OAKEY Oakey is a rapidly growing satellite of Toowoomba, but that said Oakey is also rich with a modern heritage. Oakey is clearly a proud community. The area was first settled in the early 1840s when pastoralists moved into the area and found the land to be suitable for grazing. The town's moment of glory came with the birth of the brilliant horse Bernborough at Rosalie Plains in 1939. The horse was sold to a businessman in Sydney and raced in three states, winning 15 consecutive races between 22 December 1945 and 19 October 1946. His memory is honoured by the life-size bronze horse cast (the first in Australia) which stands outside the Jondaryan shire office. The requirement for aircraft maintenance and construction exceeded the capabilities of Brisbane-based facilities needs and a site at Oakey was purchased to facilitate the an airbase was sited approximately 2 miles (3 km) north of the town. The Museum that records both the past and delightfully reconstructed aircraft deserves a good look. The Oakey War Memorial is a ‘new’ acknowledgement and is a worthy cenotaph. The Hotels are nice mix of classic and new. The Catholic Church is a mid century structure. The Lutheran Church modern. We recommend enough time to make the most of the Army Aviation Museum, plus refreshment at a minimum.