Two-for-one at the museum!

At The Workshops Rail Museum there’ll be a special admission deal – two for the price of one for Brisbane’s Ekka show holiday on August 15. This is a chance to wander through one of Queensland’s great museums, with rail history at its heart but also featuring touring exhibitions and special events. Full details here.

Visit Millie the wombat

Alpacas are not the only animals to see in the Ipswich region – you can also pay a visit to the Ipswich Nature Centre in beautiful Queens Park and meet Millie the Wombat (photographed here by @zookeeper_nick on Instagram), a spotted tail quoll or the famous Rocky the Rock Wallaby who loves to snack on big rounds of sweet potato (ed’s note: hey that’s me!). Entry to the centre is free – but gold coins donations are appreciated – and you can linger at the Queens Park Cafe or wander the historic gardens which includes Nerima Gardens, vast lawns and playgrounds.

But the show’s not over – you’ll find even more to explore, any time of the year, in this list: 75 things to do in Ipswich.

Pat the alpacas

And you can even get your farm yard animal fix in Ipswich with a visit to newly launched Haigslea EWE Nique Hobby Farm where you can pat a lamb or a goat or a fluffy alpaca. You can buy coffee and sip it on hay bale seating in an open air café. Owners Penny and David are hobby farmers but also keen gardeners and are developing a plant nursery as part of their venture. Penny grows cymbidium orchids which you can buy by the stem. Admission is $5 per person which includes a little bucket of feed for the kids and they also go home with a free tomato plant to take care of. The farm is open Wednesday to Saturday but will open Monday to Saturday from August 13-18 while the Ekka is on. Book on  0410 487 263.

Hiking, biking… and coffee

You could start your day with some hiking or mountain biking – Hidden Vale Adventure Park, White Rock and Castle Hill are all good options – then venture into the city heart for some fun of the culinary kind. Visit Dancing Bean Coffee Roastery – the city’s own coffee roastery and cafe in a converted warehouse down a laneway in the heart of town. Rafter & Rose and Dovetails are also popular breakfast/brunch and lunch destinations.

Show time at the brewery

The city’s much-loved Pumpyard Bar & Brewery, set in the heritage precinct of 88 Limestone St, is hosting its own show day shenanigans with fairy floss, games, show bags and some special food deals lined up. That’s head brewer in the photo and he’s just unleashed a “Bremer Brown” English porter you can try too. Check out the Facebook event for full details.