Check out these fun family-friendly ideas from animal encounters to stunning parks, escape rooms and more, only 30 minutes from Brisbane…
Visit the Workshops Rail Museum
The Workshops Rail Museum is perfect for family adventures! The museum is located at the birthplace of rail in Queensland and while there’s a lot of history on offer, there’s also a Sciencentre with plenty of exhibits for busy hands and minds to tackle. Plus its free entry until the end of August, just book a ticket online before you head down.
There’s also an onsite café with great coffee and good food.
Or you could take a self-guided walk down the Top of Town to see many beautifully preserved heritage buildings that are now home to restaurants and boutique shops.
There’s also heritage trails featuring the many churches in Ipswich and historic buildings! Pick up a brochure from the Ipswich Visitor Information Centre.
Book a whole theatre for yourself
Take in a movie at Limelight Cinemas which is open for private bookings for 15-20 people. Get your family together, pick a movie and take over the whole theatre. The $25 per person cost includes a $10 food voucher – which can be redeemed at Ruby Chews!
Explore over 100km of trails
Explore over 100km of hiking and biking trails at Hidden Vale Adventure Park. The park is located at Grandchester right near Spicers Hidden Vale. There are bikes for hire and a shuttle service to help you get out further into the property.
See the Jurassic Creatures
Jurassic Creatures have landed at Riverlink Shopping Centre these school holidays until July 12. You can explore a prehistoric world full of life-size animatronic dinosaurs that move and roar throughout the centre. There are six dinosaurs on display including a T-Rex, Allosaurus, Orintholestes, Stegosaurus, Blue Raptor and Triceratops.
Visit the Jurassic attendant in the food court between 10am – 1pm to receive a take-home 3D Dinosaur Jigsaw Puzzle – available from June 29-July 12.
Or check out iPlay at Riverlink, it’s $25 for one hour unlimited bowling and yellow swiper games!
Get creative
The Ipswich Art Gallery and the Children’s Gallery space are open for free 90-minute pre-booked visits each day. The Questacon Colour exhibition is on at the moment, which is great for kids!
Or get creative with kids art classes thanks to Sip ‘n’ Dip Ipswich and Jules Art studio in Dinmore.
Take a drive out to the country
Take a drive out to the country town of Marburg. Stop in at The Soul Nook Collective and take in one of their school holiday art classes thanks to Sip ‘n’ Dip.
The first class is Learn to Paint Llama on July 1, then there’s an Aboriginal Dot Painting Class on July 8 and kids Macrame on July 9. Book via the Soul Nook Collective Facebook page.
Don’t miss Scotland Yard Antiques, The Black Museum and Special Branch Collective coffee shop while you’re in town.
Keep driving a little further to Tallavalley Farm B&B for the night, it’s a farm stay where you can meet the resident cows and chooks and dogs are welcome!
Another farm stay option is available in Mutdapilly – Keira Farm is a working cattle and sheep farm with a two bedroom cottage available for rent and ample space. The drawcard is an outdoor spa and plenty of wildlife.
Take the kids for a camel ride
Head over to the Summer Land Camel Farm to see the friendly camels, you can even book a camel ride while you’re there and pick up some camel milk produce.
The camel rides will run every day during the school holidays from 9.30am to 1.45pm and cost $30 per rider. Minimum age is 4 years old.
Their Sunrise trek and breakfast will run daily at 6.30pm. The cost is $500 per group (up to five people), minimum age is 4 years old.
Online bookings are essential.
Book an Animal Encounter
Check out Animal Encounters at the Ipswich Nature Centre, with native Australian animals and some friendly farm animals. You can book in for the school holidays – the only way to visit the Nature Centre until restrictions ease more.
Float over the country…
Take a hot air balloon ride off your bucket list and add to your to do list – with a Floating Images Hot Air Balloon Flight and float majestically over the Ipswich countryside.
Floating images have been operating for over 19 years so if you want great customer service and a personal, boutique balloon experience book a flight or purchase a gift voucher today!
Bookings are being taken for family groups and individuals with up to eight allowed in the balloon.
Feed the animals
You can feed and pet a range of cute animals at the Haigslea Ewe Nique Hobby Farm.
Grab a coffee or morning tea while you’re there and see some of the 20 newborn lambs they’re expecting this season.
Bookings are essential, but the good thing is they’re running two sessions every day of the school holidays at 9am and at 10.30am.
Party bookings can also be made, so give them a ring today.
Be a little llama farmer
Get up close to llamas at The Llama Farm in Pine Mountain with one of their Little Llama Farmer school holiday programs.
They’re running these two times a week over the school holidays and numbers are limited so book early. Bookings will be through Eventbrite.
See the Naughty Little Kids
Tours at Naughty Little Kids will run on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays during the school holidays from 1.05pm, 2.15pm and 3.25pm.
They have also added tours on Friday July 10.
All tours are limited to three families per tour and online bookings are essential. Tickets cost $37.50 per family.
Life size puzzle at Seraphim Escape
The Christmas themed room at Seraphim Escape Rooms is perfect for kids. This non-threatening escape room is great for a family adventure. They also have two scary rooms available, for older kids and horror fans. Bookings are essential!
Explore history and heritage
Take a self-guided walk down the Top of Town to see many beautifully preserved heritage buildings that are now home to restaurants and boutique shops.
There’s also heritage trails featuring the many churches in Ipswich and historic buildings! Pick up a brochure from the Ipswich Visitor Information Centre.
Pack a picnic
If you’re after something more low key, pack a picnic and enjoy in beautiful Queens Park, on the green lawns at Kholo Gardens or by the river at Colleges Crossing.
Family friendly places to stay
Make the fun last longer with an overnight stay at Quest Ipswich, bookings are being taken now. Enjoy a complimentary upgrade, early check in (12pm) and late check out (12pm).
Spicers Hidden Vale is taking bookings for their Birthversary deal which includes a two night stay for two, breakfast, meals at Homage restaurant, Wildlife centre tour and two hour bike hire at Hidden Vale Adventure Park for $1178 for two people.
Quest Springfield are offering a 20% discount with two night minimum stays.
Springfield Lakes Hotel are offering a reduced rate of $199 per night.
Oaks Ipswich Aspire Suites have special discount deals on their website, including a 30% Together Again offer for bookings until July 15 for stays until March 31.
