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Ipswich () is an urban centre within the City of Ipswich in
South East Queensland South East Queensland (SEQ) is a Bioregion, bio-geographical, Megalopolis, metropolitan and Statistics, statistical Regions of Queensland, region of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland in Australia, with a population of ...
, Australia. Situated on the Bremer River, it is approximately 40 km (25 mi) west of the Brisbane central business district. Ipswich is renowned for its architectural, natural and cultural heritage, and the city preserves and operates from many of its historical buildings, with more than 6000 heritage-listed sites and over 500 parks. Ipswich was founded in 1827 as a mining settlement, and soon developed into a major commercial and population centre. The suburb of the same name serves as the city's
central business district A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...
. In the , the population of the urban area of Ipswich was 115,913 people.


History


Early history

Ipswich was tribally known as ''Coodjirar'' in the Yugararpul language. Known as the Ugarapul and Yuggerabul people are
Australian Aboriginal languages The Indigenous languages of Australia number in the hundreds, the precise number being quite uncertain, although there is a range of estimates from a minimum of around 250 (using the technical definition of 'language' as non-mutually intellig ...
of South-East Queensland. Ipswich City Council, Lockyer Regional Council and the Somerset Regional Council. The languages of Greater Brisbane are related – there is uncertainty over which dialects belong to which language. The Yugarabul language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of Brisbane City Council, Ipswich City Council and the Scenic Rim Regional Council. Prior to the arrival of European settlers, what is now called Ipswich was home to one indigenous language groups, including the Warpai tribe, Yuggera and Ugarapul Indigenous Australian groups. The area was first explored by European colonists in 1826, when Captain
Patrick Logan Captain Patrick Logan (baptised 15 November 1791 – 17 October 1830) was a Scottish army officer who was the commandant of the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement from 1826 until his death in 1830 at the hands of Aboriginal Australians. As he had b ...
, Commandant of the Moreton Bay penal colony, sailed up the
Brisbane River The Brisbane River (Turrbal language, Turrbal: ) is the longest river in South East Queensland, Australia. It flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay on the Coral Sea. John Oxley, the first European to explore the ...
and discovered large deposits of
limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
and other minerals.


Settlement

The town began in 1827 as a limestone mining settlement and grew rapidly as a major inland port. Ipswich was initially named "The Limestone Hills" and later shortened to "Limestone", however in 1843 it was renamed after the town of
Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in Suffolk, England. It is the county town, and largest in Suffolk, followed by Lowestoft and Bury St Edmunds, and the third-largest population centre in East Anglia, ...
in England. The population was 932 in 1851 and had risen to 2459 by 1856. It became a municipality in 1858. Ipswich had been a prime candidate for becoming the capital of Queensland from about 1847 when the Rev.
John Dunmore Lang John Dunmore Lang (25 August 1799 – 8 August 1878) was a Scottish-born Australian Presbyterian minister, writer, historian, politician and activist. He was the first prominent advocate of an independent Australian nation and of Australian rep ...
had toured both Ipswich and Brisbane, and noted the strength of Ipswich as a port town with access to the wool suppliers of the Darling Downs, but Brisbane was instead chosen due to its mercantile and colonial interests. Brisbane was declared the capital of the new Crown Colony of Queensland in 1859. It was proclaimed a city in 1904. The city became a major coal-mining area in the early 19th Century, contributing to the development of railways in the region as a means of transport. The first recorded coal mines in the central Ipswich area started at Woodend in 1848. Triassic aged dinosaur footprints were found in underground coal mines in the vicinity of the suburbs of Ebbw Vale and New Chum while large numbers of Jurassic aged dinosaur footprints have been reported from the suburb of Rosewood. From the 1840s onward, Ipswich was becoming an important river port for growing local industries such as coal and wool from the
Darling Downs The Darling Downs is a farming region on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range in southern Queensland, Australia. The Downs are to the west of South East Queensland and are one of the major regions of Queensland. The name was generally ...
and a regular paddlesteamer service from Brisbane Town, ''The Experiment'', was established in 1846. This, and other steamer services, remained the primary form of mass/bulk transport between the two cities until 1876, when the construction of the original Albert Bridge, spanning the Brisbane River at Indooroopilly, completed the railway line begun between Ipswich and Brisbane in 1873. Ipswich was proclaimed a municipality on 3 March 1860 and became a
city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
in 1904. On 26 May 1872, a Primitive Methodist Church opened in East Street. By April 1873 there were numerous churches in Ipswich: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Primitive Methodist, German Lutheran, and Wesleyan Methodist. A United Methodist Free Church opened in Brisbane Street in July 1873, having relocated from the "comparative obscurity" of North Ipswich. In March 1888, 239 allotments of the "Liverpool Estate" were advertised to be auctioned by E. Bostock in conjunction with Arthur Martin & Co. A map advertising the auction shows the proximity of the estate to the railway workshops and the Bremer River.In June 1911, 26 building sites of "East Ipswich Station Estate" were advertised to be auctioned by E. Bostock & Sons. A map advertising the auction shows the location of the estate in proximity to the railway line. In 1914, 65 garden allotments were advertised to be auctioned by E. Bostock & Sons. The area was called the "Orangefield Estate". It was formerly an orchard of James Alexander Jackes, and the real estate map advertised that the estate was well stocked with fruit trees. It was reported in the ''Queensland Times'' that 20 allotments were sold. This article also listed the buyers. Unsold allotments were advertised in the ''Queensland Times''. In 1922, 12 allotments were advertised in the ''Queensland Times'' to be auctioned by Bacon & Co. Auctioneers in conjunction with H. J. Hargreaves & Co. The area was called the "Whitehill Road Estate". A map advertising the auction shows the estate is across the road from the intersection of Whitehill Road and Griffith Road. Both street names are still in use. By July 1922 the ''Queensland Times'' advertised that only six allotments were left. In October 1925, several allotments in the "Fiveways Estate" at East Ipswich were advertised to be auctioned by Jackson & Meyers in conjunction with Bacon & Co. A map advertising the auction states that the lots were ideal for residential sites, convenient to the East Ipswich Railway Station and water, gas and electric light was available. In 1928, 211 allotments were advertised to be auctioned by E. Bostock & Sons and W. B. Parkinson. The area was called the "Cribb Estate" and on the estate map it was noted that it was on the eastern slopes of Limestone Hill. The auction was advertised in the ''Queensland Times'' and it was also noted in the notes of the Council Meeting published in the ''Queensland Times'' that approval had been granted to gravel new roads in the estate before it was sold. It was reported in the ''Queensland Times'' that 40 allotments sold on the day of auction and some of the buyers were listed. By the end of 1928 it was reported in the ''Queensland Times'' that another 20 allotments had been sold. In 1930, the Abermain Estate, Tivoli, was advertised to be auctioned by E. Bostock & Sons. The estate map noted that the area comprised the Abermain Colliery containing 1295 acres and farms. It was reported in the ''Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs Gazette'', and ''The Brisbane Courier'', that there was no bid for the coal mine but some farms had sold on the day of auction and some of the buyers were listed. It was also reported later in the ''Brisbane Courier'' of further items sold.


Royal visits

Several members of the
British Royal Family The British royal family comprises Charles III and other members of his family. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is considere ...
have visited Ipswich. 1868 – Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh 1920 – Prince of Wales (later
Edward VIII Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972), later known as the Duke of Windsor, was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Empire, and Emperor of India, from 20 January ...
) 1927 – Duke and Duchess of York (later
King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of In ...
and Queen Elizabeth) 1958 –
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was al ...
1962 –
Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone (Alice Mary Victoria Augusta Pauline; 25 February 1883 – 3 January 1981) was a member of the British royal family. She was the longest-lived Princess of the Blood Royal, and one of the longest-lived Britis ...
2011 –
Prince William William, Prince of Wales (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982), is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales. William was born during the reign of his p ...
(later Duke of Cambridge) 2014 –
Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...
and Duchess of Cambridge


Floods

Damaging floods have occurred on numerous occasions in Ipswich, the largest being the 1893 Brisbane flood peaking at , and more recently during the 1974 Brisbane Flood, (peaking at ) and
2010–11 Queensland floods 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...
(peaking at ) on 12 January 2011.


1893

Around 35 people died in the floods in the 1893 Brisbane flood. The Brisbane River burst its banks on three occasions in February of that year and a fourth event several months later. Seven workers were killed at a colliery in north Ipswich as the Bremer River broke its banks.


1974

Fourteen people died in flooding in January 1974, during the
Australia Day Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet and raising of the Flag of Great Britain, Union Flag of Great Britain by Arthur Phillip at Sydney Cove, a ...
weekend. Two people were killed in Ipswich. About 1,800 residential and commercial premises in Ipswich were flooded.


2011

The Bremer River at Ipswich reached a height of on 12 January, inundating the central business district and thousands of houses. 38 people died as a result of the floods. At Minden, on the border of Ipswich City, a four-year-old boy was swept away by floodwaters when he fell from a rescue boat. A man in his fifties died when he accidentally drove into floodwaters in the Ipswich suburb of Wulkuraka. The worst affected areas of Ipswich were the suburbs of Goodna and Gailes. The flooding allowed bull sharks to reach the centre of Goodna; one was spotted swimming in Williams Street, and a second in Queen Street. A multibillion-dollar class action lawsuit is underway against dam operators Seqwater, SunWater and the State of Queensland. Law firm Maurice Blackburn have lodged the suit on behalf of 5,500 Ipswich and Brisbane residents who lost their homes or businesses during the floods. Modelling released in 2013 claimed flooding of Ipswich CBD would not have been as extreme if Wivenhoe Dam operators had operated the dam correctly.


Community facilities and groups

The Ipswich Central Library building opened in 1994. The Ipswich Historical Society was established in 1966 and is located at Cooneana Heritage Centre, 11041 Redbank Plains Rd, New Chum, Ipswich. The Ipswich branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at 84 Limestone Street ( Liberty Hall).


Climate

Ipswich experiences a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
: Cfa) with hot , wet summers and mild, dry winters.


Demographics

In the , the population of Inner Ipswich (which encompasses the urban area of Ipswich) was 115,913 people.


Economy

Ipswich was a major mining centre, particularly
coal mining Coal mining is the process of resource extraction, extracting coal from the ground or from a mine. Coal is valued for its Energy value of coal, energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to Electricity generation, generate electr ...
. The city is the 'cradle of coal mining in Queensland'. Other secondary manufacturing industries included
earthenware Earthenware is glazed or unglazed Vitrification#Ceramics, nonvitreous pottery that has normally been fired below . Basic earthenware, often called terracotta, absorbs liquids such as water. However, earthenware can be made impervious to liquids ...
works,
sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...
s, abattoirs and foundries, while the region is also rich agriculturally. Ipswich remains a strong manufacturing region, with more than 14% of workers employed in the manufacturing industry, compared to just 7.6% for regional Queensland. Extensive growth is predicted in Ipswich and the Western Corridor region in years to come, the economy is projected to be worth $12.7 billion by 2026. Global giant
General Electric General Electric Company (GE) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1892, incorporated in the New York (state), state of New York and headquartered in Boston. Over the year ...
moved its Queensland headquarters into a $72 million building in Springfield in 2015. Ipswich is the site of RAAF Base Amberley, the
Royal Australian Air Force The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...
's largest operational base. It is currently home to No. 1 Squadron and No. 6 Squadron (operating the F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler), No. 33 Squadron (operating the Airbus KC-30A) and No. 36 Squadron (operating the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III jet transport). In addition, a number of ground support units are located at Amberley.


Film production

In recent years, Ipswich has become a sought-after filming location. The 2013 movie '' The Railway Man'' was filmed around the city's railyards. Other major films, including '' San Andreas'' starring
Dwayne Johnson Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor and professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on a part-time basis. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional w ...
, and '' Inspector Gadget 2'' were filmed around the city. Several Australian films have also used Ipswich for shooting locations, including the 2016 movie ''Don't Tell'' and Savages Crossing, '' The Settlement'', '' The Tree'', '' Mystery Road'', ''500 Miles'' and telemovies, '' Parer's War'' and '' Mabo''. Australian TV legal drama '' Rise'' was also filmed at Borallon Correctional Centre.


Housing

Ipswich is recognised for its important collection of historic buildings. Historic house types range from Early Colonial/Victorian (1850 onwards) to Queensland Bungalow (until 1935), with the city showcasing many markers and plaques outside heritage and historical locations. The traditional Ipswich dwelling has always been a detached home on land, and is frequently portrayed in the paintings of d'Arcy Doyle, however this is changing as modern housing developments increase. The city is the fastest-growing area in South East Queensland (SEQ). Two major developments, underway at Springfield and Ripley, will be central to housing this growth. The multibillion-dollar Greater Springfield development was awarded World's Best Master Planned Community 2010 and is designed to grow to an ultimate population of 85,000, with a projection of 105,000 total residents living in the area by 2030. Greater Springfield is positioned as the gateway to the western corridor of the south-east. At 2,860 hectares it is the largest master planned city in Australia. The Ripley Valley Development is master planned to be a model community for a projected population of 120,000 people.


Infrastructure


Technology

In March 2016, Ipswich's digital innovation and startup hub, Fire Station 101, was officially launched. Owned by Ipswich City Developments and operated by Ipswich City Enterprises, Fire Station 101 will position the region as a leader of the digital economy. More than fifteen members had signed up prior to the opening. In 2015, Ipswich was named in the world's Top 7 most Intelligent Communities by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) in New York.


Education

Ipswich is home to dozens of primary and secondary schools, including Ipswich Grammar School, which was the first high school in Queensland (established in 1863). Tertiary education facilities include
University of Southern Queensland The University of Southern Queensland is a public research university based in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, the sixth largest city in the Australian state of Queensland Founded in 1967 after a successful campaign by the local Darling Down ...
, which has campuses at Springfield and Ipswich. TAFE Queensland South West has a campus at Bundamba and another in Springfield.


Safety

Ipswich is home to the "Safe City" camera network, which commenced in 1994. More than 200 cameras are monitored all-hours from a facility situated within the CBD. The Ipswich City Council Safe City Monitoring Facility has hosted representatives of law enforcement agencies from the Netherlands, Taiwan, Great Britain and approximately twenty-five local authorities from across Australia to inspect the
closed-circuit television Closed-circuit television (CCTV), also known as video surveillance, is the use of closed-circuit television cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the signa ...
(CCTV) camera monitoring system.


Health

Ipswich Hospital is the major public hospital. St Andrew's Private Hospital and Mater Private Hospital Springfield are local private hospitals.


Transport

Ipswich has direct access to the Ipswich Motorway (linking to Brisbane); the Cunningham Highway (linking to Warwick); the Warrego Highway (linking to Toowoomba); the Logan Motorway and its connection to the Pacific Motorway (linking to Logan and the Gold Coast); and the Centenary Highway (linking Springfield and the Ripley Valley to Brisbane). Ipswich railway station is a major hub for
rail transport Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
. The electrified rail line that extends east from Ipswich through Brisbane's western suburbs to the Brisbane CBD is known as the Ipswich Line. The Rosewood railway line, part of the first railway in Queensland, is also electrified and extends west through Ipswich's western suburbs to the town of
Rosewood Rosewood is any of a number of richly hued hardwoods, often brownish with darker veining, but found in other colours. It is hard, tough, strong, and dense. True rosewoods come from trees of the genus '' Dalbergia'', but other woods are often ca ...
. Both lines are operated by
Queensland Rail Queensland Rail (QR) is a railway operator in Queensland, Australia. Queensland Rail is owned by the Queensland Government, and operates both Commuter rail, suburban and Regional rail, interurban rail services in South East Queensland, as well ...
.


Facilities

Ipswich has more than 500 parks and conservation estates, including Nerima Gardens, which was designed in consultation with Ipswich's Japanese sister city,
Nerima is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward in the Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis in Japan. The ward refers to itself as Nerima City. , the ward has an estimated population of 721,858, with 323,296 households and a population density of 15,013 persons ...
. In 2015, Orion Lagoon opened in Springfield Central. Brookwater hosts the Brookwater Golf and Country Club. The par 72 golf course, designed by Greg Norman, measures 6,505 metres and has been voted as Queensland's number one golf course in Golf Australia magazine's best 50 courses. The Ipswich Council operates a public library and a separate children's library in the $250 million Nicolas Street Precinct 2017 upgrade located in the heart of the Ipswich CBD.


Sport

Ipswich has had a number of sporting successes at a state and national level. In 2022 the
Brisbane Lions The Brisbane Lions are a professional Australian rules football in Australia, Australian rules football club based in Brisbane, Queensland, that compete in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's elite competition. Brisbane are the ...
, one of just two Queensland clubs playing in the national
Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the pre-eminent professional sports, professional competition of Australian rules football. It was originally named the Victorian Football League (VFL) and was founded in 1896 as a breakaway competition ...
(AFL) competition moved its headquarters to its new purpose-built Springfield Central Stadium, the stadium is now the home ground for the club's women's side playing in the AFLW, which played its first match in the a sell out AFLW Grand Final, the highest level of women's competition. In 2015, the local rugby league club, Ipswich Jets, won their maiden Intrust Super Cup title and took the NRL State Championship. The win fuelled interest in a Western Corridor NRL bid. * Association football: Western Pride play in the statewide National Premier League (NPL), while historic club Ipswich Knights play in the Brisbane Premier League. Other teams playing in Ipswich include the Ipswich City Bulls, Springfield United, Western Spirit, Whitehill, Westminster, Raceview, Silkstone and Rosewood. * Australian rules football: Springfield Central Stadium is the headquarters of the
Brisbane Lions The Brisbane Lions are a professional Australian rules football in Australia, Australian rules football club based in Brisbane, Queensland, that compete in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's elite competition. Brisbane are the ...
(AFL). In AFL Queensland competitions the Ipswich Eagles play in Division 2, Collingwood Park Power play in Division 3 while the Ipswich Cats and the Greater Springfield Storm play in Division 4. * Basketball: The Ipswich Force play in the
Queensland Basketball League NBL1 North, formerly the Queensland Basketball League (QBL), is a semi-professional basketball league in Queensland and Northern Territory, Australia, comprising both a men's and women's competition. In 2020, Basketball Queensland partnered wit ...
, fielding teams in the men's competition and women's competition. They play their home games at Cotton On Foundation Stadium in Bundamba. * Cricket: The Ipswich Logan Hornets play in the Brisbane Grade Cricket competition, fielding teams in 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades. They have their home ground at the Ivor Marsden Complex in Amberley. * Golf: The Ipswich City Golf Club play in Leichhardt, Queensland. *Greyhound racing: The Ipswich Showgrounds host
greyhound racing Greyhound racing is an organized, competitive sport in which greyhounds are raced around an oval track. The sport originates from Hare coursing, coursing. Track racing uses an artificial lure (usually a form of windsock) that travels ahead of th ...
, organised by the Ipswich Greyhound Racing Club the track opened in 1973. * Gridiron: The Ipswich Cougars play in the Gridiron Queensland league. * Hockey: is played at Briggs Rd Sporting Complex facility where there are two artificial surfaces. * Motorsport:
Drag racing Drag racing is a type of motor racing in which automobiles or motorcycles compete, usually two at a time, to be first to cross a set finish line. The race follows a short, straight course from a standing start over a measured distance, mos ...
is conducted at Willowbank Raceway throughout the year with events open to both professional and amateur racers. * Motorsport: V8 Supercars race each year in the SuperSprint at Queensland Raceway at Willowbank in July. * Motorsport:
motorcycle speedway Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four clockwise, anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that ...
takes place at the Willowbank Speedway track () and hosted the 2019 Australian U-21 Championship. The Showgrounds held speedway from 1950 to 1972. * Rugby league: The Ipswich Jets play in the
Queensland Cup The Queensland Cup, currently known as the Hostplus Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level regional rugby league, rugby league football competition in Queensland, Australia. It is run by the Queensland Rugby League, Queensland Rugby ...
competition, FOGS and FOGS Colts. Ipswich Diggers are the junior representative teams playing all other QLD regions in the
Mal Meninga Malcolm Norman Meninga (; born 8 July 1960) is an Australian professional rugby league coach and a former professional rugby league footballer. Meninga is widely regarded as one of the finest players in the game's history. He enjoyed a long ca ...
(under 18s) and the Cyril Connell (under 16s) statewide Cups. Ipswich also has a local league competition, Ipswich Rugby League, which include four grades of Seniors and every age group of juniors (multiple divisions). *Rugby union: The Ipswich Rangers play in the Queensland Suburban Rugby Union competition usually competing with 3–4 grades including Colts. The Rangers juniors compete in the Brisbane Junior Rugby competition. A number of players have also been recruited by the Western Districts club. * Softball: Ipswich Softball Association located in the suburb of one mile has softball teams ranging from Tee Ball through to A Grade Mens and Women.


Events


Ipswich Show

The first Ipswich Annual Show was held on 2 April 1873 by the Queensland Pastoral and Agricultural Society. There had been shows staged by the Ipswich and West Moreton Horticultural and Agricultural Society as early as 1868. Originally held at the sale yards situated at Lobb St, Churchill, the show moved to its present home at the Ipswich Showgrounds in 1877.


Goodna Jacaranda Festival

This festival has been held annually at Goodna (Evan Marginson Sportsground) since 1968.


Ipswich Festival

The Ipswich Festival is an annual multi-disciplinary festival. First staged in 1998, the program for the Ipswich Festival includes live bands, concerts, art exhibits, fireworks, theatre, jazz, multicultural celebrations, interactive displays and a range of family-based events to encourage participation by all age groups whilst attracting day tourism to the region. The Ipswich Festival runs for two weeks at the end of April and beginning of May with the majority of events free.


Winternationals

The Fuchs Winternationals is an annual event, typically held around June at Willowbank Raceway, part of the Ipswich Motorsport Precinct. The four-day event is one of the largest drag racing festivals in the southern hemisphere and has drawn crowds of more than 40,000 people in previous years.


Notable people


Sportspeople

* Deborah Acason, represented Australia in weightlifting, Commonwealth Games (2006 Gold Medal, 2002 Silver Medal) and Olympics (2008 eighth place, 2004 twelfth place) Greg Ball, Paralympic cyclist * Berrick Barnes, dual code rugby footballer and Wallabies player, attended Ipswich Grammar School *
Ashleigh Barty Ashleigh Jacinta Barty (born 24 April 1996) is an Australian former professional tennis player and cricketer. She was ranked as the List of WTA number 1 ranked singles tennis players, world No. 1 in women's singles by the Women's Tennis Assoc ...
, professional tennis player and cricketer, as of 9 January 2022 WTA world no. 1, attended Woodcrest State College * Dud Beattie, Australian
rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as rugby league in English-speaking countries and rugby 13/XIII in non-Anglophone Europe, is a contact sport, full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular Rugby league playin ...
representative, Queensland and national selector * John Buchanan, former
Australian cricket team The Australia men's national cricket team represents Australia in international cricket. Along with England, it is the joint oldest team in Test cricket history, playing and winning the first ever Test match in 1877; the team also plays One ...
coach * Dakota Davidson,
AFL Women's AFL Women's (AFLW) is Australia's national semi-professional Australian rules football in Australia, Australian rules football competition for women's Australian rules football, female players. The 2017 AFL Women's season, first season of the l ...
player attended Ipswich Girls' Grammar School * Allan Davis, professional road racing cyclist for
UCI ProTour The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle racing, road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the Union Cycliste Internationale, UCI (International Cycling Union). Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, i ...
team Orica–GreenEDGE, winner of the
2009 Tour Down Under The 2009 Tour Down Under was the 11th edition of the Tour Down Under cycling stage race, taking place over 20–25 January in and around Adelaide, South Australia. The Tour Down Under was the first race outside Europe to be given ProTour status ...
* Bryony Duus,
Australia women's national soccer team The Australia women's national soccer team is overseen by the governing body for soccer in Australia, Football Australia, which is currently a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the regional ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) s ...
midfielder at the
2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, officially branded as Sydney 2000, and also known as the Games of the New Millennium, were an international multi-sport event held from 15 September to 1 October ...
and 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup * Israel Folau, professional triple code footballer Australian rugby league,
rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...
representative and professional
Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...
( AFL) player. Played for Ipswich junior rugby league team Goodna Eagles.Eagles grounded by Folau move
Chris Garry for Queensland Times 4 May 2010
* Harley Fox, rugby union player attended St Edmund's College * Alex Gibb, first captain of the Australia national soccer team * Matthew Hodgson, professional basketball player, Australian men's national basketball team representative. * Rhan Hooper, professional Australian rules (AFL) footballer, attended Bundamba State Secondary College * Luke Keary, NRL player for Sydney Roosters, grew up in the suburb of Raceview, attended St Mary's Primary School, played for Brothers Ipswich JRLFC * Noel Kelly, rugby league, played for Goodna, Railways, Brothers Ipswich, Western Suburbs Magpies, Queensland and Australian Kangaroos (1959–60; 1963–64 and 1967–68). Hooker in Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century, attended St Edmund's College * Belinda Kitching,
Australia women's national soccer team The Australia women's national soccer team is overseen by the governing body for soccer in Australia, Football Australia, which is currently a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the regional ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) s ...
goalkeeper at the
1999 FIFA Women's World Cup The 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup was the third edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup, the world championship for List of women's national association football teams, women's national association football, soccer teams. It was hosted as well as ...
. *
Allan Langer Allan Jeffrey "Alfie" Langer AM (born 30 July 1966) is an Australian former multi-award-winning rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s and worked as an assistant coach for the Australian national team, the Queenslan ...
, rugby league player, attended Blair State Primary School and Ipswich State High School * Jim Lenihan, rugby league player and coach * Kate Lutkins, AFL Women's player attended West Moreton Anglican College and Ipswich Girls' Grammar School. * Ezra Mam, rugby league player * Craig McDermott, represented
Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
and
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
in
cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...
, attended Ipswich Grammar School * McLean Family, national rugby league and rugby union representatives, attended St Edmund's College * Rosemary Milgate, represented Australia swimming at the 1976 Olympics whilst still attending Bremer State High School * Des Morris, rugby league, Queensland rep and Australian selector, attended Bremer State High School * Rod Morris, rugby league, former Balmain, Queensland, NSW and Australian front row forward * Joe Quinn, professional baseball player and manager * Michelle Sawyers, Queensland and Australian soccer player, named in the International Team of the Decade 1979–1989 * Lagi Setu, NRL player for the
Brisbane Broncos The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Red Hill, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in April 1987, the Broncos compete in the National Rugby League (NRL) and play their home games at ...
, attended Ipswich Grammar School * Dale Shearer, rugby league, represented
Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
and
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
* Grant Sorensen, volleyball player, attended St Edmund's College * Lama Tasi, NRL Player for the
Sydney Roosters Eastern Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club, known as the Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs (Sydney), Eastern Suburbs. The club competes in the National Rugby Lea ...
, attended Ipswich Grammar School * Mark Tonelli, Olympic gold medallist in swimming, member of the '' Quietly Confident Quartet'' * Ashley Walsh, national karting champion, V8 Supercars driver * The "Walters Brothers", rugby league players:
Kevin Walters Kevin David Walters (born 20 October 1967) is an Australian former professional rugby league player and coach, as well as a pundit (2017–2018, 2025) for Fox League. As a first-grade player for the Canberra Raiders and the Brisbane Broncos c ...
,
Kerrod Walters Kerrod Walters (born 20 October 1967) is an Australian former rugby league footballer. A Queensland rugby league team, Queensland State of Origin series, State of Origin and Australia national rugby league team, Australian international represe ...
and Steve Walters * Shane Watson, represented Queensland and Australia in cricket, attended Ipswich Grammar School * Gout Gout, sprinter and record holder of the Australian 200m race (20.04s)


Entertainment, media and the arts

* Tony Barry, actor *
John Birmingham John Birmingham (born 7 August 1964) is a British-born Australian author, known for the 1994 memoir ''He Died with a Felafel in His Hand'', the ''Axis of Time'' trilogy, and the well-received space opera series, the ''Cruel Stars'' trilogy. ...
, (
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
-born) author, attended St Edmund's College * Harold Blair, Aboriginal tenor and music teacher * John Bradfield, engineer and designer of the
Sydney Harbour Bridge The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, spanning Port Jackson, Sydney Harbour from the Sydney central business district, central business district (CBD) to the North Shore (Sydney), North ...
; Story Bridge; and the Sydney Railway System *
Joy Chambers Carolyn Joy Chambers-Grundy ( Chambers; 1947 – 17 September 2023) was an Australian actress, author, poet and businesswoman. As the wife of multimillionaire television tycoon Reg Grundy, she wrote for, worked as a production assistant on and ...
, author, actor * Trent Dalton, writer * D'Arcy Doyle, painter, attended St Edmund's College * Bessie Gibson, artist * Hazza, television presenter and singer, attended West Moreton Anglican College * Matthew Hickey, barrister and founder of The Ten Tenors, attended St Edmund's College * Chris Janz, Australian digital media executive * Luke Kennedy, singer, finalist The Voice Australia * David McCormack, former lead member of
Custard Custard is a variety of culinary preparations based on sweetened milk, cheese, or cream cooked with Eggs as food, egg or egg yolk to thicken it, and sometimes also flour, corn starch, or gelatin. Depending on the recipe, custard may vary in con ...
and The Titanics, attended Ipswich Grammar School * George Miller Hollywood director, screenwriter and producer, attended Ipswich Grammar School *
Pacharo Mzembe Pacharo Mzembe is an Australian actor. He has performed on stage, in several television series and in feature films. Early life Mzembe's parents originate from Malawi, but he was born in Zimbabwe. He migrated to Australia at the age of six to ...
, actor * Thomas Shapcott, author and poet * Charles Trussell, brass band composer


Politics and the law

* Neville Bonner AO, the first Indigenous Australian to sit in the Australian Parliament. He was elected in his own right in 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1980. * Clare Foley, lawyer * Josiah Francis, politician, attended St Edmund's College * Sir Harry Gibbs, Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia *
Sir Samuel Griffith Sir Samuel Walker Griffith (21 June 1845 – 9 August 1920) was an Australian judge and politician who served as the inaugural Chief Justice of Australia, in office from 1903 to 1919. He also served a term as Chief Justice of Queensland and t ...
, Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia * Pauline Hanson, politician * Jim Madden, politician, attended St Edmund's College * Patricia Petersen, politician, director, producer, author, playwright, media personality


Other

* Sidney Cotton, inventor and rumoured inspiration for character of
James Bond (literary character) Commander (Royal Navy), Commander James Bond is a character created by the British journalist and novelist Ian Fleming in 1953. He is the protagonist of the ''James Bond'' series of List of James Bond novels and stories, novels, James Bond ...
* Nick Politis, businessman, Chairman of the
Sydney Roosters Eastern Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club, known as the Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs (Sydney), Eastern Suburbs. The club competes in the National Rugby Lea ...
, attended Ipswich Grammar School * George Roberts, aviation pioneer


See also

* Ipswich General Cemetery


References


External links


Discover Ipswich - Tourism Things to Do, Places to See, Eat, Stay websiteUniversity of Queensland: Queensland Places: IpswichCity Council websiteWatch historical footage of Ipswich and Southern Queensland


* ttps://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/permalink/61SLQ_INST/dls06p/alma9912280584702061 Ipswich Show Society Website Archive
State Library of Queensland State Library of Queensland (State Library) is the state public reference and research library of Queensland, Australia, operated by the Government of Queensland, state government. The Library is governed by the Library Board of Queensland, whi ...

Ipswich Festival Website Archive
State Library of Queensland
Ipswich Historical Society Website Archive
State Library of Queensland
Cafes and Milk bars of Ipswich interviews 22 April 2004
State Library of Queensland
Ipswich first [authors: Crystal Joyce, Ashley Jones
Web Archive">uthors: Crystal Joyce, Ashley Jones">Ipswich first 30428, Ipswich Stereographs
John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
28205 Nathaniel Cliff 2011 Ipswich Flood Photographs
State Library of Queensland {{Authority control Ipswich, Queensland"> Populated places established in 1843 1843 establishments in Australia">Populated places established in 1843">Ipswich, Queensland"> Populated places established in 1843 1843 establishments in Australia Pre-Separation Queensland