Dreaming of Tomorrow (1950s-1960s)

During the post war period of immigration and reconstruction, Ipswich got back onto its feet. Progress continued with the development of new collieries and expansion in meat and butter processing, the production of timber products and the introduction of chemical and tobacco manufacture in general, accompanied by a marked growth of industry at Redbank.

Ipswich people heard about television for several years before it finally arrived. Australia's first regular television service was started by TCN9 in Sydney in 1956. In Queensland, there had been a few simple experiments in 1935 with TV signals being relayed from Brisbane to Bundamba. The first TV licenses in Queensland were granted in 1958. The first Channels were QTQ9 and BTQ7. Channel 2 opened in 1960 and Channel (later 10) in 1964. The immediate effect of television was to keep people at home and many other entertainments declined for a time.

There was a large expansion in housing development in the suburbs from 1957. Little growth had been experienced in the post war years, but in the 1950s housing estates were planned in suburbs such as Redbank, Ebbw Vale and Riverview.