Western Downs discovery trail

Drive west for about 30 minutes from Toowoomba’s CBD along the Warrego Highway and find yourself in Oakey. The Army has been a key part of this community since World War II when almost 2,000 troops were stationed here and is now home to the Australian Army Aviation Centre.

Right next door to this facility you’ll find the Australian Army Flying Museum that houses more than 20 aircraft flown by the Australian Army and related memorabilia from all eras of Australian military flying. Some highlights include getting to walk inside a heavy-lift Chinook helicopter and investigating a Blackhawk helicopter.

For lunch either grab a bite to eat at a local café or jump back in the car and head 20 minutes west to The Woolshed at Jondaryan (CURRENTLY CLOSED). The Woolshed Cafe offers the finest local cuisine in a relaxed rural setting or you can try the damper hut for an authentic ploughman’s lunch or Devonshire tea.

Heritage-listed Jondaryan Woolshed is Queensland’s oldest operating woolshed. Take a self-guided tour and stroll back in time through a fascinating complex of 40 historic buildings, machinery and collections. The kids will love meeting the farm animals in the animal nursery.

Stay the night at this unique country retreat, with options ranging from powered and unpowered campsites to cabins and cottages.

Once you’ve finished up at the Woolshed, head 3 minutes up the road to visit state heritage-listed St Anne’s Church. It is one the earliest surviving churches on the Darling Downs and one of the oldest in Queensland. The farming station of Jondaryan had a ‘village’ for its employees and their families that included this beautiful timber church that was built in 1859.

For lunch take a leisurely country drive to the village of Goombungee. Check out Goombungee Antiques and Café or grab an authentic country pub meal at The Pioneer Arms. After lunch, you can browse the beautiful artworks at the Rosalie Gallery. If you’re in Goombungee in November or December you’ll be welcomed by the town’s main street of mature jacaranda trees putting on a stunning show of purple flowers.

For your final stop, watch the sunset over the Darling Downs from the summit of Mount Kingsthorpe at Emmanulla Drive, Kingsthorpe. Bring some sturdy footwear for a 35-minute, steep bushwalk to the summit or take it easy and enjoy the view from the car park a bit further down the hill.

For personalised service and tips by friendly knowledgeable locals, be sure to drop into one of the local Visitor Information Centres or give them a call.

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