Middle Ridge is a residential locality of Toowoomba in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia.[2] In the 2021 census, Middle Ridge had a population of 7,595 people.[3]
The Great Dividing Range passes through Middle Ridge from the north-west to the south-east. The area west of the range is on the Darling Downs at 660 to 670 metres (2,170 to 2,200 ft) above sea level and is a residential area. The area east of the range falls rapidly to as low as 420 metres (1,380 ft) above sea level.[4]
Middle Ridge was named in the 1860s, as the area between East and West Creeks where the teamsters who camped at Toowoomba turned their teams loose to graze.[2]
The Shire of Middle Ridge, a local government area, existed from 1880 to 1917.[5][6] The shire's centre was at the intersection of Stenner and Hume Streets (27°35′36″S151°57′08″E / 27.5934°S 151.9521°E) now the north-western corner of the locality of Middle Ridge where there was the shire hall, the school and a church.[7]
Between 1958 and 1961 three motor racing events took place at Middle Ridge, to coincide with the Carnival of Flowers in September.[9] A rectangular circuit using Stenner Street-Mackenzie Street-Alderley Street-Rowbotham Street was run in an anti-clockwise direction.[10] There have been several reasons given why racing stopped after 1961 - local farmers claimed that the races stopped their chickens laying eggs; the carnival organisers believed that loud racing engines were incompatible with flowers; or that the races were pulling spectators away from other Carnival events.[9]
Middle Ridge State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 203 Spring Street (27°36′06″S151°57′23″E / 27.6017°S 151.9564°E).[12][13] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 827 students with 65 teachers (53 full-time equivalent) and 33 non-teaching staff (20 full-time equivalent).[14] It includes a special education program.[12]