Ipswich is an urban centre in south-east Queensland Australia. Situated on the Bremer River, it is approximately 40 kilometres west of the Brisbane CBD. The locality of the same name forms the Central Activities District, business and administrative centre of the City of Ipswich. The City of Ipswich has an estimated population of 185,000.
Once a large city of its own, today it has become subsumed into the Brisbane metropolitan area due to urban sprawl and is a part of Brisbane for statistical purposes. It is a major commercial and industrial area that is currently undergoing major transit-oriented urban renewal which was first planned in the Ipswich Regional Centre Strategy.
It began as a mining settlement and was proclaimed as a municipality on 2 March 1860, and became a city in 1904.
Ipswich is home to the Safe City camera network installed into nine suburbs to date with further expansions proposed in the coming years. 180 cameras are monitored 24/7 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 camera monitoring system.
Ipswich Riverlink Shopping Centre is the region’s newest shopping, dining and entertainment destination. With Coles, Kmart, Target, Woolworths, Aldi and Limelight Cinemas and withover 150 specialty stores Riverlink is Ipswich’s favourite place to shop, dine, relax and be entertained.
Brookwater Golf Club, designed by Greg Norman, is located in Springfield.
Drag Racing is conducted at Willowbank Raceway year round with events open to both professional and amateur racers, including a series conducted to facilitate newcomers to the sport.
The V8 Supercars race each year at Queensland Raceway at Willowbank in mid July.
Ipswich railway station is located on the Main line in Queensland, Australia. It serves the urban centre of Ipswich.
History
Ipswich Railway Station, circa 1906
The first railway station opened in Ipswich in 1865. It was the first railway station built in Queensland, as the first terminus for the 34 kilometre section of the Main line from Grandchester. In 1887, the station was completely rebuilt.
Two pieces of associated historic railway infrastructure are the:
- Railway Signal Cabin and Turntable which enabled trains to be turned onto different railway lines
- Bremer River Rail Bridge which connected the station to the North Ipswich Railway Workshops
The cabin, turnable, rail bridge and railway workshops are all listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.
In 1978, a large office and retail complex (currently known as Ipswich Central Plaza) was built above the station and spanning both sides of Bell Street following the sale of the air rights. On 20 September 1980, the line was electrified from Darra. The last remaining old platform and buildings were demolished in 1985.
Services
Ipswich is served by City network services from Nambour, Caboolture, Petrie and Bowen Hills. Most services terminate at Ipswich although some peak-hour services continue to Rosewood. At other times a shuttle service operates between Ipswich and Rosewood.
Ipswich is also is served by Traveltrain’s twice weekly Westlander service travelling between Brisbane and Charleville.