk to town and eating my way around all the different multicultural restaurants and cafes.

Toowoomba is awash with talented artists and I’d like to see even more of the city’s empty walls covered in vibrant local street art.

I’m also excited to be part of Toowoomba Repertory Theatre’s next production, Avatar by Mark Lucas, which a hilarious comedy about a burglary gone very wrong.
After COVID robbed everyone of the arts for so long it’s great to see the creative members of the community coming back to do what they love most and I hope Toowoomba residents will be brave and fiercely loyal when it comes to supporting company’s such as the Rep Theatre once more.

So far, one month in and I’m finding more to like about the Garden City every day.

If you’ve got a story you want told, don’t hesitate to reach out to me via email at [e-mail] or call me in the office on 0409 169 644 or 4690 9364.