Discover Ipswich Magazine 2023

Start planning your weekends with these great walks in Ipswich. Immerse yourself in nature with mountains to hike, lush gardens, and reserves to explore. wild side Take a walk on the

ACCESSIBILITY TIP Purga Nature Reserve If you love being outdoors in nature, but need a walk that’s smooth, check out Purga Nature Reserve. There is a flat gravel path that leads to boardwalks in the bush. There’s also seating along the way and accessible toilets.

Robelle Domain

The reserve has two Class 2 tracks for easy level walking, including the 350m wheelchair- accessible Tea Tree Boardwalk Circuit, raised high enough to keep your feet dry even if the wetlands have had rain. The longer Melaleuca Circuit is still a fairly short stroll on flat land, and with native herbs, wildflowers and ground covers in place it’s an inviting habitat for birds. There are picnic tables, compost toilets and drinking water available. Denmark Hill Conservation Reserve Once you descend the walking tracks amid huge native trees, you completely forget that you’re in the middle of Ipswich. Denmark Hill is a popular place for bird watchers, with owls, kookaburras, wrens, finches and others making their homes here. You have a choice of walking circuits that range from 200m–800m. It’s a relaxing walk down to the picnic area where you venture into a children’s playground with swings, climbing

Flinders–Goolman Conservation Estate A range of recreational activities are on offer to visitors in the Flinders–Goolman Conservation Estate including bird watching, hiking, mountain bike and horse riding (bring your own bike or horse). The conservation estate covers just over 2,200ha and supports extensive forests and rugged volcanic peaks and slopes including Flinders Peak, Mt Blaine, Mt Catherine and Mt Goolman. The two entrances to the estate, Hardings Paddock and Flinders Plum picnic areas have picnic tables and public toilets. At Hardings Paddock you’ll also find an Aboriginal Totem walk, bush tucker trail and traditional resource gardens, yarning circle and traditional Kupmurri Pit. The Kupmurri can be reserved by Traditional Owners to pass down cultural knowledge and practices to descendants on Country as well as by Indigenous not-for-profit organisations to run cultural educational programs. Purga Nature Reserve For a unique nature walk just 15 minutes from the CBD, Purga Nature Reserve is a peaceful getaway. It has the largest remnant of swamp tea tree protected in Australia, and there are short, self- guided walks amid the ghostly, ashen trees that are truly spectacular.

stations, picnic tables and BBQs. Castle Hill Blackstone Reserve

From culture-rich mining heritage to adrenaline- fuelled downhill mountain biking, Castle Hill is a unique place and offers an experience unlike anything else in the region.

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Denmark Hill