Brisbane, QLD


Saturday, September 23, 2017

THE CARNIVAL OF FLOWERS

Toowoomba is a large country town situated on the crest of the Great Dividing Range about 
700 m/2,300ft above sea level. It is 125km/78m west of Brisbane. It is one of few Queensland towns that experience the four seasons, with autumn leaves and fabulous spring blooms. The towns nick name is "The Garden City"as there are over 150 parks and gardens. Every September they have the week long "The Carnival of Flowers". This year is the first time we have attended the carnival. We only went for a day trip and it was the day after the parade. We booked on a tour run by the historic train company. (see last post). It included a coach tour of the winning private gardens but we were very disappointed that it didn't include the city park gardens, which are by far the best. (It wasn't made clear in the ads). Anyway we still enjoyed the day. Following a just a few of the many shots I took of the gardens.









We were also taken to Picnic Point which has lovely street gardens and a beautiful view over the Lockyer Valley.
We have had a very dry winter. It has been hard for the residents to maintain their gardens.

It only takes 90 mins to get to Brisbane by car but took us much longer in the steam train.

15 comments:

  1. The spring weather hasn't quite reached me yet but I feel closer just seeing those glorious colours. They are quite uplifting!

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  2. The colours are so vivid. Not so the Lockyer Valley. I wasn't aware of the four seasons in Toowoomba.

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  3. The gardens are gorgeous and I love the flowery bicycle. You are full of flower while we are full of autumn! Autumn is not so bad it is what follows! Take care t'other Diane

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  4. we went through a year of drought and now it will not stop raining. and the rain ruined the crops after last year the drought ruined the crops. you were in flower heaven. I love those tulips. beautiful country. last week we watched a movie I found at the library by the name of Australia, with Nicole Kidman.. it was really good and I thought of you while we watched it... if I could fly or float the first country I would visit is yours

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    1. That was a good movie but set in the outback. The east coast and west coast are beautiful too. Thanks for the compliment.

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  5. What a kaleidoscope of blooms and colors. Some look like spring flowers and others look "summery". They put a smile on my face this rainy fall day in Breckenridge.

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  6. If the city parks are more beautiful than the gardens you pictured, they must really be spectacular. You must have had a very fabulous day.

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  7. Wonderful colours. As you approach Spring we slide into Autumn but you remind me to enjoy our seasons.

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  8. Hi Diane, the Carnival of Flowers Is a place I could happily spend all day. Great photos, I especially loved the bicycle and to be around so many flowers I would be on cloud 9 :)

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  9. Rain is badly needed along the east coastline.
    I think summer will be explosive if rain doesn't fall in huge
    amounts soon.
    Obviously this Toowoomba garden area has good water piping from the dams
    in the area.
    Colin

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  10. A new destiny for the bicycle. Top.

    Greetings,
    Filip

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  11. The gardens look absolutely wonderful -- in that dry climate , they must indeed have worked very hard to maintain that beauty.

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  12. Wow what a flower festival ! they are (nearly) so beautiful as my fake once, hehehe !

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  13. Wow! I can see where the name comes from Diane, what a splendiferous array of blooms! I think I like it best when they mix colours and types of flowers together.. very English country garden!

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  14. My, what an explosion of color!! I wish our colors would hurry up and bloom!!

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