The great outdoors
Top 5 fitness parks in Ipswich
Ipswich is a beautiful little city, 30 minutes west of Brisbane, with some gorgeous parklands and first rate facilities. As an exercise physiologist, I am always looking for ways to get people moving and what better way to do this, than in the great outdoors.
In Ipswich, we are fortunate to host some of the best fitness parks in Queensland, and quite possibly Australia. Most people are completely unaware of these hidden gems, so for those who are looking to get active, these are my top 5 picks for a great outdoor workout in Ipswich?
Sutton Park, Brassall
It’s impossible to go past Sutton Park as my number one pick for fitness parks in Ispwich. The crossfit-esque equipment in this park pretty much puts every other active park to shame. Ipswich is truly showing itself to be a leader in innovative thinking and infrastructure. This park enables both incredible HIIT and weights-based sessions, rivalling any gym. It’s certainly not every day you see equipment like this.
And the recent addition of even more equipment has only further established Brassall Park as the number 1 go-to for the serious exerciser.
River Heart Parklands
This park offers some stunning views, particularly at dawn and dusk. The running path along the boardwalk is mostly flat and only about 1.8km from the River Heart Parklands carpark to the water park and back. This makes this running path ideal for the beginner. The scenery along the river makes for a very pleasant run and there are little nooks along the way where you can do some additional exercises like step ups, dips and squats. All in all, a great park to get active in.
Limestone Park
Limestone Park offers you a signed 5km track (the Park to Park track) so for the runner who is interested in consistency and PBs (personal bests), it’s hard to go past it. Limestone Park is also quite picturesque so the view makes it an enjoyable run. Keep in mind that there are a number of decent hills on this running track so it’s possibly not ideal for the beginner.
Kholo Gardens
The ambience at Kholo Gardens is quite spectacular. This park would be the ideal location to do yoga or pilates as it’s surrounded by nature. Its tranquility makes for the perfect place to quieten the mind but it is a popular wedding location so it’s best to get there early.
Splash ‘n’ Play Ripley
This is one for the mums and dads. This park has an excellent water park and playground and it’s surrounded by gorgeous parklands. The best part, however, is the cafe that overlooks the park. This means mum and dad can have a quick workout while the kids are playing then settle in for a well-earned post-workout coffee. It’s pretty tough to beat that.
