| Lockyer Valley | |
|---|---|
 Warrego Highway looking towards Toowoomba | |
| Area | 2,272 km2 (877 sq mi) |
| Geography | |
| Country | Australia |
| State | Queensland |
| Region | South East Queensland |
| Coordinates | 27°33′32″S 152°16′42″E / 27.5588°S 152.2782°E |
| River | Lockyer Creek |
The Lockyer Valley is an area of rich farmlands that lies to the west of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and east of Toowoomba. The Lockyer Valley is rated among the top ten most fertile farming areas in the world,[1] and the intensively cultivated area grows the most diverse range of commercial fruit and vegetables of any area in Australia. The valley is referred to as "Australia's Salad Bowl" to describe the area as one of Australia's premium food bowls.[2]
The valley is experiencing increasing urbanisation at both its eastern and western extremities. With a combination of vibrant rural living and affordable land and house prices, the region is experiencing rapid growth and development between the Brisbane-Ipswich conurbation in the east and Toowoomba in the west. Urban planning measures have been implemented to preserve the good quality agricultural land and rural feel of the valley. Such measures largely confine future development to non-arable land on the slopes of the hills.
- ^ Lockyer Valley community recovery plan. Lockyer Valley Regional Council. 2011. p. 13.
- ^ Quinn, Jamie; Sonia Kirby (2012). "3. The Challenges of Delivering a 'Sustainable Australia'". In Kinnear, Susan; Charters, Kate; Vitartas, Peter (eds.). Regional Advantage and Innovation: Achieving Australia's National Outcomes. Springer. p. 65. ISBN 3790827991. Retrieved 3 May 2014.