Armidale to Toowoomba road trip: Distance, drive time & stops

Attractions between Armidale and Toowoomba: Stanthorpe to Warwick

On the way north from Stanthorpe to Warwick, you’ll pass the Conrad Distillery and Truffle Discovery Centre Stanthorpe. There are free truffle tastings available at the latter.

There are also several wineries. Summit Estate is on the New England Highway, while Heritage Estate in Cottonvale is just off it.

Road trip essentials that many travellers forget

Search on the web, and you’ll find ludicrously long lists of equipment to take on a road trip. Australia Travel Questions isn’t going to do that to you. But it is worth buying the following road trip items before setting off. Click through for a good range of options.

Charging cables – yes, you’ll probably need a spare at some point.
Car charger adaptor – in case your rental car has the old-fashioned cigarette lighter rather than a USB.
Multi USB charger – for those hotel rooms that don’t have enough power sockets.
Fold-up chairs – to make anywhere a picnic spot.
A really good water bottle – go for a bigger one than usual to last the longer drives.
Packing cubes – save space but, more importantly, avoid unpacking everything every night.

The highway continues to the frankly underwhelming Warwick in the Southern Downs. Australiana Park is the heart of the town, while you can learn about local history in the Warwick Museum at Pringle Cottage.

Armidale to Toowoomba road trip: Warwick to Allora

The first town you’ll pass through on the route from Warwick to Toowoomba is Allora, which has a golf course and a couple of places to eat.

The main attraction in Allora, however, is Mary Poppins House – the former home of Mary Poppins author PL Travers. Visits to the house are by pre-booked tour only.

Armidale to Toowoomba drive: Darling Downs Zoo and lookouts

North of Allora, you can make a short diversion down the Gatton-Clifton Road to the Darling Downs Zoo. A step above most Australian wildlife park, this zoo has exotic animals including macaws, tigers, lions and meerkats.

Further along the Warwick to Toowoomba drive, you can pull over for a photo stop at the scenic lookout just before Hodgson Vale. There’s an expansive view over the surrounding farmland. A little further off the highway, there are more lookouts on the Panoramic Drive and Gormans Gap Trail.

Shortly after Hodgson Vale, you start to enter Toowoomba, passing the Toowoomba Garden of Remembrance and Kearney Springs Historical Park on the way into the city centre.

Top Toowoomba accommodation recommendations

The best Toowoomba accommodation options are:

For central location and undercover parking at a 4.5 star with a pool: Oaks Toowoomba.
For well-equipped apartments: Athena Motel Apartments.
For a holiday park with plenty for the kids: Big4 Toowoomba Garden City.
For a surprisingly good motel at cheapish rates: Applegum Inn.