Discover Ipswich Magazine 2019

One of Ipswich city’s best kept secrets is the Nature Centre, nestled into historic Queens Park, the oldest designated parkland in Queensland. Who's who in the zoo? Home to myriad native animals, farm animals and also birds housed in a large walk-through open-air aviary, the centre is run by a dedicated crew of animal-loving staff who sometimes cannot resist taking pictures. The centre is actually the only free zoo in South-East Queensland, while gold coin donations are gratefully appreciated. Among the animals you’ll see are Milly the wombat and rare spotted tail quolls zipping about their enclosure. Bilbies are housed in a special display that enables viewing of their nocturnal actions. There are also rock and swamp wallabies, huge lace monitors and a dingo family. Queens Park offers a whole lot more to see and do too. The Queens Park Environmental Education Centre , open 7 days a week (excluding public holidays), has many educational exhibits which showcase Ipswich's unique natural environment and waterways. Queens P a rk Café is popular for coffee or an ice-cream in a cone and the tables flow out to shady verandas. There’s also a large adventure playground so the kids can burn off some steam before the ride home, and vast areas of lawns and gardens. Japanese-themed Nerima Gardens offers a peaceful leafy setting that is popular with instagrammers and where it’s possible to see ducks, turtles and water dragons sharing the same space. There are regular tours run by the Visitor Information Centre at the Nature Centre, offering a special chance to get up-close-and-personal with animals, as well as walking tours around Queens Park. To find out when the next tour is being held, email info@discoveripswich.com.au or call (07) 3281 0555.

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| DiscoverIpswich.com.au

Ipswich Nature Centre ”A must-take for your kids!” TripAdvisor traveller amumsopinion, 30 April 2018