Toowoomba: From Swamp to City

Book in for our facilitated school program Toowoomba: From Swamp to City where students use stories, objects and photographs to explore the history of Toowoomba.

Program overview

Have you ever wondered what Toowoomba looked like 150 years ago or even 50 years ago? In this facilitated school program, students take a step back in time to discover how Toowoomba developed from a swamp to a city. Students listen to William Henry Groom’s story and interpret images of Toowoomba’s historical landmarks and buildings, past and present.

Introductory activity
A Cobb+Co staff member will introduce students to the concept of change over time using stories and photographs to explore the history of Toowoomba. The history of European settlement in the region and the story of William Henry Groom, Toowoomba’s first mayor, will be explored.

Gallery Activity
Students will explore exhibitions within the museum to investigate how the Toowoomba region has changed over time. They will interpret a timeline, objects and photographs, complete hands-on activities and compare what life would have been like in Toowoomba in the past with their lives today. Teachers will be required to direct this activity.

Learning outcomes

Students will:

• learn about local stories from pre-European settlement to 21st Century stories about Toowoomba’s development as a city
• develop historical skills through the interpretation of a timeline to understand how significant events lead to change and development
• develop a sense of continuity and change by comparing photographs from the past and present
• develop curiosity about historical discoveries by exploring stories, maps and objects which tell the story of the Toowoomba region
• identify and examine the influence of key people and cultural groups on the development of the local area
• interpret historical evidence in the form of stories, photographs and objects to see how evidence can be used to provide historical explanations.

School visit information

See our Visit as a school page for information on visiting the museum and booking a group into a program.

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