North Ipswich

On 7 February 1847, Ipswich squatters wrote a letter to the surveyor James Charles Burnett:

"Sir With the view of obviating the very great inconvenience that has been experienced by the Settlers of the District from the detention of their Drays at the Bremer Creek, and which can be prevented for the future by their taking their Drays to the North Bank of the Bremer opposite to Ipswich. We have the honor to request that Allotments of Land in the North Bank of the River immediately opposite the Town of Ipswich may be put up for sale. Just three days later, James Burnett wrote to Thomas Mitchell who was the Surveyor General. He said: I have the honour to transmit herewith an application from several of the stockholders in this district and of the proprietors of land in Ipswich for the purchase of allotment son the North bank of the River Bremer immediately opposite the Town of Ipswich. As this involves the extension of the Town beyond the limits of the original design I have thought it necessary to submit the application for your sanction before acting upon it; but I consider that a compliance with it would be very desirable. The present road from Darling Downs crosses the Bremer three times within seven miles of Ipswich, all of which bad crossings would be avoided by bringing the road in on the North side of that river. By continuing this line along the North bank of the Bremer and crossing the Brisbane by means of a punt above the confluence a more direct access would also be afforded to North Brisbane, which I have no doubt might be rendered available to the public by a trifling expenditure and were it once established the revenue from the ferry would probably be very considerable. Should the application be acceded to I beg that I may be instructed as to whether the allotments should be of the same size and the streets of the same width as those in the present town. The prolongation of more than one street does not appear to be necessary as the River is not fordable opposite the Town."

Thomas Mitchell replied to James Burnett on 25 February 1847:

"In reply to your letter of the 10th Instant recommending a compliance with the request contained in an enclosed application from various parties for the purchase of allotments on the North bank of the Bremer River opposite the Town of Ipswich. I have to acquaint you that I approve of your suggestion, and to request that you will make a survey of the ground which you propose shall comprise such extension and furnish me with a plan therefore the usual scale showing the features and the proposed extension of such streets in the present town and of the same width as may appear advisable, in order that I may submit it for the approval of the Executive Council."

James Burnett prepared a design which was reviewed by the surveyor James Warner after the death of James Burnett on 18 July 1854. James Warner found no reason to deviate from the design of the late Mr. Burnett and he went on to mark out allotments on the design. It is not known why the streets in North Ipswich are wider than those of the town across the river but one explanation could be that the roads were made wider to accommodate the drays that would travel on the roads. Should Downs Street be Down Street? The Queensland Post Office Directory lists Down Street from 1896 to 1920 and from 1920 to 1922 it was listed as Downs Street. A photograph in the Brisbane Telegraph of a house in that street in 1937 noted the location as Down Street.