Highfields Pioneer Village in Toowoomba is one of those places that makes you feel like you’ve stepped straight into another era. Just 15 minutes north of the city, this volunteer-run heritage village spreads across 20 acres and is home to more than 70 beautifully restored buildings—old cottages with weatherboard charm, shops filled with relics of yesteryear, vintage fire engines and windmills from the Toowoomba Foundry and even a heritage chapel dating back to 1909. It’s the kind of place where you can wander for hours, discovering something new around every corner.
The Big Cow is hard to miss and has become a bit of a local icon since its relocation and restoration in 2020, but the real star for families is Myrtle May, the miniature steam train built to the 1915 C16 locomotive design. Running on various Sundays throughout the month and during special events, Myrtle May takes passengers on a charming little ride that feels straight out of the early 1900s.
Also, this September 13–22, the Festival at the Big Cow will bring the whole village to life with demonstrations of blacksmithing, butter and cheese making, beekeeping and more, plus live entertainment, an Aussie-style sausage sizzle and historical tours on Old Henry, the 1925 T-Model Ford Bus.
Billy tea and damper, shady picnic spots and the kind of volunteers who’ll happily stop for a chat make Highfields Pioneer Village feel alive. It’s history served up with a good dose of country charm, the sort of place you linger a little longer than planned.
Highfields Pioneer Village
73 Wirraglen Rd, Highfields QLD 4352
(07) 4696 6309
Highfieldspioneervillage.com.au
