 Toowoomba (also known as the 'Garden City') is a city and Local Government Area of South East Queensland, Australia. It is located 132km west of Queensland's capital city, Brisbane, and two hours drive from the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast beaches. With a population of 113,687 (2003 ABS estimate), Toowoomba is Australia's second largest inland city after Canberra, the nation's capital.
The city has twice been voted the best city to live in Australia. Factors which influenced this included the city's low cost of living, pleasant surroundings, clean air and the safe, friendly atmosphere. It has the benefits of city living without the pollution.The largest industry employers in Toowoomba (2004) are retail trade (17.8%); health and community services (13.3%); manufacturing (12.2%); and education (11.1%). Professional employment was the most prominent occupation (18.2%) followed by clerical, sales and service workers (17.7%) and tradespersons and related workers (13.3%). |
