Toowoomba Photographic Society has been offered the opportunity to hold an exhibition at the Toowoomba Art Society in February 2027. We have chosen the theme ‘Then and Now” for the exhibition. Members are asked to consider capturing images of Toowoomba and District showing locations and events compared with those from yesteryear within our region. The selected images will be paired with images from the past to show the development of our region over time.
To aid in this process members should examine past photographs from Toowoomba and District. These can be found at a number of sources:
- the Toowoomba Local History Library Historical Photograph’s Collection – https://www.tr.qld.gov.au/Places-and-activities/Libraries/Library-locations-and-opening-hours/Local-History-Library – browse the Historical Photos section
- the Toowoomba Historical Society – https://www.toowoombahistory.org.au/ – list a number of publications that might be worth looking at for photographic records
- the Remember Toowoomba When Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/remembertoowoombawhen/ – here you’ll find images from Toowoomba’s past that may give you some ideas for capturing images now
- the Toowoomba History Photos and Stories Facebook Group – again historical photos posted may give you ideas about modern day photos to capture for the exhibition.
Our Artist Statement for the exhibition is:
The “Then and Now” Exhibition explores the connection between yesterday and today across Toowoomba and the surrounding district. Presented as independent pairings, each historical archive and modern photograph exists in its own frame, inviting you to step into the space between two distinct moments in time.
By standing in the exact footsteps of the photographers who came before, this collection documents the physical evolution of our streets, buildings, and rural landscapes. Photography holds the power to freeze a second, yet communities are living things that never stand still. These separate yet connected views ask you to look past the familiar facades of the Darling Downs—to notice what has vanished, what has endured, and how the spirit of our region persists across generations.
This is a great opportunity for our membership to participate in a local project that will culminate in the “Then and Now” Exhibition. If you have any questions about this project please drop me an e-mail at president@tpsi.org.au. We’ll also hold some Zoom events to discuss the proposal later in the year.