business
Challenges and Headwinds Facing Toowoomba Business Sector This Year
Local firms confront network failures, online rivals and workforce housing costs through the middle of 2026.
How we reported this
Toowoomba retailers along Ruthven Street lost card payments and point-of-sale systems for up to six hours during the Telstra outage that began on the morning of 10 July.
The interruption hit at the same moment national housing prices continued their slide, tightening the pool of workers able to afford rents near the CBD.
Network failure hits daily trade
Shops inside Clifford Gardens shopping centre and cafes on Margaret Street reported the same loss of EFTPOS and cloud inventory tools. Staff at several outlets resorted to handwritten receipts and cash-only trade until service returned after 3 pm.
Businesses had already budgeted for higher insurance premiums this financial year after the council released its 2026-27 rates notices in May showing a 4.8 per cent average increase for commercial properties.
Toowoomba Regional Council data released last month recorded a 7 per cent drop in foot traffic through the CBD in the first quarter compared with the same period in 2025.
Online platforms and staffing costs add pressure
Local makers and designers now compete directly with platforms such as Temu, which have captured growing shares of household spending on homewares and apparel. The Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce noted at its June forum that several members had cut wholesale orders by 15 per cent since January.
At the same time, median rents for a two-bedroom unit in Newtown and Rangeville reached $520 a week in June, according to the latest Domain rental report, pricing out entry-level staff at smaller manufacturers on the western industrial estate.
Council planning documents show 320 new residential lots approved near Kearneys Spring since January, yet only 18 per cent carry any requirement for affordable housing contributions.
Firms are being urged to register for the council’s business continuity workshop scheduled for 22 July at the Empire Theatre and to test alternative payment terminals before the next rates quarter begins in October.