Discover Ipswich Magazine 2022

ADVENTURE

There are many ways you can enjoy the great outdoors in Ipswich. With the region home to over 6,500 hectares of reserves and conservation estates there’s plenty of hiking, biking and bird watching options available. in the Heritage City A nature escape

Here are the best ways to immerse yourself in nature...

Take a drive from your camping site to a spot along the Brisbane and Bremer rivers to launch your canoe or kayak for the day. Don’t forget the fishing rod either as these places are sure to land a bite or two. Joseph Brady Park sits on the junction of the Bremer and Brisbane Rivers; it is deep enough for boats, and fishing. The park has a playground for the kids too and ample space for a picnic rug. Colleges Crossing Recreation Reserve is a tranquil piece of the Brisbane River with boat ramp access and water that isn’t too deep. There’s also plenty of places for a picnic and barbeque facilities. Burton’s Bridge , also on the Brisbane River is serene and a great place to cast a lure, float in the kayak or splash in the shallows. There’s also an adventurous 21km paddle trail all the way down to Kholo if you’re up for it. Cribb Park and Shapcott Park are both located in the Ipswich CBD and provide access to the Bremer River allowing you to do some sightseeing on your canoe trail. CANOE TRAILS

Hiking at Flinders Peak is the ultimate challenge. The track up the 679m peak is recommended for advanced hikers. In case you’re wondering, to put it into perspective Flinders Peak is higher than the Glasshouse Mountains. If you’re planning on tackling this challenge get here early just after the sun rises to make the most of the cooler hours, as you’ll need at least six hours to get up and back down again. But it will all be worth it as you see spectacular views of craggy peaks, the Bremer River catchment and the Scenic Rim. Look out for brush-tailed rock wallabies, peregrine falcons and wedge-tailed eagles. You can stay in the Flinders-Goolman Conservation Estate at a rustic nature-based bush camp called Hardings Paddock . There’s no running water on site, but there are cubicles

for you to bring a camp shower and bush toilets as well as barbeque facilities. There’s only eight sites available to book so it’s usually pretty quiet, stretch out under a tree or roll out the yoga mat and take in the fresh air. There are some shorter hikes and great biking trails that you can take straight from the camp and you can also bring your horse if riding is more your cup of tea and make use of the horse holding yards! If you like the idea of camping but want more of a luxury experience, book a spot at Ivory’s Rock , not far from the start of the Flinders Peak hiking track, they’ve got private bathrooms, powered sites and even simple cabins you can book.

22 | DISCOVERIPSWICH.COM.AU