Qld budget 2025-26: Toowoomba region project highlights revealed

More than $400m worth of projects and services in the Toowoomba region have been included in David Janetzki’s first state budget as treasurer. See the list here:

The new Toowoomba Hospital and Equestrian Centre of Excellence will receive funding in David Janetzki’s first state budget, but there appears to be no money for the Cressbrook Dam project as part of a more than $400m package for the Garden City and wider region.

Energy, emergency services, manufacturing and health are the biggest winners for Toowoomba and the wider region in the new budget, which was handed down by Mr Janetzki on Tuesday afternoon.

On top of that, more than 320 new social dwellings (worth $8.06m) have been funded by the LNP for Toowoomba, to go with its new $165m home equity plan.

Among the big-ticket items is the new Toowoomba Hospital as part of the government’s new $18.5bn Hospital Rescue Plan, though it is unclear how much has been budgeted for 2025-26.

This is the same for the Toowoomba Equestrian Centre at the Showgrounds, with the LNP committing $7.1bn towards 2032 Olympic venues.

The Toowoomba Sports Ground, which was originally slated to be an Olympic venue before being discarded, will receive $3.6m in upgrades as part of the budget.

The Tarong and Kogan Creek power stations will receive $145 million for essential maintenance through the $1.6 billion Electricity Maintenance Guarantee, which Mr Janetzki argued would bring down the cost of energy over the long term in lieu of offering rebates.

Regarding health, the new Millmerran Hospital (called a multipurpose health service) will receive more than $34m in the budget, while the government will give more funding to Darling Downs Health to grow its workforce to nearly 5800 full-time equivalent staff.

Other major projects include a new $10m manufacturing hub in Toowoomba, a new $8.9m multipurpose hall for Toowoomba North State School, a $2.5m funding continuance for women’s support service Protea Place, and $2.2m for critical maintenance projects at Toowoomba’s Cobb and Co Museum.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – NewsWire Photos – JUNE 24, 2025. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli (right) and Treasurer David Janetzki arrive to address the media at the state budget media lockup at Parliament House in Brisbane. Mr Janetzki will deliver his first state budget today. Picture: Dan Peled / NewsWire

Toowoomba mayor Geoff McDonald said while he would continue to fight for funding for the $266m Cressbrook Dam spillway upgrades, he was impressed by how much was available for Toowoomba.

“It’s the first budget that I’ve seen that it’s taken time to go through, because our region is mentioned so often,” he said.

“There have been some things we have been asking for, such as the Toowoomba Hospital, an upgrade of the Glenvale water mains, and the $3m for the Southern Water Treatment Plant is good (if) not surprising.”

Mr McDonald said he was impressed by the $16m committed to improve Toowoomba-Cecil Plains Road, which has been a notorious black spot for the region over many years.

The government will also buy, through Stanwell Corporation, the upcoming Cressbrook Dam pumped hydro scheme for nearly $30m.