2016 was quite the year. On a global scale it was a year of endings and massive change. The Donald got in, Malcolm almost lost, Brexit happened and we had the Harambe meme that wouldn’t go away. Kanye announced a run for presidency, Leo got his Oscar, and Brad Pitt got single.
We said goodbye to much loved identities like the GOAT Muhammad Ali, David Bowie, Florence Henderson, Prince, Gene Wilder and Alan Rickman.
But while the rest of the world was all the about the endings, Toowoomba missed that memo, ‘cause we were all about the openings. So many openings!
The Toowoomba Show
It was also the year the outside world kinda noticed we existed.
We hit the radar, making it to outlets like The Project and The Daily Mail for our abundance of ghosts, our infrastructure and development was highlighted in an Australian special report, while our food and festival scene saw us on places like the Great South East, The Urban List, The Weekend Edition, Grazia, Hayden Quinn’s website and in blogs like Little Grey Box, The Sugar Hit and Ameriaus.
They described Toowoomba as everything from a ‘quaint country town’ to a ‘mini Melbourne’. These are fun descriptions but neither are entirely accurate. As one of Australia’s most populated inland cities, with a 160,000 population and approximately $10 billion of investment under way, we’re hardly a country town, and as for the ‘mini Melbourne’ thing, well, we need a few more cafés open after 3pm, weather with wilder mood swings, and a stronger collective commitment to always wearing black to make that comparison stick.
In truth Toowoomba has the best of both worlds. The friendly feel of a small town and the conveniences of a big one, and that’s why we love it! And after being a little too sleepy for a little too long, this is the year Toowoomba woke up!
This NYC mural was created by a Toowoomba artist now based in the States. The artist is @brolga_ and the photo belongs to @miami_traveller_dog
Your 2016 in Toowoomba breakdown
In February Triple J presenters Veronica and Lewis broadcast live from USQ as part of their Omazing Race across Australia and Ground Up blessed us all by extending their opening hours to Sunday, while ICHI Japanese Restaurant got us started on a run of foodie openings and the Toowoomba Library opened its fancy new doors.
March rolled in and things began to heat up. The Mills Precinct opened its doors for the first time with the sold out One Table event, The Original Mix debuted its first monthly artisan market, the Streets and Lanes festival replaced Easterfest and a local author launched International Read to Me Day, aimed at helping improve kids’ literacy skills.
The One Table event at the Mills Precinct
The Original Mix markets
The sushi scene kicked into higher gear in April with both Oishi Go and Sushi Asakusa finding homes on Margaret Street, while Club Lane got a bit cool with the opening of Skewers. After a few false starts Friday Nite Bites kicked off, the Toowoomba Farmers Market made the move to the current Cobb and Co site, and grand old building The Strand celebrated a birthday – 100 years in fact.
One day in May I happened upon the secret soft opening of ParisiAnn Patisserie and was rewarded with a delicious brownie for my luck, Pony Espresso opened their doors, as did the Beans and Bubbles café and carwash and Pop Will Eat Itself went down at the Mills Precinct.
All sorts of good things happened in June, with the arrival of The Baker’s Duck retail space (only open Saturdays!), Tom Collins, Café 63, Primitivo and a remodeled The Finch doubled their space. However, we sadly said goodbye to TheGRID Hybrid Arts Collective.
Tom Collins Bar
Find them on Bellevue Street
After a thirsty wait we all welcomed Muller Bros with open arms in July, not to mention new favourites Red Bench Café and Zev’s Bistro too. Angelo’s House rebranded to Urban Grounds and Strobe Studios joined the thriving creative co-working scene. Naomi Alexander won Toowoomba Living’s first Eat Out On Us competition, winning a $50 voucher each from Urth Café Bar, Impressions on Scott and The Finch (and with all these openings let’s see if we can make this comp bigger and better for you next year!).
Dinner at Zev’s
In August the saw tooth sheds of the Toowoomba Foundry dropped to make way for a Bunnings, while Primal Urge morphed into Food for Life and the Bungalow and Basket had their wares featured on Channel 7’s House Rules.
These are no longer…
Skip to September and we had one of the most significant months ever when retail galleria of Grand Central opened, bringing with it brands as local as Bonjour Boulangerie and as global as H&M. Walton Stores also introduced Hello Harry and Junk to our taste buds. The Grand Central and Walton Stores openings both happened on September 15. The very next day, 2 Birds joined its friends at Walton Stores to make a tasty trio. It was a month for numbers and animals, with The 3rd Monkey café and dessert bar making its home in Club Lane and guys’ clothing store White Rhino moving in next to longstanding Kaboom Comics. Also, Sofra added weekend breakfasts. Hello deliciousness!
Little burgers at the Hello Harry opening
Grand Central opening day (photo courtesy of Grand Central)
In October we welcomed The Burrito Bar at Eastville.
November wasn’t a great month for our pubs with the Mort Estate Hotel closing down and Mill Street Tavern burning down. However in good news, The Office changed hands to the guys behind Hello Harry and The Office crew moved on to the Glad – we’ll be watching to see what excitement comes from this! Out at Wellcamp Airport the first international freight flight took off and Noosa’s Betty Burger’s announced they’re coming to Toowoomba.
And that was 2016. Merry Christmas!
*Updates and corrections to this story are welcomed!
