Shaping Our Identity: Entertainment & The Arts

The School of Arts (now the rear section of the Old Town Hall) was built in 1861. It contained a library and reading room which must have been very popular - new books were listed in The Queensland Times. The School of Arts hall was popular for fund-raising fetes, then called bazaars. Ipswich had a lively group of intellectual people at this time. They produced their own humorous magazine Ipswich Punch, writing the text and providing sketches and cartoons. Copies still exist and provide great insight into Ipswich life. Some of the same people were involved in amateur theatricals and produced Shakespearian plays, selling copies of the play at the door. They also produced concerts including skits and short musical "Burlesques".


Many entertainers came to Ipswich. These included the Nathan Juvenile Theatre Troupe, five children aged five to twelve. Ipswich people were amazed by their singling ability. The town also had a Philharmonic Orchestra - Punch was quite rude about it and said attending a Philharmonic concert was a good cure for insomnia. If you wanted something a little livelier, you could go to Clunes Music Hall which opened in 1866 in Nicholas Street. It seated 400. Ipswich also had several brass bands.

In 1864, The Dramatic Society began rehearsing for pieces to perform for the impending Governor's visit to Ipswich with preparations including painting the scenery. Ipswich had its own poet, Frederick Chubb who wrote poems for special occasions.

Christmas was celebrated with great festivity and shopping for presents became an entertainment in its own right with the shops open at night and bands playing in the street and on the verandah of the North Star Hotel in Brisbane Street. Then as now, private parties were part of social life. Dr. Dorsey's daughter remembered riding a horse to Brisbane, arriving at 6.30pm, dancing at a ball at Government House until 3am then riding back to Ipswich.

Men who smoked were specially catered for - a local tobacconist set up a gentleman's smoking room where "friends and the public could enjoy the narcotic weed in ease and comfort".

In 1865, the first section of railway line in Queensland was opened between Ipswich and Grandchester. For the official opening, important people were invited on an excursion to Grandchester where a picnic lunch was held in a large tent. Railway excursions soon became popular for everyone, mainly on public holidays such as Boxing Day, Easter and Separation day (Dec 10). Trains ran to place such as Helidon in the morning and return late in the day.

In the late 1870s, the roller skating craze hit Ipswich. Mr. Rollo built a hall at North Ipswich as a skating rink.