IPSWICH, QUEENSLAND

'Ipswich' is a city and Local Government Area situated on the Bremer River in South East Queensland, Australia. It is located approximately 30 kilometres south-west of the state capital, Brisbane. The Ipswich LGA comprises an area of 1,207 km² and has a population of approximately 145,000.

History

The area was first explored by European colonists in 1826, when Captain Patrick Logan, commandant of the Moreton Bay penal colony, sailed along the river and discovered large deposits of limestone and other minerals. In 1827, the first convicts and overseers arrived to mine the area, and the town that built around this industry became known as Limestone, and is remembered by one of the main streets through the city centre named Limestone Street to this day.
In 1843, the settlement officially became known as Ipswich, making Ipswich the oldest provincial city in Queensland. The name change was proposed by surveyor Henry Wade and approved by Sir George Gipps, a soldier and Governor of New South Wales. ^[1] The UK town of Ipswich was once called Gipeswic ^[2], derived from the Old English ''gip'' for mouth and ''wic'' for farm.
Mining of coal and other valuable minerals continued well into the 20th century. Ipswich has suffered somewhat from this establishment as a mining city, but recent efforts have made strides in improving its reputation.
Ipswich was proclaimed as a municipality on March 2, 1860, and became a city in 1904. Ipswich was also originally nominated to become the State Capital of Queensland, as it was the most prominent city due to its mining capabilities, however Brisbane was chosen instead due to it having an ocean port (Port of Brisbane), whereas Ipswich relied on barges coming up and downstream on the Bremer River.
Damaging flooding has occurred on numerous occasions, the largest being in 1893 peaking at 24.5 metres, and more recently during the 1974 Brisbane Flood, peaking in Ipswich at 20.7 metres. Collectively, 8500 houses were flooded in Ipswich and Brisbane.^[3]
In 1980s and 1990s, with land in nearby Brisbane becoming fully developed, and very expensive for housing, many new large scale housing estates became attractive for buyers in Ipswich with lower prices and bigger lots. Such new housing estate sprung up in Goodna, Springfield Lakes, Collingwood Park, Redbank Plains with acreage estates in Karalee, Barellan Point, and Chuwar, Queensland. Many residents commute each day to Brisbane for work, however local industries employ people from all over the metropolitan area.
As south-east Queensland grows, Ipswich is experiencing an investment and building boom. The central city mall has been refurbished and has extended across the Bremer River with the riverbanks landscaped into public parklands, and a new shopping centre named Riverlink recently completed. The huge Orion shopping centre located in Springfield is well under way and a new four star hotel has been erected.

Economy

Ipswich is the site of RAAF Base Amberley, the Royal Australian Air Force's largest operational base. RAAF Amberley is currently home to No. 1 and No. 6 Squadrons flying F-111 strike aircraft and No. 38 Squadron which flies Caribou transport aircraft. In addition a number of ground support units are located at Amberley. The airbase is currently being expanded and will eventually also house No. 33 Squadron (flying Airbus A330 MRTT tanker-transports) and No. 36 Squadron (flying C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft) and several Army units.
Ipswich is also home to a campus of the University of Queensland, the annual Ipswich Cup horse races, and The Workshops Railway Museum to commemorate the first trainline in Queensland from Ipswich to Grandchester, approximately 25km to the west. The present Ipswich Station is a major transport interchange.
A large shopping complex is being developed in the Springfield suburb which was, when designed the largest shopping centre in the southern hemisphere . Accompanying this is a satellite campus of the University of Southern Queensland, which has its primary campus in Toowoomba.
Redbank Plaza shopping mall has had 8 cinemas added as well as a fourth floor of shopping. Three clear retail and service hubs are developing outside Ipswich central and besides Springfield. Brassall and Karalee to the north, Yamanto to the South, and Booval in the central east.
A recent approval for the extension of a transport corridor through Springfield to Yamanto has opened the Ripley valley in the city's south for residential development. It is expected this area will eventually house more than 115,000 people .
Large manufacturing industries have also relocated to Ipswich. An Aluminium products factory has recently been built and a high quality paper manufacturer will soon begin construction of a new facility .
Ipswich is situated between Brisbane and the farming areas to the west and is therefore set to play a role in the planned recycling of city water for use in agriculture.

Housing

The traditional Ipswich dwelling has always been a detached home on land, however this is changing as housing demand and a desire to live closer to amenities increases. Several large apartment buildings are planned or under construction in the Ipswich CBD.

Prominent locals

Sportspeople

★ Allan Langer (attended Ipswich State High School and Blair State Primary School), Kevin Walters, Kerrod Walters, Steve Walters and Dale Shearer represented Queensland and Australia at rugby league

★ Craig McDermott and Shane Watson: represented Queensland and Australia in cricket, attended Ipswich Grammar School.

★ John Buchanan: Former Australian cricket team coach

★ Berrick Barnes: Former Brisbane Broncos player and current Queensland Reds player. Attended Ipswich Grammar School

★ Rhan Hooper: Current Brisbane Lions Australian rules footballer in the AFL. Attended Bundamba State Secondary College.

Politicians

★ Bill Hayden: former Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia, leader of federal Australian Labor Party.

★ Pauline Hanson: former member of the Liberal Party of Australia and founder of the One Nation Party.

Musicians

★ David McCormack: former lead member of Custard and The Titanics, currently lead member of David McCormack and the Polaroids.

★ Harold Blair: Aboriginal Tenor and music teacher

★ Thomas Shapcott: Author and poet

★ Denelle Rosenberg: Singing Teacher and Musical Theater regular

Other

★ Davida Allen: Painter

★ T C Beirne: Prominent Retailer in Queensland

★ John Birmingham: (Liverpool-born) Author

★ Joy Chambers: Author, Actor

★ D'Arcy Doyle: Painter

★ Sir Harry Gibbs: Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia

★ Sir Samuel Griffith: Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia

★ Frederick Kesner: (Manila-born) Poet

★ Tom Shapcott: Poet

★ Nathan Ward: Actor, Musician, founder of Adult Helpline

Education

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
Ipswich Show Website

Goodna Jacaranda Festival Sign

Goodna Jacaranda Festival

This festival has been held annually at Goodna (Evan Marginson Sportsground) since 1968, over 10,000 people attend this three day event.
Goodna Jacaranda Festival

Local attractions

★ Bundamba skateaway

★ Colleges Crossing

★ Goodna Aquatic Centre

★ Kholo Gardens

★ Nerima Gardens

★ Ipswich Art Gallery

★ Ipswich Civic Hall

★ Ipswich Nature Centre

★ Ipswich PCYC

★ Pan Pacific Peace Gardens

★ Queens Park

★ RAAF Base Amberley

★ Riverlink Shopping Centre

★ Willowbank Raceway

★ Queensland Raceway

★ Workshops Rail Museum

Shopping Centres

★ Booval Fair

★ Goodna Shopping Centre (Also known as St Ives)

★ Ipswich City Square

★ Redbank Plaza

★ Riverlink Shopping Centre

★ Winston Glades Shopping Centre

★ Orion Shopping Centre

References

1. http://www.nrm.qld.gov.au/property/placenames/detail.php?id=16769
2. http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/FeaturesBritain/EnglandOldestTown.htm
3. http://www.bom.gov.au/hydro/flood/qld/brochures/brisbane_bremer/bremer.shtml

External links

★ Travel article on Ipswich from The Age

★ City Council website

★ Independently run information site

This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.

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