Here are 10 reasons to love our historical town of Ipswich:
1. The Ipswich Show – The show was established by the Queensland Pastoral Society with the first show held on the 2nd of April 1873 near Churchhill. Eventually the show was moved to the present site at the Ipswich Showgrounds. Today it is a yearly event held in May where Ipswich residents can celebrate the city’s rich agricultural history.
2. The Jacaranda Arch, Brisbane Terrace Goodna – Jacarandas flower every October with breathtaking results, especially in the small suburb of Goodna, where the trees line several streets along the Bremer River. So much so that in 1968 the Jacaranda Festival was established to celebrate the flowering of this beautiful tree. The trees were thought to be planted in the 1930s, when according to reports, new mothers leaving the maternity hospital were given Jacaranda seedlings.
3. Jacaranda Milk Factory – The Jacaranda Butter Milk Factory in Booval had a rich history spanning back to 1901 when the first factory was established by the Queensland Farmers’ Co-op Association Limited (later known as Dairy Farmers) in Booval. In 1962 the Factory produced 9 1/2 million pounds of utter and 3 million gallons of milk and was also providing 10,000 bottles of milk (416 gallons) to 82 schools in and around the Ipswich area. The factory was most famous for its production of the Jacaranda Iced Coffee.
4. Blackstone-Ipswich Cambrian Choir – This choir was first established in 1886 and holds an important part in Ipswich and Queensland’s history as it is the state’s longest running choir to date. The choir originated in Blackstone having been founded by the Welsh community of Ipswich. The choir has won numerous awards over the years including a number of Queensland Eisteddfods and musical competitions.
5. The Railway Workshops and Museum – The Railway workshops were established in 1864 near The Terrace at North Ipswich, however they were later moved to a larger site at an old Rifle Range in the same area. By 1914 the Railway Workshops employed close to 1500 people , with trains carting a large number of employees to and from work each day. The workshops main undertaking was the building of carriages, however this changed in the 1880s when many steam engines were designed in England but built in the Workshop. Today the site serves as a Museum for the public to explore Ipswich’s rich railway history.
6. St Mary’s Catholic Church – The first St Mary’s Church was built by Fr. McGinty, however in 1900 this was considered to be too small so it was decided by Fr. Horan that a new St Mary’s Church be constructed. The Church was designed by F. D. G Stanley and was completed and opened in 1904. The church is listed on the State Heritage Register and forms part of St Mary’s College.
7. McMahon’s Soft Drink – Frank McMahon established McMahon’s Soft Drink Factory in 1934 in West Street Ipswich. The soft drink was sold to residents at 3 large bottles for 3 shillings. As well as serving the public, McMahon’s also had a contract with the Army during the second world war. During this time Frank McMahon purchased the property on West Street and also extended the factory from Darling Street to Martin Street. In 1989 the factory was sold to Cadbury-Schweppes but residents of Ipswich will always remember the amazing flavours of McMahon’s soft drinks.
8. Ipswich Turf Club – The Ipswich Turf Club was first established in 1848, when it was at this time considered one of the first major centres for horse racing and the most popular in Australia. The first race meeting was held a number of years later in 1859 and in 1890 the Ipswich Amateur Turf club was officially established and housed at Bundamba Racecourse. Today the Ipswich Turf Club plays host to several races throughout the year, but none more appealing to the people of Ipswich than the annual Ipswich Cup held in June.
9. Ipswich Gas Works – The Ipswich Gas and Coke Company was first established near the Bremer River (The Terrace, North Ipswich) in 1877 where they laid the first gas mains that would provide much needed lighting for the streets of Ipswich and also to residents. In the 1950s a gasometer was constructed so that the natural gas being used by Ipswich residents could be stored, metered and controlled. This can still be seen at the site of the Riverlink Shopping Centre.
10. The Queensland Times – First established in 1859 as the Ipswich Herald, the Queensland Times is a paper that reports on Ipswich for Ipswich. The North Australian, Ipswich’s first newspaper, played a large part in the development of the Queensland Times as both the Editor and Foreman were previously employed at the former newspaper. In 1861 the name of Ipswich Herald was changed to the Queensland Times with the Editor being J. C. Thompson. Over the years it has been a a bi-weekly, tri-weekly and finally a daily publication.
Interior of the Queensland Times building, 1920s – Image courtesy of Picture Ipswich