The McGregor Workshops are held at USQ’s Toowoomba Campus – approximately 8 kms from the Toowoomba city centre and approximately a 30 minute drive from the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport.

Address:

University of Southern Queensland
West St
Darling Heights QLD 4350

Please note the campus and residential college spreads over a vast area. Whilst we are a wheelchair friendly campus, to get the most out of your chosen workshop we encourage participants to be of good physical and able health to independently move around the campus. Many workshops require an element of physical fitness or standing for periods of time. Please contact us to discuss if you have any concerns.

McGregor has taught students from age 12 – 92. There is no reason you can’t join in on one of our fantastic classes!

Having said this, art can sometimes be demanding and while for most classes enthusiasm and creativity are the only requirements, some classes will require a reasonable level of fitness.

For instance painters are typically required to stand at an easel for extended periods, while for most creative arts classes (e.g. woodwork and jewellery making) the ability to bend and lift is often important. We’re always happy to discuss options related to specific circumstances and would encourage anyone who is not sure to contact us to discuss.

McGregor Workshops are seasonal and held in Summer and Winter each year. Details regarding check-in, drop-off and official start and finish times are communicated to participants following registration as the event draws closer.

Please note some workshops may have a life model present.  This is noted in the workshop description. The life model may be clothed or unclothed, male or female.

Booking for each school are open as soon as all tutors and requirements are finalised, typically 4-6 months in advance of the school.  Bookings can be made:

• Online: Using the Workshops Page (preferred)
• Email: If you are unable to book online, contact the School of Creative Arts on mcgregorschools@unisq.edu.au, with details of the class you would like to book in for as well as your name and a contact number. We will attend to emails in order of receipt, however please be aware that we cannot assure you of a place if the class fills in the meantime.

When a class becomes full you can sign up to the wait list to attend the class. If a spot becomes available you will be contacted to complete your enrolment.  Spots do become available if a participant can no longer attend.

Some classes at McGregor cover adult themes and are not appropriate for those under 18. For this reason we ask that participants under the age of 18 contact the McGregor office before enrolling. Written parental consent will need to be received in instances where unclothed models or adult themes are covered.

Typically McGregor tutors are happy to accommodate students from mid-high school age onwards, however junior enrolments are looked at on a case by case basis.

Please email the office on mcgregorschools@unisq.edu.au for more information.

Sometimes circumstances can change – here is how we can help:

Tickets are transferable. The McGregor team must be advised in advance of any transfer and details of participant.

Experience has shown us that McGregor Workshops may be impacted by global or national events at very short notice. Please be aware that your attendance and/or travel plans can be disrupted, and we may have to cancel classes as a result. Information may change as directives are received from our government agencies.

The McGregor school may waive or reduce the cancellation penalty if a participant has cancelled due to a medical condition or bereavement.  Please note that medical certificates or equivalent may be requested to support these requested refunds.

The McGregor team reserves the right to cancel a class if minimum enrolments are not reached or if any unforeseen circumstances occur relating to that particular course. If your class is cancelled for these reasons, you will receive a full refund or the option to transfer to another class.

If the workshop you wish to book is full, please register on the wait list as sometimes there can be cancellations leading up to the Retreat. We also recommend as well as wait listing in your preferred workshop, book an alternative workshop to ensure you are not disappointed. We will contact you as positions become available.

Please note that accommodation is not available at the UniSQ Residential Colleges.

For accommodation suggestions please visit: Visit Darling Downs- Toowoomba

(Please note that UniSQ has no affiliations with accommodation providers or visitdarlingdowns.com.au)

As of 31 May 2018, UniSQ is a smoke free campus.

Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the campus. Visitors who wish to smoke will need to do so off the campus grounds.

All electrical equipment being brought onto the UniSQ campus for class use (excluding camera and phone chargers) must be tested and tagged by a qualified electrician.

The workshops are coupled with afternoon activities such as Artist Talks, Life Drawing, The McGregor Market, and a concert.  The finer details of these will be released closer to time

Wi-Fi is available on the UniSQ campus.

Please note computers are not supplied to students – you will need to provide you own internet capable device to access the Wi-Fi.

Access to Wi-Fi in the accommodation area is not guaranteed, however there is guest Wi-Fi access in all common rooms and dining rooms.

Toowoomba is Australia’s second largest inland city, and it is easy to get around with bus, taxi or Uber, all available from the UniSQ campus.

For Taxis call Garden City Cabs 133 222.

For buses check out Translink.

Uber can be accessed via the mobile app.

By Air

Fly direct to Toowoomba

You can fly directly into Toowoomba from Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns and Townsville.  The Airport is called Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport (WTB) when making bookings. Wellcamp Airport is located to the west of Toowoomba and is about a 25-30 minute drive from the campus.

There are transfer options. For more information visit Wellcamp.

Flying to Brisbane Airport

Brisbane Airport can sometimes offer a wider range of direct flights and can be more economical.  Brisbane Airport is approximately 2 hours from Toowoomba.

Con-X-ion runs a door-to-door service from the airport to anywhere in Toowoomba.  For more information visit Con-X-ion or call 1300 860 563.

By Vehicle

Toowoomba sits atop the Great Dividing Range and connects to the New England Highway running north/south, the Warrego Highway running east/northwest and the Gore Highway from the southwest.

Toowoomba is the heart of the Darling Downs and is approximately a 2 hour drive from Brisbane.

Toowoomba’s weather can be varied but generally is it quite cool during the winter months and very warm during the summer months.

It is recommended that you pack appropriate clothing for your attendance at each school.

Please note that residential colleges do not provide heating devices, extra blankets or fans.  You may wish to consider packing an extra blanket or electrical heating device for winter or a cooling device for the summer months.

Yes!

There is adequate parking at the residential colleges for those staying on campus. For those not staying on campus there are several car parks around the campus. Most are free of charge, however a couple are metered, while others are reserved for staff.

Please take note of parking instructions around the campus as anyone parking in restricted zones will be fined by campus services.

Catering

Complimentary tea and coffee is provided throughout the workshops. Please BYO cup or buy a keep cup for use when you are with us.

Meals/food throughout the workshops are not included, except for a light lunch on Saturday and Sunday ONLY.

You can purchase food and beverages on campus or BYO and store in the fridge in your allocated tea room.

A short drive from the campus you will find a variety of fast food outlets and restaurants.  The McGregor team are always happy to direct you.

Dietary Requirements

If you have dietary needs, please note this when booking your workshop.  We will do our best to accommodate your basic dietary needs, however, some may be beyond the usual for this kind of dining and may incur a surcharge.

Talk to the McGregor coordinator for more information if you have any concerns.

Students enrolled in a UniSQ School of Creative Arts degree who participate in McGregor Summer and Winter Workshops may be eligible to seek credit towards an elective. Please contact creativearts@unisq.edu.au for details.

Most classes have a maximum limit of 12-15 students to ensure your tutors can dedicate learning time to each student.

Places fill quickly so do not delay in booking.

An additional McGregor Workshop Delivery Fee is payable at the time of workshop registration. Traditionally these same materials would have been part of the BYO materials list, however, McGregor is able to pass on bulk purchase savings, and ensure the materials/tools are exactly what the tutor requires.  The materials/tools included in the McGregor Workshop Delivery Fee will be waiting for you when you arrive for the workshops.

Most workshops still require a smaller BYO materials/tools list for you to bring.

The University of Southern Queensland supports the principles of procedural fairness and values social justice, equal opportunity and the provision of a safe and supportive working environment, and as such all McGregor Arts Retreat students and tutors are expected to treat others fairly, honestly, responsively and with proper regard for their rights and obligations.

By enrolling in a workshop a student agrees to follow the tutor’s instruction and not deviate from the program.  If a student fails to follow the tutor’s guidelines, they may be asked to leave the class at the tutor’s discretion.  If this occurs no refund of fees will be made.

A Statement of Attendance is provided to students who complete the McGregor Arts Retreat in its entirety.  This statement includes the workshop hours and is signed by authorised persons.

As the event draws nearer you will be emailed a newsletter, however, please keep in mind things can change and sometime they are out of our control.

To keep up to date with information, please like our page on Facebook, follow our Instagram and join the events you are registering for so that you stay informed.

You can also join our E-News list to be one of the first to know when a new school is available or when new classes have been added.  Simply send an email through with your name and email address requesting to be added to the E-News list.

Contact the McGregor team via email. If you require phone assistance, please email and one of our team will call you back.

Email