The first half of 2025 in Toowoomba has been packed with moments that stood out—from cultural festivals to leadership workshops. I had the chance to dive into some of these events, and there’s quite a few that I’d like to share!
Embracing Tradition at the Toowoomba Royal Show (March 27–29)
The 160th People First Bank Toowoomba Royal Show was a celebration of agriculture, community, and resilience. Despite the rain, which has become a recurring theme in the show’s history (I was told it rained as well last year), it was still as electric as can be. Upon entering, I was greeted by the lively sights of a mini-carnival, complete with rides and the classic show snacks that I’ve only seen here for the first time.
While exploring the grounds, I stumbled upon something I definitely didn’t expect—a miniature goat and sheep showcase! I didn’t even know that was a thing. That’s when I met Kristy from the Australian All Breeds of Miniature Goat and Sheep Society (AABMGS), who passionately explained the intricacies of breeding and showcasing miniature goats and sheep. She explained how breeders use events like this to get feedback from judges and improve the quality of their animals.
I got to meet Dora, a ten-month-old goat (looking sassy in the photo), and Fora, a white elf goat who’s name fits her perfectly. Beyond the goats, there were snakes, vintage machinery and local showcases that reminded me how deeply Toowoomba is rooted in its rural history.
Celebrating Diversity on Harmony Day (April 5)
Harmony Day in Toowoomba was a vibrant celebration of our city’s multiculturalism. It’s one of those events that felt both relaxed and meaningful.
Our Study Toowoomba team set up a booth outside Grand Central to share our resume project, and throughout the day we chatted with students, families, and locals curious about what we were working on. The event was full of energy. There were performances, food, and booths from different cultural groups around the city. Everyone brought their own touch.
One of my favourite parts was connecting with the Filipino group that represented our country with their performance. We swapped stories on our journey here and had some good laughs about life as international students. It felt good to see how everyone, from different backgrounds, was coming together not just to represent culture, but to genuinely connect. It made me appreciate the kind of community we have here even more.
Innovation/Leadership Training at the Toowoomba Innovation Challenge (April 11)
The Study Queensland’ Toowoomba Innovation Challenge at UniSQ, brought together students, mentors, local employers and real-world challenges in one high-energy day!
Josh Farr from Campus Consultancy led us through a workshop focused on leadership, innovation, and community impact. One of the biggest takeaways for me from the event was the difference between just networking and actually building meaningful relationships. We also talked about how bold, unconventional ideas often lead to the best innovations—and that asking “why not?” is sometimes all it takes to get started. Over lunch, I even explored the idea of starting a local IT-focused podcast with Josh, which might be something to revisit soon.
Our team worked on a live challenge from Darling Downs Health, where we had to think fast, collaborate well, and bring practical ideas to the table. It was eye-opening to see how much creativity everyone, from my teammates to the other teams, has brought to the room.
