Toowoomba’s defining moments, events and issues of 2022 revealed
From court cases that made headlines across the world, a police shooting that rocked the country and an election result that shook the establishment, here are the stories that defined the Darling Downs in 2022.
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Anyone who was part of it would know 2022 was not like any other year, especially if you lived in the Toowoomba region.
It was a 12 months filled to the brim with unforgettable, shocking, heartbreaking and thrilling moments that moved or changed many of its residents.
From alleged murders to youth crime and spaceports, here are the highlights from the year that was in Toowoomba and the Darling Downs.
1. Wellcamp debacle
After it had been rebuffed by the previous federal government for financial support last year, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk went ahead and commissioned Toowoomba’s Wagner Corporation to build the 1000-bed facility at Wellcamp.
But soon after it was fully completed earlier this year, the state government announced in July it was mothballing the whole project, costing taxpayers $3.3m per week.
The total build and lease will cost the government nearly $200m across the current and coming financial years, along with a variety of other expenses that brought the total bill to potentially $237m.
Less than 1000 people used it during its operation and no plans have surfaced as to its future use.
2. Thor Morgan’s shooting death
Toowoomba man Thor Morgan was shot in the early hours of March 15.
Despite the wound he walked back to his girlfriend’s home where an ambulance was called.
He was taken to Toowoomba Hospital where doctors located a bullet lodged in his brain.
Mr Morgan survived for several months before he died in the Princess Alexandra Hospital on May 16.
Police have charged three people with his murder, and the matter is before the courts still with none of the accused entering a plea to their charges.
3. The Clydesdales are back
With six small words Western Clydesdales chairman Tony Coonan signalled the start of a new era in Queensland rugby league.
“We are there, we are in,” Mr Coonan said.
For the first time in more than 15 years the Clydesdales banner will fly in Queensland Rugby League’s premier competition – the HostPlus Cup – once again.
The squad has been assembled since the announcement, with the Clydesdales set to host their first match in March next year.
4. Elizabeth Struhs’ shocking death
Members belonging to a small Toowoomba church group were charged with the alleged murder of eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs in January.
Parents Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs and Jason Richard Struhs have been committed to stand trial on charges of murder and failing to provide the necessities of life following their arrest by detectives from the Toowoomba Child Protection and Investigation Unit, Child Trauma Unit and the Homicide Investigation Unit.
Police allege the pair called a group of worshippers to come over to pray for God to save their child instead of calling paramedics.
More people were charged following the initial charges, all belonging to a prayer group called The Saints.
The matter is ongoing, with 14 people in total due to stand trial on murder charges, with none of the accused enterig a plea to their charges.
5. Toowoomba to become a spaceport
Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit selected Toowoomba in September as its third worldwide location for the next satellite launch site and spaceport.
Toowoomba’s Wellcamp Airport was chosen to represent the southern hemisphere in the historic move, with the first flight planned in the next 18 months.
The agreement would see a 2024 launch demonstration with a permanent horizontal launch site to follow within three years, as well as thousands of jobs available for residents.
Virgin Orbit will join Boeing inside the new Wellcamp Airport defence and aerospace precinct, which has been a long-term vision of the Wagner family.
6. Police murdered by conspiracy theorists
It was a tragedy that shocked Australia, perpetrated by conspiracy theorists who had a premeditated plan for their victims.
In a horrific act of cold-blooded murder, two police officers and a neighbour were gunned down outside a rural property at Wieambilla west of Toowoomba earlier this month.
Constable Matthew Arnold, 26, and Constable Rachel McCrow, 29 were slain while responding to reports of a missing person at a Wains Rd property just before 5pm on December 9.
Neighbour Alan Dare was also shot and killed.
The culprits, Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey Train, were killed in a firefight later that night.
The trio were described by Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers as “deranged anti-vaxxer, pro-gun, sovereign citizen conspiracy theorists”.
The deaths sent shockwaves through the police community in Queensland, with the officers laid to rest just weeks ago.
7. Region’s housing crisis worsens
For most residents living in Toowoomba, the growing housing and rental crisis was front of mind as leaders grappled with its impacts.
With interest rates rising, social housing stock low and previous rental properties being snapped up new home buyers, the situation reached breaking point during 2022 and forced locals and families into homelessness.
Data from REA Group revealed all suburbs in Toowoomba and outlying towns like Wyreema, Cambooya and Gatton have seen median rental increases of at least 2.9 per cent since July 2021 — with most sitting between seven and 12 per cent over the past year.
A damning social housing report from July found that about 75 per cent of the 1000 people currently waiting for social housing in the Darling Downs are considered “high need”.
Coupled with the growing cost of living crisis, many residents will be hoping more rental stock is created in 2023.
8. Independent stuns LNP in election
Independent Suzie Holt created history on May 21 when she turned the previously-safe LNP seat of Groom into a marginal electorate for the first time.
Placing fourth on primary votes with just 8.3 per cent, Ms Holt was able to ride a wave of preferences to finish second behind incumbent Garth Hamilton 57-43.
Not only was this the best result by an independent in Groom, but the election was the first time the LNP required preferences to win since unifying in 2008.
9. Keyhill Gibbs’ death and youth crime
Keyhill Robert Gibbs was 13 when he was killed in a high-speed crash in June while travelling in an allegedly stolen car.
His death near Oakey was a lightning rod for the youth crime debate in Toowoomba, which had grown to such a level in 2022 that it was potentially impacting state laws.
Many residents showed little sympathy for the boy, who had barely left primary school when he died.
But youth workers like Jen Shaw pointed out how young criminals were not born, but made by societal forces almost always outside of their control.
10. Council rejects new McDonald’s
One of the world’s biggest fast-food chains took legal action against the Toowoomba Regional Council this year over its decision to reject a new drive-through location.
McDonald’s Australia in August filed an appeal in the planning and environment court against the council’s refusal of a new eatery on the corner of Ruthven and Jones streets in Harlaxton.
It comes more than a month after councillors voted against the proposal at a special meeting, citing “unacceptable” traffic, acoustic and amenity impacts and arguing it would lead to “strip development and ad hoc expansion” of the existing centre.
This is despite an independent assessor recommending the project be approved.
11. Floods ravage Toowoomba, Lockyer Valley
After copping a second La Nina event in consecutive years, 2022 was devastating and deadly for flooding across our region, as major rainfall events in February, March and October claimed the lives of several people and caused hundreds of millions in damages.
Residents in towns like Oakey, Grafton, Inglewood and others had to be evacuated, while a number of locals were tragically killed while trying to cross floodwaters.
In town, several businesses were flooded and roads cut off by the incredible amount of water.
The Toowoomba Regional Council estimated the cost of repairing just its road network was more than $100m.
12. New Toowoomba Hospital green-lit
Easily one of the most anticipated – and greatly needed – projects in years, the state government finally came to the party in its 2022-23 budget and green-lit the new Toowoomba Hospital near Baillie Henderson.
In news that has been celebrated across the Darling Downs, Treasurer Cameron Dick announced that Toowoomba would be included in what he called the largest hospital-building program in Queensland history.
Funding is reportedly included in this financial year for a range of preliminary works and finishing touches to the detailed design.
It came after years of advocacy from The Chronicle and the Garden City’s political and economic leaders, following the designation of the Baillie Henderson site as the preferred spot for a new hospital in 2017.
Shovels will begin turning over soil at the new hospital site in the coming months, as more than $1bn was dedicated to the much-needed facility.
13. Railway Parklands gets funding
Nearly 30 years after it was conceived by Toowoomba’s Chamber of Commerce, the first stage of the Railway Parklands was included in the SEQ City Deal back in March.
The project will inject $25m into the CBD to improve liveability and facilitate more inner-city living.
The long-discussed project will turn the defunct railway yards between Victoria and Bridge streets into a linear parkland precinct with a range of community and family facilities.
It’s also hoped the infrastructure will spur on developers to create higher-density living projects in the area.
14. Entertainment precinct war of words
The Wagner family’s proposal for a $170m motorsport and entertainment precinct not far from its Wellcamp Airport remained a major political topic during 2022.
The multifaceted development will include a world-class racing circuit, high-quality viewing areas, driver training centres for trucks, camping grounds for 5000 vehicles, 40,000-capacity open-air amphitheatre, international go-karting complex, motocross track and 4WD experience and training areas.
After announcing the project in 2020 and securing state government support for it, both John and Denis Wagner found themselves fighting hard to gain the final $40m needed from the federal government.
This led to major stoushes between themselves and Groom MP Garth Hamilton during the federal election campaign (see above).
The precinct has been included in the SEQ City Deal, but with only state government funding at this point.
15. Council CEO’s job questioned
The CEO of the Toowoomba Regional Council survived a push in 2022 to oust him, with four councillors expressing a desire to see a change of leadership at the top of the organisation.
Brian Pidgeon, who has been the region’s top public servant for a decade and earns more than $400,000 a year, had his contract extended following a 7-4 vote at the March ordinary meeting.
Councillors Rebecca Vonhoff, Bill Cahill, Melissa Taylor and Nancy Sommerfield all voted against his renewal, citing a desire to see changes in leadership at the top of the council and issues with the organisation’s current culture.
16. Political saga over pipeline
The proposal for a $300m pipeline connecting Wivenhow Dam to Warwick via Toowoomba became a major political stoush across much of the year.
Both Toowoomba and Southern Downs councils were left disappointed by the lack of consultation from the state government and premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who announced the project in 2020.
The pipeline, which will support 420 jobs in construction, will supposedly connect drought-affected communities near Toowoomba like Nobby, Clifton, Greenmount and Cambooya.
The premier announced in June pre-construction would start in the coming months, something that had blindsided Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio.
After initially deferring its decision, the Toowoomba council eventually endorsed the project in November with the condition that it did not affect the region’s water security.
17. Tragedy of Craig Cattell’s death
The close-knit Pittsworth community was in mourning after born-and-bred Craig Cattell died in floodwater, just weeks out from his wedding.
Mr Cattell, 47, was travelling along Stirling Road when he was caught in the flooded Spring Creek about 4.20am on March 28.
He exited his car and attempted to walk to dry land but was tragically swept away.
Mr Cattell was one of several people who died while trying to traverse floodwaters this year.
18. Rugby league’s racism rows
Rugby league in Toowoomba was rocked not once but twice by racism scandals that divided the public.
The Toowoomba Rugby League probed a photo posted online in September of Highfields Eagles senior players celebrating the end of the season by dressing up in blackface.
The photo, which appeared to depict two white players as famous black athletes like Michael Jordan and Usain Bolt, was originally published on the club’s Facebook page before it was removed.
It came just a month after video was captured at a TRL game on August 7 of a Pittsworth rugby league official saying over a loudspeaker, “shut up you black c---”.
The comments caused uproar within the league and the wider community, with First Nations residents and officials calling for life bans.
The man was handed a 10-year ban but this was reduced to just two years on appeal.
19. Gender inequality highlighted at council
Toowoomba’s female councillors voiced their concerns earlier this year around gender inequality within both the council and the city’s wider political leadership.
Speaking on International Women’s Day in March, Ms Vonhoff sparked the discussion when she pointed out every federal and state MP, the mayor, deputy mayor, the council’s CEO and all permanent general managers were male.
Data from the TRC revealed just nine of the 33 leadership roles at council are held by women, a rate of 27 per cent.
Since then, the council appointed former state integrity commissioner Dr Nikola Stepanov to general manager of planning and development in October.
20. Murder of Kirshna Chopra stuns
The alleged murder of Krishna Chopra baffled investigators for months.
The 61-year-old mother was found allegedly bludgeoned to death in her Crows Nest home on January 31 after she failed to turn up for her scheduled Meals on Wheel appointments.
Upon entering her home, police located her body with forensic evidence suggesting she had died about 10 days earlier.
The case was further compounded by Ms Chopra’s limited connections to the community, having only recently moved to the area from regional NSW.
After an exhaustive investigation involving dozens of statements provided by the community, police charged Mr Chopra’s son-in-law Simon Jones with her murder.
He remains in custody and is yet to enter a plea to the charge.
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