Childcare in Toowoomba
There are 116 approved childcare services in the Toowoomba urban area: 63 offer long day care, 26 run a kindergarten or preschool program and 42 offer before and after school care. 6% of rated services are Exceeding the National Quality Standard or Excellent, against 18% nationally.
Highest-rated suburbs
Suburbs with at least 5 rated services, ranked by the share rated Exceeding the National Quality Standard or Excellent.
| Suburb | Rated services | Exceeding or Excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Highfields | 9 | 1 (11%) |
| Toowoomba | 54 | 5 (9%) |
| Harristown | 5 | 0 (0%) |
How the ratings work: National Quality Standard ratings explained.
Types of care in Toowoomba
| Type of care | Services in Toowoomba |
|---|---|
| Long day care | 63 |
| Kindergarten or preschool program | 26 |
| Family day care schemes | 1 |
| Before and after school care | 42 |
| Vacation care | 38 |
Services that offer more than one type of care are counted once for each. Family day care is counted by scheme, not by educator.
What childcare costs in Toowoomba
The Department of Education publishes fees by state, not by city. Long day care in Queensland averaged $14.15 an hour in the June quarter 2026, about $142 for a 10-hour day before the Child Care Subsidy. What a family pays after the subsidy depends on income:
| Family income | Subsidy rate | Daily gap fee |
|---|---|---|
| $80,000 | 90% | $14 |
| $120,000 | 84% | $23 |
| $180,000 | 72% | $40 |
For a 10-hour day at the Queensland average fee, one child under school age, before the 5% of the subsidy that is withheld until the year is balanced. Work out your own with the CCS calculator, or see childcare fees by state.
All suburbs in Toowoomba
- Cambooya 2
- Centenary Heights 2
- Darling Heights 1
- Drayton 2
- East Toowoomba 3
- Glenvale 3
- Gowrie Junction 2
- Harlaxton 1
- Harristown 5
- Highfields 10
- Kearneys Spring 3
- Kingsthorpe 2
- Maclagan 1
- Meringandan 1
- Newtown 2
- North Toowoomba 2
- Rangeville 1
- South Toowoomba 2
- Toowoomba 56
- Toowoomba City 2
- Toowoomba West 1
- Westbrook 3
- Wilsonton 3
- Wilsonton Heights 1
- Wilsonton, Toowoomba 1
- Withcott 2
- Wyreema 2
Frequently asked questions
How many childcare centres are there in Toowoomba?
There are 116 approved childcare services in the Toowoomba urban area, including 63 that offer long day care and 42 that offer before and after school care. Many services offer more than one type of care.
How much does childcare cost in Toowoomba?
Long day care in Queensland averaged $14.15 an hour in the June quarter 2026, about $142 for a 10-hour day before the Child Care Subsidy. A family earning $120,000 pays about $23 a day after the subsidy. Fees vary by centre, so check each service directly.
How many Toowoomba childcare services are rated Exceeding?
7 of the 108 rated services in Toowoomba (6%) are rated Exceeding the National Quality Standard or Excellent, compared with 18% across Australia.
Which Toowoomba suburbs have the most childcare?
Toowoomba (56), Highfields (10) and Harristown (5) have the most approved services in Toowoomba.
Services and ratings: ACECQA National Registers, export of 29 October 2026. City boundary: ABS Significant Urban Area (Toowoomba), ASGS Edition 3 (2021), matched to services by postcode. Fees: Department of Education, Child Care Subsidy data report, June quarter 2026.