Goomeri: Memorials, Trails and Pumpkin Festival

Goomeri combines distinctive memorials with trails through the town’s history and a long Rail Trail. It also has the Goomeri Pumpkin Festival and a bakery in the town centre. You can shape your stay around what interests you most: memorials, outdoor activities or the local festival.

Memorials and local history

The Goomeri War Memorial Clock Tower is an unusual landmark: Queensland has few memorials in the form of a clock tower, and this one has distinctive decorative features. It stands 74 feet tall. Its stepped foundation forms a traffic island at Goomeri’s main intersection. The building’s design and location make it a tangible starting point for exploring the town’s memorials.

The Goomeri Hall of Memory offers another perspective on the history of remembrance. It opened in 1926 to commemorate people from the district who served in the First World War. The dedication was later extended to include those who served in subsequent wars. Its original use also sets the Hall apart from a purely monumental memorial: this comparatively rare type of memorial in Queensland also served recreational purposes.

The Goomeri Heritage Trail leads to historic places around the town. Signs explain the history of each stop; some are located in original buildings. If you enjoy exploring individual stops and their background, this offers a different focus from a visit centred mainly on the distinctive clock tower or the memorial hall. A Heritage Trail map is also available for the Goomeri “Town of 1911” Heritage Trail.

Rail Trail: a longer route outdoors

The Kilkivan to Kingaroy Rail Trail is an 88-kilometre recreational trail along the former Kingaroy Branch Railway Line. It follows a natural route between Kilkivan, Goomeri and Murgon. This gives you the option of choosing a much longer route as a focus for outdoor activities, alongside the historic sites in town.

The section between Kilkivan, Goomeri and Murgon is suitable for mountain bikers and walkers, as well as horse riders on some parts. Which option suits your stay depends on whether you want to experience the trail on foot, by mountain bike or on horseback along one of its sections. The figure of 88 kilometres refers to the Rail Trail as a whole; it does not automatically describe the length of an individual day trip.

Festival and flavours from the town centre

The Goomeri Pumpkin Festival includes a Heritage and Outback street parade, market stalls and food trucks. The festival’s highlight is the Great Australian Pumpkin Roll. If the festival is the reason for your trip, you can make these events a focus alongside the memorials and the Rail Trail.

For an everyday culinary discovery, try the Goomeri Bakery in the town centre. It serves freshly baked baguettes, fruit tarts, pastries and coffee. The selection ranges from savoury baguettes to sweet pastries. Together with the festival food trucks, the bakery offers two different ways to enjoy food in Goomeri: visiting a local business and sampling the festival fare.

Choosing Goomeri as a destination

As you continue planning your search for holiday accommodation, you can visit the Goomeri Visitor Information Centre as a specific point of contact. It is located at 41 Moore Street, Goomeri, Queensland 4601.

Explore more town pages: Kinka Beach, Kedron, Rossville, Merrimac, Pallarenda, Wondai, Maryborough, The Keppels.

For the broader travel overview: Queensland.