Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers secured for five more years

One of Queensland’s most iconic festivals – the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers – has been secured for another five years in a deal which further assists tourism recovery in Queensland.

Now in its 71st year, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the deal between Tourism and Events Queensland and Toowoomba Regional Council guaranteed the future of Australia’s longest-running floral event.

“Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is one of the most colourful and fragrant events on Queensland’s calendar and is a vital tourism drawcard for the Toowoomba region which in turn supports local jobs,” the Premier said.

“Last year more than 160,000 people attended the event across 10 days, pumping more than $20 million into the local economy.

“While the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted economies and events around the world, we’ve been able to open up faster here in Queensland because Queenslanders have done such a great job responding to the health crisis.

“That means events like the Carnival of Flowers can go ahead, just differently and in a COVID safe way.

“We’re doing everything we can to support our tourism industry through these challenging and unprecedented times and supporting this event for another five years will assist in our economic recovery.

“We’re also continuing our Good to Go campaign and I want to encourage everyone to come and see the Carnival, walk through the beautiful parks and support the local businesses.

“Through this continued funding deal and the support of fellow Queenslanders, the Carnival’s buds will keep blooming for many years to come.”

Assistant Minister of State Jennifer Howard represented the Premier at the announcement and also helped to official unveiled the revitalisation project at Queens Park.

The $5.59 million project is jointly funded by the Queensland Government’s Building our Regions (BoR) program and Toowoomba Regional Council.

“Our Building our Regions program is a vital part of Queensland’s economic recovery because it supports local government infrastructure projects in regional communities that create local jobs,” Ms Howard said.

“The Queens Park Revitalisation Project which includes an upgrade to the Margaret Street playground and construction of a new historical interpretation shelter supported 18 jobs.”

Ms Howard said the five-year funding deal for the Carnival also came at a vital time for the Southern Queensland Country tourism region.

“Events like the Carnival provide ongoing economic benefits, support local jobs and foster community pride – which is much needed in this current climate,” Ms Howard said.

“Toowoomba is beautiful in spring – a must-see experience for locals and visitors and the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers provides another reason to book a trip to Australia’s ‘Garden City’.

“I congratulate the council and team behind the staging of the event for their innovation and ability to adapt to the current environment to deliver a COVID-safe carnival for all patrons.”

Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio said the five-year partnership was a significant milestone for this iconic event celebrating its 71st event in 2020.

“Council is very proud to deliver Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers each year. The local pride Carnival generates is magnificent and it showcases the natural beauty of our city and the colours of region perfectly to visitors,” he said.

“We greatly value this opportunity to partner with the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland. Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers will continue to increase tourism values by promoting Queensland as the best state in Australia and provide locals and visitors with opportunities to stay and play in the Toowoomba Region.”

Caption: Queens Park Margaret Street Playground Opening with Assistant Minister Jennifer Howard MP and Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio