While winter nights and early mornings are cold, by mid morning, the weather has warmed up and the skies are sunny and clear, making it the perfect time of year to get out and explore Ipswich.
For families who enjoy the great outdoors, winter is the perfect time of year as there is no stifling humidity or soaring temperatures. While for families who prefer to remain snug indoors, there’s plenty of fabulous places to go where the kids will be entertained and you can grab a cuppa.
If you need inspiration on things to do in Ipswich this winter, below is a list of the very best things you can do with the kids.
Take the Family for a Picnic
Summer can be a scorcher around lunchtime in Ipswich, but winter is the perfect time for a picnic lunch in one of Ipswich’s beautiful parks. Whether you’re looking for something with gorgeous views, lovely walking trails or an epic playground for the kids – there are all kinds of great picnic spots in Ipswich.
Places like Colleges Crossing or Bob Gamble Park have something for everyone – a gorgeous spot along the river, complete with a playground and walking tracks. While for those looking for a cafe onsite or supermarket close by for supplies, head to either Robelle Domain or Queens Park.
Kholo Gardens has no playground but is a beautiful spot and has loads of walking trails to explore. Other places for a bush setting with great walking tracks include White Rock, Denmark Hill or Hardings Paddock.
If you prefer someone to take care of it all for you – then let The Soul Nook Collective set up a beautiful picnic for you within the Old Church grounds in the historic town of Marburg.
Go Camping
If you’re prepared to rug up at night, the cooler months can be a great time for a family camping trip. The kids will love helping get a fire going, not to mention roasting their marshmallows over the campfire.
There are a number of great campsites around Ipswich which are ideal for winter camping. Stay at Hardings Paddock in the Flinders Goolman Conservation Estate and enjoy bushwalking during the day.
Keira Farm is another great place for family camping. This five hundred acre property with stunning views across the Flinders Range is a working cattle farm and home to a range of native birds and kangaroos. At night the family can huddle around one of the many fire pits, which are the perfect place for stargazing.
If you don’t have your own camping gear but keen to give it a try – Ivory’s Rock will let you use theirs! Plus, they’ll set it all up for you, so all you need to do is turn up. Ivory’s Rock is a lovely property set among bushland and is home to various wildlife, including wallabies and koalas. You can of course, bring your own camping gear too.
Cuddle a Farm Animal
Warm up on a cold winter’s day by snuggling up to a cute and cuddly farm animal. Animals are much more active during the cooler months, so this is ideal for visiting one of the farms around Ipswich.
At Haigslea Ewe Nique Hobby Farm, the kids can pat and feed sheep, lambs, alpacas and more, while parents can warm up with a cuppa and slice of cake. There are cheeky goats to visit at Naughty Little Kids, where you can also enjoy goats cheese and gelato. While at The Llama Farm, you can even take your very own Llama for a walk.
If camels are more your thing, visit the Summer Land Camel Farm, where the whole family will love the tour around the property where you’ll learn all about these amazing wild animals. You can even feed and ride a camel as well as enjoy a range of camel products at their onsite cafe.
Take a Hike
Winter is the absolute very best time to get out and explore a new hiking trail. Summer can be far too hot for hiking unless you’re prepared to get up early before the sun is high in the sky. However, during the colder months, you can pretty much go hiking at any time.
Some of the best hikes in Ipswich include White Rock, Flinders Goolman Conservation Estate, Denmark Hill and Castle Hill. These hikes range from a few hours to a good part of the day.
For families with younger kids, there are plenty of places with short walks around Ipswich too, such as Colleges Crossing, Robelle Domain Parklands, Purga Nature Reserve or stroll along the pram friendly Ipswich riverside boardwalk, stopping in at Bob Gamble Park along the way.
Play in an Outdoor Playground
Ipswich kids are certainly spoiled for choice when it comes to amazing playgrounds! With more and more playgrounds going up all the time, winter is the perfect time to go and explore somewhere new.
While during the summer months you may limit your time at playgrounds to the cooler parts of the day, the great thing about winter is the best time to visit a playground is in the middle part of the day. So pack some lunch and take the kids to explore Ipswich’s newest playgrounds.
Some of the new favourite playgrounds in Ipswich include the Orion Playground at the Orion Shopping Centre in Springfield or the Faye Carr Park in Ripley. Although one of the oldest parks in Ipswich, Queens Park in the city centre is always a winner with the kids.
Play in an Indoor Play Centre
On those unbearably cold Ipswich winter days, skip the outdoor playground and take the kids to hide away in one of the fabulous indoor play centres around Ipswich. The kids will quickly warm up while running around and you can warm up with a cup of coffee in hand.
No matter what your kids are into or how old they are, there is an indoor play centre to suit everyone. Places like Inflatable World at Just Jump are excellent for the little ones with far too much energy. While places such as iPlay at Riverlink and TimeZone at Orion Springfield Central are great for kids of all ages who love playing games.
Explore a New Bike Trail
Dust of the old treadly – it’s time to get on your bike and explore one of Ipswich’s awesome bike trails. From scenic rail trails to adventurous mountain biking – Ipswich has bike trails for riders with all experience levels.
A great place to start is the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. The 161 km trail begins at Wulkuraka Station and finishes at Yarraman, although you can do as much or as little of the trail as you like. Along the way, you’ll enjoy gorgeous mountain and water views, pass old train stations and experience heritage listed sites, including Lockyer Creek Railway Bridge and Yimbun Railway Tunnel.
Linking up with the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail is the 14km Brassall Bikeway. There is also a short 600 metre mountain bike track along the way. Speaking of mountain biking, Castle Hill and Hidden Vale Adventure Park are perfect for those wanting to be a little more adventurous. Here you’ll find mountain bike tracks for all levels of riders.
If these bike trails are a bit much for your young family, many of the parks previously mentioned have some great bike paths the whole family will enjoy. Parks such as Sutton Park, Robelle Domain or Grande Park are perfect for little ones.
Find your Favourite Street Art
A sunny winter’s day is the perfect time for wandering around the streets of the Ipswich CBD and let the kids find their favourite street art. Across 13 different locations, Ipswich has some amazing murals.
Download the street art trail map and make a day of it. Stop at one of the many family friendly places for lunch, such as Pumpyard Brewery (they have live music on Sundays) followed by ice cream at very retro and cool Ungermann Brothers. Then finish up at one of the city’s excellent parks, such as Queens Park or Bob Gamble Park.
Enjoy a Farm Stay
What better time of the year than winter to take the kids away for a weekend farm stay! There is something wonderful about being out in the fresh country air, surrounded by nothing but stunning views and waking up – not to your alarm, but the sounds of the resident farm animals.
Tallavalley Farm B&B is one farm stay that ticks all the boxes. This 50 acres property is a working farm home to horses and cattle as well as stunning country views. Onsite is a huge three bedroom cottage suitable for families up to six. Here families can feed the chooks and horses and collect fresh eggs from resident hens Pegsy and Megsy.
Another great option for a family farm stay is Keira Farm. This five hundred acre property is a working cattle farm and has a self contained cottage complete with a fire pit which the entire family will enjoy snuggling around of an evening.
Go to the Rosewood Show
Skip the large crowds of the Brisbane Ekka and take the kids to the Rosewood Show. The show is on each year in June and features a range of displays and performances, the whole family will enjoy. There are fun rides for the kids, lots of yummy food to buy, dance and music performances and animals, arts and crafts and more on display.
Go to a Festival
With all the great festivals on in Ipswich, you’ll be far too busy for getting snuggly on the couch in your pyjamas!
In June there is the Festival of Horsepower, a month long festival including a range of racing and motorsport events. Families can attend the Family Race Ray or head to Willowbank Raceway for the Winternationals – the largest championship drag racing event outside North America! Another awesome family event is the IKC Endurance Challenge at the Ipswich Kart Club.
Spark is an 11 day festival that celebrates the people, places, arts and culture of Ipswich through various events. The kids will love the Spark after Dark program, which features three spectacular light based installations or Little Day Out, a music festival for kids under 10 with Regurgitator’s POGOGO Show headlining the event.
Come August, you can visit the StoryArts Festival, which offers a range of free literacy workshops for kids. Kids can join in arts and crafts, writing workshops, drawing workshops and more.
Lastly, at the end of August, there’s Galvanized, the city’s newest festival, which is all about showcasing Ipswich’s wonderful heritage. Via a range of experiences such as walks, talks, workshops and more, you’ll be transported back in time and learn all about Ipswich’s history.
