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 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. The centre is closed on weekends and public holidays.

Feature exhibition 17 July – 28 September 2012

Stop: roadworks ahead - Transport and Main Roads' response to the summer of disasters.

This exciting new free exhibition is your chance to journey behind the scenes of the 2010–2011 floods.

You will gain an understanding of the complexity involved in emergency response to disasters that impact our vast road network and the extraordinary efforts involved in recovery and reconstruction. 

The Transport and Main Roads (TMR) Heritage Centre has developed this exhibition to provide you with a comprehensive insight into the actions, personal experiences, ingenuity and professionalism displayed by the Department of Transport and Main Roads' workforce and industry partners in reconnecting Queensland.

Come and experience stories from across the state told through text, images, objects and a multimedia display that can be enjoyed by your whole family.

Stop: roadworks ahead exhibition poster (PDF, 0.95 MB)

Contact us

Come along and take a journey through time in the development of Queensland's road network.

The Heritage Centre is located at:

2-22 Mutze Street
Toowoomba
Queensland 4350

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.

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.

Download a Transport and Main Roads Heritage Centre brochure (PDF, 571 KB) to learn more about the centre.