If you’re looking for some new adventures to tackle this Ekka Show Day holiday (August 14) – come out to Ipswich and see what’s on offer around the heritage city and its country surrounds.
Tuck into some traditional show food
The Retro Diner will be serving up Ekka food delights like dagwood dogs, churros, ice cream Sundays and banana splits!
Pat the alpacas
And you can even get your farm yard animal fix in Ipswich with a visit to 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, feedfor the animals is extra and the kids also go home with a free tomato plant to take care of. The farm will open Monday August 12 and Wednesday August 14 to Saturday August 17 while the Ekka is on. Book on 0410 487 263.
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.
Grab a farmers feed
The Cottage Restaurant will be plating up a share plate of score 9+ Wagyu Rump. The dish comes with kiflers, tomato, mushrooms, brocollini, chutney, onion rings and jus. Available for lunch 11.30am – 2pm and dinner 6pm till late at a discounted price of $64. A saving of $14.
Feed a kid and pat a camel
Head over to Naughty Little Kids for a farm tour. Cuddle up with 30 baby goats recently born, feed and milk the goats and learn how to make cheese at home. Try some delicious gelato and award winning cheese. Tours are running at 10.30am, 12.30pm and 2pm on Ekka Show holiday.
- If you’re looking for more animal experiences, pop out to Summer Land Camels for a tour or a camel ride. Their camel farm experience tour and taste runs for about one hour from 11am daily and they will be open on Ekka show public holiday. The farm is open Monday to Saturday 9am-3pm and 9am-4.30pm on Sundays.
Kids eat free and a petting zoo
The Orion Hotel have a kids eat free special on EKKA Wednesday.
Bring your kids along to the Orion Hotel on August 14 where they can eat free all day long, there will also be a petting zoo from 2pm to 4pm, and many more activities.
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.