Toowoomba to Gayndah

WWI Memorial Journey - Toowoomba to Gayndah 4 Days / 417 Kilometres This journey commences in Toowoomba and follows an old Cobb and Co road through the Lockyer Valley towns of Helidon, Grantham, Ma Ma Creek, Gatton and Forest Hill where many war memorials demonstrate the sorrow of mothers who lost sons during the Great War. Drive north east to Esk in the Brisbane Valley where a large marble edifice commemorates the war service of locals in this district. From here, travel north through the dairy towns of Toogooloowah and Moore to Linville where a rather unusual war memorial can be found, designed by a local returned serviceman. Climb the Blackbutt plateau and head into the South Burnett District towns of Nanango and Kingaroy, and on to Murgon and Goomeri. Goomeri has a memorial clock and a memorial hall, as does Gayndah further north. Toowoomba to Esk 1 Hr 36 Mins / 114 Kilometres Departing Toowoomba, take Warrego Highway down towards Helidon and then the Cobb and Co Tourist drive through Helidon to Grantham, a town devastated by the 2011 floods. Drive south to Ma Ma Creek to visit its WWI soldier’s memorial, located in the town cemetery. This memorial was privately commissioned by Fleurine Elsie Andrews who lost three sons in France. Drive north to Gatton where the ‘weeping mother memorial’ in Littleton Park provides a sobering reminder of the 68 local men lost in WWI. Nearby Forest Hill’s soldier statue memorial is in a park adjacent to the old railway station. 2 Enjoy a cool drink at one of Forest Hill’s heritage listed hotels. Travel north through Coominya and join the Brisbane Valley Highway towards Esk. Call into one of the many picnic areas on Lake Wivenhoe en route. The Esk War Memorial is stunning. It comprises a sandstone plinth topped with inlaid marble tablets encased with wide. Kingaroy’s Old Butter Factory is a great copper ionic pilasters, with name plates set in place to break the journey and enjoy the local bronze. Its locality in the landscaped gardens produce including wine, cheese and peanuts. on the main street is framed by Mount Esk to the east. Kingaroy to Gayndah 1 Hr 52 Mins / 62 Kilometres There are hotel, motel, caravan, camping and The road north of Kingaroy traverses bed and breakfast options in and around Esk farming and grazing country through Wondai for an overnight stay. to Murgon. Pause at the soldier statue memorial in Lamb Street Murgon. The old Esk to Kingaroy South Burnett Cooperative Dairy Association 1 Hr 44 Mins / 140 Kilometres building in Macalister Street is now a winery The road north from Esk to Toogoolawah for Clovely Estate. Vineyards can be visited travels through the grazing country of the around Kingaroy and south of Murgon. Brisbane Valley. Toogoolawah developed around a condensed milk factory founded by Drive on to Goomeri where the town’s the McConnell family in 1898. Local dairymen memorial clock graces the junction of the who went to fight in WWI are South Burnett and Wide Bay highways. Take a commemorated on the war memorial in short walk along the Wide Bay Highway to the McConnell Park. This was the second war corner of McGregor Street to see the Hall of memorial erected in Queensland and the first Memory, built in honour of locals who outside of a cemetery. volunteered for war service. There are a number of cafes in town to enjoy lunch before Drive north past the Colinton War Memorial heading on to Gayndah, the home of the citrus and turn at Moore to the tiny town of Linville. industry. Its memorial was designed by a local returned soldier, Tom Cross, an artist and photographer. The Gayndah War Memorial is located in a This unusual pagoda-styled memorial was public square between the post office and the designed for a community that lost eight of former council chambers. This outdoor the 24 young men who enlisted. honour board includes a mixture of Australian and British symbolism, and was Backtrack on the Linville Road to the D’Aguilar donated by local grazier Harold H Wilson. Highway and up to the Blackbutt plateau There is a memorial hall incorporated into the past Yarraman to the Nanango soldier statue council chambers. You may choose to stay and on to Kingaroy. The memorial rotunda in overnight, or take the Isis Highway back Kingaroy Park is an outstanding landmark towards Childers and the Bruce Highway. memorial dominated by a domed roof. Adjacent is a stone of remembrance designed Compiled in conjunction with Department of to replicate those found in Commonwealth Environment and Heritage Protection. War Graves Commission cemeteries world Images courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland. 3.

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