Things to do in Ipswich Qld
Well, after a climb up the water tower on Denmark Hill in the centre of Ipswich (w3w.co/tragedy.sweated.mashing), a heck of lot. This is a great spot to get your bearings before or after setting off on your travels or camps within Ipswich or one of its bordering region. Note: parking near here is very limited.
The views to Brisbane
The views from here take in the high rises in city of Brisbane to the east; down to Mount Barney on the Border Ranges (a stones throw from New South Wales); west to Cunningham’s Gap (that leads to Warwick) and the mountains of the Great Dividing Range (including Mount Superbus, Spicer’s Peak and Mount Cordeaux); and north to the Brisbane Valley Range.
While many of these sights are outside the Ipswich region, views of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Amberley, Ipswich Grammar School (Queensland’s oldest grammar school – established in 1863) and The Workshops Rail Museum on the north bank of the Bremer River can all be readily seen.
Speaking of the The Workshops Rail Museum (located on North Street, North Ipswich w3w.co/date.outwit.cared), this is a great place to take the kids with refurbished locomjotives and carriages as well as information on the history of the local area and people.
Ipswich proudly supports the location of RAAF Base Amberley
(w3w.com/ruthless.nooks.permits)within easy reach of the city and greatly appreciates the frequent flyovers by the powerful Boeing C-17 Globemasters, F/A-18 Super Hornets and the Airbus KC-30A Air-to-Air Refuelers.
The RAAF Amberley Aviation Heritage Centre, on the base itself, offers open days (third Sunday of each month between January and November – excluding public holidays) where you can see up close the aviation history of the RAAF and Amberley – including the now retired F-111 Fighter Bomber, Boston Bomber, Canberra Bomber, Mirage and a Sopwith Camel. As the museum is located within RAAF Base Amberley, access is limited and some formalities / paperwork need to be completed. So, be sure to check details on the webpage – www.raafamberleyheritage.gov.au.
The Parks and Reserves of Ipswich
Things to do in Ipswich Qld extends to the Parks and Reserves. When it comes to parks and reserves, Ipswich offers several reserves and walking trails – including Kholo Gardens to its north (w3w.co/waterfalls.repealing.combos); White Rock Conservation Area (w3w.co/alarmist.ghostly.swelled with better parking for trailers etc at w3w.co/paperweight.swear.rationed), near Redbank Plains to the east (with walking tracks and places to explore with ready access to natural bush land and wildlife); and Queens Park (in the city itself w3w.co/cracks.stopped.cuts) with BBQs, a Japanese-styled garden and an extensive playground for the kids.
Driving around Ipswich
If it’s a drive you’re after, chase up the Cobb & Co Tourist Drive out of Ipswich and on to Gatton and Toowoomba where the old coach and horse mail and passenger route ran in the 1800’s – be sure to stop at the historic Grandchester Railway Station (w3w.co/flushes.monumental.ascension). The drive will also take you up one of the old crossings of the Great Dividing Range passing Murphy’s Creek and Spring Bluff Railway Station (stop here and grab a cuppa and a cake w3w.co/diner.comforter.wasted). If you do take this trip, you could always return home via the new Toowoomba Second Range Crossing (opened early-September 2019).
If you’re after a place to camp around Ipswich
If you’re after a place to camp, it may be work checking out the Rosewood Showgrounds (w3w.co/plummets.mining.refusals), just 17kms west of Ipswich, where camping is managed by the Lions Club of Rosewood and there’s a range of powered an unpowered sites – with showers and amenities. And, it’s close to the Rosewood Railway Station too.
Ipswich is steeped in history!
