The district was originally known as Cressbrook after the Cressbrook Stationoperated byJames Henry McConnel. The town took its present name Toogoolawah from its former railway station, which was named in November 1903 using the name Tugulawah proposed by McConnel, the name of the McConnel's residence at Bulimba, Brisbane. McConnel had originally suggested the name Bakewell after a village in Derbyshire, for the new town and railway station, but the Queensland Railways Department wanted to use an Aboriginal name. Toogoolawah is derived from the Aboriginal words "dhoo" and "goo/lawa", meaning "crescent shaped" or "bent like a crescent moon". The name probably referred to a tree with a deformed trunk which stood on the site in Bulimba, rather than to the supposed shape outlined by the Brisbane River as it rounds Bulimba Point, as has been alleged.
History
Cressbrook Provisional School was operating in 1881 but closed in 1882 due to low student numbers; its opening date is unknown. What is now Toogoolawah town was surveyed privately when Cressbrook estate was subdivided and sold as dairy farms in 1904. The town plan was not registered with the survey office until 1 June 1909. The extension of the Brisbane Valley railway line from Esk to the new town was opened on 8 February 1904. A Toogoolawah receiving office was opened in June 1904 and was elevated to post office status in July 1905. Toogoolawah Provisional School opened on 30 May 1905.On 1 January 1909 it became Toogoolawah State School. A secondary department was added on 28 January 1975 until a separate high school opened on 25 January 1988. A condensed milk factory was built shortly after the railway station was opened. The factory was closed in 1929, after Nestlé moved all its condensed milk production to Victoria, resulting in the town's population decreasing by half. The Toogoolawah War Memorial commemorates those who served in World War I. Unlike most war memorials that were erected after the war, the Toogoolawah memorial was unveiled during the war on 31 March 1917 by the Rev. Chaplain Merrington. Tenders were called in September 1924 for the erection of a school at Sandy Gully. Sandy Gully State School was opened on 4 June 1925. It was officially opened in September 1925 by Frederick Lancelot Nott, the localMember of the Queensland Legislative Assembly. It closed in 1959. Toogoolawah State High School opened on 25 January 1988, replacing the secondary department attached to Toogoolawah State School. Toogoolawah Library had a major refurbishment in 2006. Toogoolawah was partially cut off by flooding as a result of the 2010–2011 Queensland floods. At the, Toogoolawah had a population of 1,162.
Heritage listings
Toogoolawah has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Toogoolawah State School is a government primary school for boys and girls at Gardner Street. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 171 students with 16 teachers and 11 non-teaching staff. Toogoolawah State High School is a government secondary school for boys and girls at 76 Old Mount Beppo Road. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 267 students with 33 teachers and 22 non-teaching staff. Brisbane Valley Cluster Special Education Program is a primary and secondary special education program at Toogoolawah State High School at 76 Old Mount Beppo Road.
Attractions
Toogoolawah is home to a fun-jumping and tandem skydiving centre, once featured on the third season of The Mole in 2002.
