Toowoomba - a city of colour, but so brown.

Wednesday 20 September 

This week is the annual Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers. The Hungry Hikers made a visit on Wednesday. Whilst the gardens, given our drought conditions, were a spectacular blaze of colour, it was alarming to see the depth and extent of the brown, from this lack of rain. The farms across the Lockyer Valley were brown and desolate. In Toowoomba the images were repeated unless we were visiting a display garden or park.

Showers and thunderstorms were forecast for this afternoon. It appears only one or two areas were fortunate enough to have any rain fall. Tomorrow the temperatures are set to rise well into the 30's C.

It is worrying that this scenario covers most of Queensland and New South Wales. In March inches and inches fell, causing devastating flooding. There has been nothing since.

Congratulations to the owners of the carnival gardens. They were magnificent. Their water bills will be high.

I didn't think to take a pic of a brown suburban street, but these 2 images tell the brown story. These fields were beside winning gardens.

Our first port of call for the day was a return visit to Spring Bluff Railway Station, halfway up the range to Toowoomba. It was wonderful, but not quite as colourful as on our visit last year. Many trees and plants were still coming into bloom.

We were excited to see not only one, but two trains come through. The first a long coal train.

The second was a carnival train with 350 passengers descending to enjoy the beauty. These three  men were volunteer railway workers for the week. 

Top L - the passenger train arriving.

Bottom pics - the engine re-positioning.

This garden inscription seemed very appropriate to start my photographic journey in Toowoomba. It was seen in the garden of an 86 year old entrant.

Cottage garden 1.

Cottage garden 2.

These flowers were created from beer bottle caps.

And hi back to you!

Sorry, no time to join you in a cuppa.

Cottage garden 2's neighbour.

 The garden of the lovely 86 year old woman.

Laurel Bank Gardens - one of few parks with green grass.

This beautiful peacock had been an entry in the carnival parade on Saturday.

The botanical gardens section of a very dry, brown Queens Park.

A lovely nook for a coffee and cake before our drive home.

 A wondrous day. Please let the rain the rain fall long and heavily very soon.