Heritage Centre
Heritage Centre Toowoomba
Roads make an important contribution to Queensland's economy and quality of life.
The history of road building in Queensland is an interesting look at the past, from the conditions roadworkers laboured under using early machinery to forge essential links across the state, to the modern plant and equipment we see on roads today.
Keeping this history alive for now and future generations, led to development of the Transport and Main Roads Heritage Centre – Toowoomba's hidden gem – which opened to the public in 2008.
The centre is home to 90 years of road history in Queensland. It is the culmination of the untiring efforts of past and present department employees, extending more than 25 years. The Centre highlights the contributions of the department and its employees to the economic, social and rural development of Queensland.
Many employees volunteer their own time to collect, restore and maintain equipment used in building Queensland's roads. Some volunteers are generations of families who have or continue to work for the department.
The Heritage Centre has something for everyone!
- Children can learn about roads from a series of cartoon characters and interactive exercises along a children's trail.
- Adults and secondary students can learn about more complex themes and issues regarding road planning, construction and design.
- Machinery enthusiasts can enjoy the vehicles and road building equipment on display.
- Multimedia, photographs, interpretative panels, oral histories and displays of historic materials will capture the visitor's imagination.
- The exhibition showcases the story and culture of a department with a rich history, and revolves around the department's vision "Connecting Queensland."
Visit the Heritage Centre
The centre is open by appointment from 10 am – 4 pm EST (GMT +10) Monday to Friday. Group bookings are welcome on weekends. The centre is closed on public holidays.
The Transport and Main Roads Heritage Centre is pleased to join the 2012 Queensland Heritage Festival which has the theme: Amazing Stories: Innovation and Invention. The theme reflects the way Australian innovation and invention has shaped our past, present and future.
Over the last 90 years, the department’s employees have used their ingenuity on many occasions. To celebrate this, the centre offers Innovation and Invention – a trail of discovery. You can expect to find a variety of objects ranging from small to large and potentially loud so bring along your children so they can see how to make do in the absence of today’s technology.
Public open days
At event open days the whole family can experience external displays coming to life with demonstrations of blacksmithing, bridge pile driving and road construction machinery.
Contact us
Come along and take a journey through time in the development of Queensland's road network.
The Heritage Centre is located at:
Mutze Street
Toowoomba
Queensland 4350
For more information or to make a booking, contact the Heritage Centre on +61 7 4633 2506 or email heritage.centre@tmr.qld.gov.au.
Travelling west from the city centre, follow the Warrego Highway along James and Tor Streets. Turn left along Taylor Street until you reach Greenwattle Street. Turn right, follow Greenwattle Street to the end and turn left into Mutze Street. The Transport and Main Roads Heritage Centre is on the left, directly opposite the Toowoomba Airport Terminal and carpark.
Download a Transport and Main Roads Heritage Centre brochure (PDF, 571 KB) to learn more about the centre.
