IPSWICH VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE

Welcome to Ipswich Visitor Information Centre

Old world charm, colonial heritage and urban industry unite in the bustling city of Ipswich, located approximately 40 kilometres west of the Brisbane CBD.

As Queensland’s oldest provincial city, Ipswich proudly wears its colonial heritage heart on its sleeve. Over 6000 heritage-listed sites line our city streets, interspersed by the lush greenery of over 550 parks and reserves. But tucked amidst the landmarks of its proud past, you’ll discover hints of an exciting future. Take a leisurely stroll along heritage precincts and laneways in the city centre, where a lively café and retail scene has emerged. Go in search of treasures at antique and art emporiums, browse boutique racks and eclectic vintage stores. Reminisce over the romance of steam train travel at our railway attractions and museums, or explore our vibrant galleries and cultural centres. While the pages of history share our past, a youthful energy moulds our future. Queensland’s beautiful heritage city has never felt so young!

Queens Park is a natural drawcard close to the city centre, and this is where you will find our award-winning Ipswich Visitor Information Centre. Our passionate team of volunteers offer advice, insights and recommendations based on over 1200 years of combined experience living and working in the Ipswich area. Talk about a team of local experts! We’re on-hand seven days a week to assist with all your travel needs. We take the hassle out of exploring the region, with free booking services for tours and accommodation, maps, brochures and Wi-Fi access, as well as event booking services.

Swing by for a cuppa and a chat. We’d love to help you discover the rich heritage and heart of our beautiful city!

Exploring the Centre

As you enter the picturesque gardens of Queens Park, you will be captivated by luscious greenery. The gardens feature different blooms and fragrances, depending on the time of year. In October, you will be met with bursts of colour from the jacaranda trees in hues of purple, poinciana trees in an array of reds during late November and December, and bougainvillea flowering hedges at the entry of the park year-round.

The Ipswich Visitor Information Centre is found off Queen Victoria Parade, towards the northeastern end of the parkland. The carpark offers plenty of parking for cars, boats and caravans.

You’ll notice that the centre itself has a wide, flat entry for easy access with guest toilets and even a shower with braille signage. Undercover walkways lead to a wide wraparound veranda that hugs the building.

As you enter the main building through the double sliding doors, you will discover an extensive display of brochures, highlighting local attractions, accommodation, things to do, places to visit and where to eat, as well as information on other regional areas of interest around Queensland. The Centre also stocks local art, beautiful hand-made gifts, produce and souvenirs for purchase. Guests can book tickets for Ipswich Little Theatre and Ipswich Musical Theatre. Whatever you need, our friendly staff will be more than happy to talk you through local recommendations or help you with bookings.

Our on-site café serves tea, local coffee, and light refreshments and snacks. Relax with a cuppa and contemplate how you’ll spend your time in Ipswich, while overlooking the lush gardens. The aroma of freshly ground coffee beans wafts in the air, mingled with the subtle scent of nearby floral blooms. The HMAS Ipswich memorial may also capture your interest while you are visiting us. The monument is strategically designed to look like the starboard of a ship.

History of Ipswich

The traditional custodians of the Ipswich region are the Jagera, Yuggera and Ugarapul people. Known in the Yugara language as Tulmur, the area has been home to First Nations people since long before the recordings of European arrival and settlement.

The history of Ipswich pre-dates the proclamation of the Colony of Queensland on 10 December 1859. European settlement of the town of Ipswich began in 1827. Oncea limestone mining settlement, the area was named Limestone Hills by the first colonials. In 1843, its name was changed to Ipswich, reportedly after the town of Ipswich in England. The municipality of Ipswich was proclaimed on 3 March 1860. By 1904, the town had grown so much, that an application was made to grant it status as a city, and the City of Ipswich was proclaimed on 1 December 1904. Today, Ipswich is brimming with heritage listed buildings, historic homes, wonderful architecture and grand churches. Throughout the year, our centre offers Heritage Bus Tours to help you discover our colonial heritage homes and buildings, complete with audio commentary and descriptions.

As you delve into our city’s past, you will discover a tapestry of tales from our local inhabitants – both those who shaped our past, and those who continue to forge our bright future. Our city has been home to many famous personalities including tennis star Ash Barty, politician Neville Bonner (the first Aboriginal Australian to become a member of the Parliament of Australia) and former Governor-General, Bill Hayden; rugby league legend Allan Langer, and cricketer Shane Watson, just to name a few. As previously mentioned, the Ipswich Visitor Information Centre is located on the grounds of Queens Park which holds the title of the oldest park in Queensland!

Local Highlights and Attractions

There is something to satisfy every kind of visitor to Ipswich.

The Queensland Museum Rail Workshops is managed by Queensland Museums and is open daily from 9:30am until 4:00pm. General admission tickets are available online or upon arrival to the museum. You will find exhibitions including real train displays, children's hands on science displays and workshops. The museum also houses an on-site Trackside Cafe and souvenir shop, so why not break up the day with a coffee, a bite to eat and a browse through the gifts and souvenirs on offer?

Nature lovers will be impressed by the more than 6,000 hectares of reserves and conservation estates in the Ipswich area, and with over 550 parks, you won’t have any trouble finding a few to explore. One of these worth noting is Queens Park which contains significant cultural heritage values not only for Ipswich but for Queensland. Queens Park was the first park to be developed in Queensland, first being surveyed in 1842. Its original architectural design dates back to 1862 and is perhaps Ipswich's most well know landmark. Visitors to the park will experience old world charm with modern day conveniences. With its close proximity to the Ipswich city centre, Queens Park allows easy access to shady gardens and a relaxing lunch time outing that is accessible by footpaths, boardwalks and ramps. Features of the park include extensive formalised garden beds, Nerima Gardens (a Japanese-styled garden), the Ipswich Nature Centre, children's play facilities, Bush House, Bush Chapel, Queens Park Croquet Hall, several sporting clubs, cafe and Environmental Education Centre.

Prefer to go off-grid? The intrepid traveller can enjoy bush camping just 20 minutes from the CBD. Flinders Goolman Conservation Estate is an explorer’s dream, as it covers over 2200 hectares of extensive forest and rugged volcanic peaks and slopes. The estate forms part of the largest remaining tract of lowland eucalypt forest in Southeast Queensland. These forests provide a critical habitat for the vulnerable Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby, which also happens to be Ipswich's faunal emblem. Hardings Paddock Campground provides bush-camping opportunities.

Guests who prefer to live it up in luxury are catered for in the Ipswich and surrounding areas. There are ever-increasing AirBandB’s popping up that offer features like outdoor hot tubs, private, secluded decks and stunning natural backdrops.

Accessibility

The Ipswich Visitor Information Centre is in Queens Park, at 14 Queen Victoria Parade, Ipswich. We’re open from 8:30AM to 4:30PM on weekdays, and from 9:00AM to 4:00Pm on weekends.

Our centre can be easily accessed via car, bus, train, or taxi. If you are self-driving, the trip from Brisbane CBD is approximately 45 minutes, or approximately 75 minutes from the Gold Coast. Queensland Rail’s Citytrain service operates regular services from Brisbane to Ipswich, and the journey takes approximately 60 minutes. Greyhound Australia also offers daily services from the Brisbane Transit Centre.

Our visitor centre is approximately one kilometer from Ipswich CBD and the train station. There is also a local bus stop at the Visitor Information Centre and nearby on Queen Victoria Parade at Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School. For public transport journey planning, please visit translink.com.au or call 13 12 30. Limousine and airport transfers are also available. For further details, please speak to one of our friendly team members.

Our centre is situated all on one level and is fully wheelchair accessible. The entryway is wide enough for wheelchairs to enter and exit without any trouble. Our café offers a large print menu. The bathrooms outside the building are accessible and also include braille signage. Since the centre is in an on-leash dog friendly park, there are plenty of suitable grassy areas for toileting service dogs and a water bowl located at the drinking fountain.

For further information please feel free to contact our friendly team on (07) 3281 0555.