Toogoolawah: The Condensery, Rail Trail and Main Street Day Out

Toogoolawah is a small town in the Somerset Region with a free art gallery in a former condensed milk factory, a volunteer-run history museum in the old railway station, a cinema with canvas chairs and the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail running through it. It is about 100 minutes by car from Brisbane.

Most of what you will want is within a few streets of each other, so it works as an easy half day or a stop on a longer trip along the valley.

The Condensery

The Condensery (the Somerset Regional Art Gallery) is at 29 Factory Road. Entry is always free, and it is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm. It closes at times for exhibition changeovers and some public holidays, so check its social media pages first.

The gallery shows changing exhibitions by regional and national artists, and hosts artist talks, workshops and art-making activities. The main gallery connects with the Bomb Shelter, which Nestle used to store documents during the Second World War. The architects kept it, along with the exposed roofing iron, original roof beams and stained concrete floors, largely as they were.

Australia’s first condensed milk factory opened on this site on the banks of Cressbrook Creek in 1898. Nestle owned it from 1907, condensed milk production stopped in 1929 and the factory closed for good in 1938. A fire destroyed it in 1951. Somerset Regional Council bought the site in 2013 and the gallery opened to the public on 2 December 2015.

Facilities and access at the gallery

• One level, with step-free access from the car park, wheelchair access and seating throughout the exhibition spaces
• Ample parking, with accessible parking and a bus drop-off zone on Factory Road, and coach parking
• Toilets through the pink door in Gallery 2, including an accessible toilet that has baby change
• Free Wi-Fi, and drinking water on request
• Prams and breastfeeding are welcome. Assistance and support animals are welcome.

Toogoolawah History Museum

The museum is in the old railway station on Cressbrook Street, which has stood in Toogoolawah since 1904. It holds historical memorabilia from Toogoolawah and the surrounding district, and is run by volunteers. It opens on Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm between February and December, and by appointment. No entry price is listed, so ask when you arrive or contact the group on 0455 177 679.

Toogoolawah Pictures

Toogoolawah Pictures screens films in the historic Alexandra Hall at 111 Cressbrook Street, most Saturday nights. It uses authentic canvas chairs and modern digital projection, and sells fresh popcorn and hot dogs. Session times and prices are not listed on its tourism page, so check its Facebook page before you go.

Cafes, shops and pubs

• Thee Coffee Shack – a cottage on the main street serving coffee and cakes, and selling products from small-batch regional makers.
• Picnic Society – a cafe and shop for picnic supplies, with pastries, relishes and jams. It is described as a weekend pop-up, and grazing boards can be pre-ordered.
• Hav’A’Chat Cafe – a friendly, unpretentious cafe with a small-town milk bar feel, next door to the History Museum.
• Exchange Hotel – classic country pub dining with hearty meals.
• Two Galahs Gallery – a shop with work by more than 80 local artists and makers, with regular creative workshops.

Opening hours for these businesses are not published on the tourism pages, so check before you drive out for one in particular.

Brisbane Valley Rail Trail at Toogoolawah

The Brisbane Valley Rail Trail runs through Toogoolawah. The full trail is 161 km of gravel, suited to gravel bikes, mountain bikes and e-bikes, with horse riders and walkers also using it. Dogs are welcome on a lead. Water is available in most towns, and rural kitchens often close early, so plan food ahead. Toogoolawah has places to stay within walking distance of the town centre, including Peddlars Rest, which offers bike storage for trail riders.

The trail’s own page advises checking Department of Transport and Main Roads updates after severe weather. For the whole route see the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail guide.

Just outside town

Cumquats Australia is a working cumquat orchard at Cressbrook, just outside Toogoolawah, with a farm shop that opens on weekends and a distillery where you can try liqueurs and shrubs, open at set times during the year. Check its website for opening and tour dates.

Planning your visit

• How long: A half day covers the gallery, a cafe and the museum. Add the cinema and you have a full Saturday.
• Best time: A Saturday, when the museum and cinema are both open. The gallery is closed Monday and Tuesday.
• Cost: The gallery is free. Museum and cinema prices are not listed.
• What to bring: Water, and a plan for food if you are on the rail trail.

Getting there and parking

Toogoolawah is about 117 km from Brisbane, a drive of about 100 minutes by car. No public transport was confirmed, so plan on driving. At the gallery there is ample parking, including accessible and coach parking on Factory Road; general parking elsewhere in town was not confirmed.

Nearby

• Esk – the next town along the valley, with the rail trail and lakes.
• Kilcoy – Yowie Park and Lake Somerset.
• Somerset Dam – swimming, boating and fishing.

Browse more in Somerset Region and Art galleries. Details can change, so check The Condensery’s visit page before you go.

You might also like

• Lowood – a rail trail town with a clock park.
• Lake Wivenhoe – camping and water on the drive from Brisbane.
• Imbil (Sunshine Coast Hinterland)

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