Toolooa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Toolooa Gladstone, Queensland
Fire burns down Skyring's Mill, 1930
Toolooa Location in Queensland
Population	992 (2021 census)
• Density	331/km2 (860/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4680
Area	3.0 km2 (1.2 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	5.8 km (4 mi) SSE of Gladstone CBD 113 km (70 mi) SE of Rockhampton 512 km (318 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Gladstone Region
State electorate(s)	Gladstone
Federal Division(s)	Flynn
Suburbs around Toolooa: Sun Valley South Gladstone South Trees Telina Toolooa South Trees Glen Eden Glen Eden South Trees

Toolooa is a suburb located near Gladstone in the Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. It's a place where about 992 people lived in 2021 census.

Where is Toolooa?

Toolooa is about 5.8 kilometers (or 3.6 miles) south of the main part of Gladstone Central. It shares borders with other suburbs like Telina, South Gladstone, and Glen Eden. It's also quite close to the beautiful Toondoon Botanic Gardens.

The western edge of Toolooa is marked by Glenlyon Road. To the north and east, you'll find the Moura railway line. This railway line is important because it connects with the North Coast railway line at a place called Moura Short Line Junction railway station. The main road, Gladstone–Benaraby Road, also goes through the eastern part of the suburb.

A Look Back at Toolooa's History

How Toolooa Got Its Name

The name Toolooa comes from the Aboriginal language of the Gurang/Goeng people. It was originally the name for a nearby area called Barney Point. In 1856, when the first government leader, Maurice Charles O'Connell, came to Gladstone (which was then called Port Curtis), he built a house at Barney Point and named it Toolooa House. This house was later sold in 1863 and sadly burned down in 1873. The name Toolooa was then used for a railway station about 7 miles south of Gladstone, but that station is no longer there today.

The Old Sawmill

In 1900, a company from Bundaberg called Messrs H. A. Skyring and Sons built a very large sawmill in Toolooa, close to the railway line. This sawmill was a big deal for Gladstone! It provided many jobs and helped the town grow. However, on April 4, 1930, a fire completely destroyed the mill.

Fire burns down Skyring's Mill in 1930.

Schools in the Area

The first school in the area was called Skyring's Siding Provisional School, which opened around May 1905. It quickly changed its name to Toolooa Provisional School. On January 1, 1909, it became Toolooa State School, but it closed down on April 30, 1921. The school building was then moved to Iveragh to start a new school there in 1922.

Later, Toolooa State High School opened its doors on January 27, 1981. It started with 200 Year 8 students and 11 teachers. Even though it's called Toolooa State High School, it's actually located in the neighboring suburb of South Gladstone.

Schools Near Toolooa

There are no schools directly inside Toolooa itself. However, students living in Toolooa can go to nearby schools. The closest government primary schools are Gladstone South State School in South Gladstone (to the north) and Kin Kora State School in Kin Kora (to the west). As mentioned, Toolooa State High School is also in South Gladstone.

Parks and Green Spaces

Toolooa has some nice parks where people can relax and play:

• Emperor Road Park
• Toolooa Park
• Toondoon Botanic Gardens