Ipswich in Spring 2019

Ipswich in Spring 2019

Your city guide for entertainment, events and activities

Ipswich.qld.gov.au

Hilda Rix Nicholas Une Australienne 1926 (detail) | oil on canvas National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Purchased 2014 © Bronwyn Wright.

Saturday 7 September to Sunday 27 October 2019 Ipswich Art Gallery | Free Entry | Open Daily 10.00 am – 5.00 pm THE WORLD TURNS MODERN ART DECO FROM THE NATIONAL COLLECTION

Page Description 2 The World Turns Modern | Art Deco | From the National Collection 5 Gardening with James Hilyard: Selcting the right plants for your yard 6–7 Ultimate Father’s Day Gift Guide 8 Ladies and gentleman, take your partners please 9 Flight Centre Cycle and Trail Run Epic 10–11 Around Ipswich 12 Big find at Small Creek cause for excitement 13–16 Ipswich Performing Arts Mini Program 18 2020 Ipswich Australia Day Awards 19 Meet the Scotsman behind the early development of Queens Park 20–21 Behind the fence at the Ipswich Nature Centre 22 Swan Lake 23 Ipswich Film Festival for Youth 24 StoryArts Family Program 25 How a young Ipswich girl came to meet her hero 26–27 Christmas in Ipswich Contents

Front Cover Image: Flinders Peak, Peak Crossing If you have any feedback regarding the Spring Guide, please email council@ipswich.qld.gov.au or visit Ipswich.qld.gov.au Disclaimer: Published by Ipswich City Council © 2019

At time of printing all information is current and correct. Every care has been taken to ensure the information in this brochure is correct at the time of publication. Ipswich City Council accepts no responsibility for any errors, omissions or changes leading to such information being incorrect. As activities, programs and events may cancel or move subsequent to publication of this brochure, no responsibility is accepted for accuracy of content. This publication is copyright. Other than for the purposes of and subject to the conditions prescribed under the Copyright Act 1968 (C’wlth), no part of it may in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, micro copying, photocopying, recording or otherwise) be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted without prior written permissions. If you wish to disseminate or share this information and or images please contact Ipswich City Council for permission. 3

Message from Ipswich City Council Chief Executive Officer, David Farmer

Spring has definitely sprung and Ipswich has woken from its winter– induced slumber. The days are longer and warmer, and there are even more reasons to get out and about and enjoy the city and the sunshine. One of my favourite things about Ipswich is how much the community embraces the arts, and during September, October and November there are so many ways that you can channel your inner artist or performer, get creative, and celebrate all the city has on offer on the cultural front. This year, the Ipswich Film Festival for Youth (IFFY) will showcase short films based on the theme “Future – What is Possible …” across three age groups (seven to 11 years, 12 to 17 years, and 18 to 25 years). The IFFY short film screening and awards festival will be hosted at The Circle, Robelle Domain, on Saturday 19 October from 2.00 pm. Good luck to all entrants. The Ipswich Civic Centre has a stellar line up planned for the last quarter of 2019, with everything from musicals through to children’s shows, ballet and comedy on offer. Be sure to grab tickets for Mamma Mia (13 to 22 September), another incredible show by the Ipswich Musical Theatre Company, Spot (23 September), Swan Lake , to be performed by the Imperial Russian Ballet Company (11 October), and

comedian Lawrence Mooney’s “Part of the Problem” (15 November). These are just some of the quality shows you can take in at the Ipswich Civic Centre over the next few months. If it’s art that moves you, the Ipswich Art Gallery certainly has a treat for you! Comprised entirely of works selected from the National Gallery of Australia collection, the “Art Deco from the Art Gallery” exhibition will provide superb examples of the diverse expressions of Art Deco. This exhibition will run from 7 September to 27 October and is definitely one not to be missed. Now that the heavy winter coats have been put away and the days are longer, why not get out and explore your city? Throw the kids in the car, grab a rug and a picnic hamper, and head to one of the many beautiful picnic spots around town, including Kholo Gardens, Nerima Gardens at Queens Park, Johnston Park in Rosewood, Robelle Domain, Colleges Crossing Recreation Reserve, and Bob Gamble Park, to name just a few. Or visit DiscoverIpswich.com.au to learn about the many local tours available that encompass everything from heritage and historic homes through to animal encounters and foodie experiences. There’s so much to do and see during spring in Ipswich.

4

GARDENING WITH JAMES HILYARD: SELECTING THE RIGHT PLANTS FOR YOUR YARD

James Hilyard is Ipswich City Council’s Infrastructure and Environment Department Principal Officer (Parks and Sport). James is a horticulturalist, arborist and holds a masters degree in sustainability. We all want to know how to have a beautiful garden that doesn’t need constant watering. As much as we love our gardens, most people are time poor and need their garden to be low maintenance.

That is why I am a big fan of Xeriscape gardening.

Xeriscape gardening is a style of gardening that requires little or no additional water to be added to the landscape. The Ipswich City Council free plant

program has a great selection of drought tolerant native plants that will thrive in your garden with limited watering.

There are seven principles to Xeriscape gardening: 1 Plan and design – Good garden design will take advantage of site conditions like aspect and prevailing winds, existing trees and shrubs. 2 Soil amendment – Improving your soil by adding composted organic matter and amendments will both increase the water holding capacity of your soil and promote healthy plant growth. 3 Efficient irrigation – Frequent and deep watering will promote deep root systems for all plants. 4 Appropriate plant and zone selection – Choose and group plants that require similar amounts of water, if you put drought tolerant plants together you can apply the minimum amount of water to keep them healthy. 5 Mulch – Mulch will keep down weeds and retain water in the soil. 6 Limited turf areas – Large expanses of grass will require large amounts of water. 7 Maintenance – Regular maintenance such as pruning, will increase vigour and health within the plant collection.

Check out more gardening tips at Ipswichfirst.com.au

5

ULTIMATE

GIFT GUIDE

Surprise dad and the fatherly figures in your life with these amazing things to do in the Ipswich Region.

Adrenaline charged Get dad into the driver’s seat to experience the thrill of a lifetime around the iconic Queensland Raceway paperclip track on one of their V8 Race Experiences. Get behind the wheel of a Holden or Ford V8 race car for six, nine or 12 laps. Upgrade your experience with three hot laps in a car with a professional driver.

Heli–tour If dad loves beer and being in the air, you can combine the two with a country pub crawl thanks to Pterodactyl Helicopters . The day involves a pint at five country pubs and a delicious lunch. Pterodactyl have lots of tour options including winery visits and even lunch experiences that fly you right into Spicers Hidden Vale .

6

Ipswich from the air Float majestically over the Ipswich region on a Floating Images hot air balloon flight. See the sun rise on your morning balloon ride taking in the Ipswich, Scenic Rim and Somerset country side. Then return for a yummy breakfast at the Ipswich Country Motel .

Lunch at Spicers Treat dad to an amazing lunch at the hatted Homage Restaurant . Head chef Ash Martin has created a beautiful tasting menu that includes Homage farm pork and lamb as well as red claw yabbies, native fish and more. For something special grab a gourmet picnic with a selection of locally sourced meats, antipasto, cheeses, and more. Relax and unwind Ipswich Massage and Herbal Spa has bought back their popular Father’s Day ExBEERience. Teaming up with 4 Hearts Brewing once again, dads can relax with a two and a half hour treatment that includes a 50 minute massage with hop–infused oil, hops exfoliation and a bath in 20 litres of beer. Dad can then enjoy a cold 4 Hearts brew while soaking up the cleansing and anti–inflammatory properties in the unfermented beer mixed with hot water and hop flowers.

For more gift ideas visit DiscoverIpswich.com.au

7

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TAKE YOUR PARTNERS PLEASE

The dancing style has changed as well with more modern styles added in. “It’s a bit more sophisticated today, I wouldn’t be able to do some of them. But dancing is such a good activity physically and mentally,” Mr Krause said. Mr Krause attributes the success of the dances over the years to the volunteers. “Especially the ones in the kitchen. I have done every job there from sweeping the floor to selling raffle tickets and pouring tea, but I have never cut the cakes, the ladies wouldn’t let me, they said I would eat too many.” While there have been changes over the years it has stayed the same, just enough to keep the regulars coming. Where else can you go on a Saturday night to listen to a live band, watch and partake in beautiful dancing and enjoy bottomless cups of tea, sandwiches and cakes for $13? Subscribe free to Ipswich First news alerts at Ipswichfirst.com.au/subscribe

The music mixes with the sounds of polished dance shoes sliding across wood floors. The resin box is in the corner and a team of volunteers are in the side room busily making sandwiches and cutting cakes. It is 7.30 pm on a Saturday night at the Marburg Dance and the first bracket has been introduced by the MC. “Good evening ladies and gentlemen, take your partners please for the Marburg Waltz.” The band is a local favourite and sounds of the fiddle can be heard just like it would attended the dance for the first time when he was a child and his parents were on the P&C Committee. He started regularly from the 1950s until four boys and 4.00 am milkings on his dairy farm kept him busy for a couple of decades. “It used to be a lot more local crowd, but now people travel from all over to attend.” have been over 100 years ago. Robert Krause, 83, from Marburg

8

FLIGHT CENTRE CYCLE AND TRAIL RUN EPIC 14–15 SEPTEMBER Spicers Hidden Vale, 617 Grandchester Mount Mort Road, Grandchester

The weekend will include trail running (4.2km, 11km and 23km) and mountain biking events such as the Ipswich City Council Free Family Fun Ride, kid’s races, plus 22km, 55km and 100km races. For more information and to register visit Cycleepic.com

The EPIC weekend has something for everyone, from the novice riders, runners and walkers through to the professionals of each discipline, offering eight races and several categories to challenge and reward riders and runners alike. The 2019 EPIC promises to be the biggest and best yet! Be a part of this iconic event, register early and join in the festivities.

9

Around Ipswich

Animal Encounters Wednesday and Fridays during school holidays 9.00 am – 11.00 am Ipswich Nature Centre – Goleby Avenue, Ipswich Discover what goes into caring for local wildlife, meet and feed the barnyard animals, pet a reptile and learn about bilby conservation. Also available Saturdays year–round for bookings of 8+. For more information visit DiscoverIpswich.com.au/animals

Japanese Tea Ceremony Aug 31, Sep 28 and Oct 26 | 9.30 am – 11.30 am Nerima Gardens – Goleby Avenue, Ipswich Enjoy a guided tour of Nerima Gardens before a traditional cultural activity involving ceremonial preparation of matcha (powdered green tea) in the tea house. Participate in the ceremony or observe. Light refreshments on conclusion. For more information visit DiscoverIpswich.com.au/nerima

Great Houses of Ipswich Bus Tour Saturday 7 September | 8.45 am – 1.30 pm Departing 45 Roderick Street, Ipswich For one day three privately–owned historic homes in Ipswich will open their doors to the public. Jump on board the Heritage Bus Tour for local commentary from a guide, access to homes and Devonshire Tea. Or you can discover the homes on your own for a small entry fee. For more info visit DiscoverIpswich.com.au/GHOI

10

MultiFest19 Friday 20 September | 10.00 am – 6.00 pm Robelle Domain, Springfield Central Come join us for a day celebrating young people and culture in Ipswich. The day will include cultural performances, food, activities, face painting, henna and fun for the whole family. This is a free community event. For more information visit Ipswich.qld.gov.au/multifest

Ghost Tour Saturday 26 October | 5.45 pm Departs 45 Roderick Street, Ipswich Grab your torches and book onto the Ipswich Ghost Tour to find Ipswich’s real ghost stories with historian Jack Sim. Hear the spine tingling stories of characters that once roamed the heritage city and visit sites that have a history of paranormal activity. For more information visit DiscoverIpswich.com.au/ghost

IFFY Awards Screening Saturday 19 October | 2.00 pm – 6.30 pm

The Circle, Robelle Domain, Springfield Central Get your popcorn ready for the 2019 Ipswich Film Festival for Youth! Join us on the day for the short film competition screening and awards ceremonies across our three categories, as we celebrate young talent and future film–makers. For more information visit Ipswich.qld.gov.au/iffy

11

BIG FIND AT SMALL CREEK CAUSE FOR EXCITEMENT

Hundreds of native fish have been recorded in Small Creek, Raceview for the first time since work began to return it to a naturalised creek from a concrete drain. The discovery is significant because it means efforts to create a suitable habitat for wildlife have been successful. A total of 874 fish, most small in size, were recorded in May in the section of the creek between Briggs Road and Warwick Road. This included six native species and two pests. Native species recorded included carp gudgeon, fly–specked hardyhead and longfin eel. Ipswich City Council Acting Principal Officer of Natural Resources, Phil Smith, said it was an exciting result. “It means the water quality is good and that we have created an attractive habitat for them to make their way up from the Bremer River and Deebing Creek,” he said. “To go from having zero fish in the creek 12 months ago to recording an abundance of native fish confirms what we are doing is working. “One of the native species found was carp gudgeon which eats mosquitoes, and that’s good news because it means natural regulation of the mosquito population will occur.” Small Creek languished as a concrete channel for several decades before council embarked on a four–stage project to return it to a more natural state. The focus was on not only restoring important habitat for wildlife and improving the quality of water entering the river system but also improving flood protection for the nearby area. Subscribe free to Ipswich First news alerts at Ipswichfirst.com.au/subscribe

12

Performing Arts IPSWICH

MINI PROGRAM SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER 2019

Variety Spectacular Presented by Ipswich Civic Centre

A morning of fun, frivolity and sing–alongs, with dynamic dance routines, big show tunes, dazzling costumes, comedy and capers. Tuesday 3 September | 10.00 am Tickets $15.00

Circa ’ s Peepshow Presented by Ipswich Civic Centre and Circa Join Circa as they embark on a seductive dance through the hall of mirrors that is your imagination, as they lurch from the thrillingly acrobatic to the comically playful. Friday 6 September | 7.30 pm Tickets $40.00 – $45.00 MammaMia! Presented by Ipswich Musical Theatre Company An enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship featuring ABBA’s timeless songs. 13–14, 20–21 September | 7.30 pm 15 and 22 September | 1.30 pm Tickets $35.00 – $68.00

BOOKINGS: Ipswichciviccentre.com.au (07) 3810 6100

SPOT Presented by Ipswich Civic Centre, CDP Kids and Salspot LTD

Based on the books by Eric Hill. Spot and his friends are off on a new adventure to visit Spot’s Dad on the farm and meet the farm animals. Monday 23 September | 1.00 pm Tickets $15.00 – $17.50

Lucky Starr Presented by Ipswich Civic Centre

Lucky Starr is one of the founding members of the Australian Pop Music Industry, performing

from rock & roll, to country and jazz. Wednesday 9 October | 10.00 am Tickets $15.00

The Longest Minute Presented by Ipswich Civic Centre and Queensland Theatre

One football club, one golden point, and one unforgettable NRL grand final. See the story of how this game affected the lives of one family. Tuesday 22 October | 7.30 pm Tickets $32.00 – $37.00

BOOKINGS: Ipswichciviccentre.com.au (07) 3810 6100

The AustralianMedium Tour Presented by Freaky Whispers The world–renowned Australian medium, Charmaine Wilson, returns to Ipswich for one night only. Thursday 7 November | 7.30 pm Tickets $50.00 LawrenceMooney – Part of the Problem Presented by Ipswich Civic Centre Regarded by peers and audiences as one of the most intelligent and dangerous minds in comedy, this three time Barry Award nominee is a must see this year. Friday 15 November | 8.00 pm Tickets $44.00 – $49.00 Santa ’ s Senior Superheroes Presented by Ipswich City Council Seniors’ Concert Group Come and join the Ipswich Seniors’ Concert Group as they present Santa’s Senior Superheroes staring a cast of local performers. Tuesday 3 December | 10.00 am Tickets $10.00

BOOKINGS: Ipswichciviccentre.com.au (07) 3810 6100

B e s t o f I p s w i c h B e s t o f I p s i c h

Ipswich Trike Tours “Amazing views and awesome adventure”

Reviewed July 2019

Pterodactyl Helicopters “A memory to last a life time”

Reviewed November 2018

Discover Ipswich’s unique neighbourhoods with the TripAdvisor mobile app. Discover Ips i i ue neig ods with the dvisor .

Homage Restaurant “…melt in your mouth, sublimely perfect cooking.” Queens Park “What a great spot!”

Reviewed November 2018 Reviewed May 2019

Floating Images Hot Air Balloon Flights “Absolutely Beautiful” H mage Restaurant “Paddock to plate deliciousness”

Reviewed March 2019 iewed July 019

Indian Mehfil “The best Indian you will find in SE Qld!” I i fil …divine food and atmosphere.”

Queens Park “This park is a beautiful haven in the city.”

Reviewed March 2019 eviewed May 2019

Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway “…we enjoyed the evening so much!” Th Workshops Rail Museum “Awesome day out”

Reviewed January 2019

Floating Images Hot Air Balloon Flights “Extraordinarily peaceful and unique”

Reviewed June 2019

Reviewed February 2019

Reviewed July 2019

Get the free app, now with offline access to reviews, maps, and photos. r , i ffline ac es t r i s, aps, and photos.

know better book better go better

i

i

iOS

Android

17

Acknowledge our city’s unsung heroes 2020 Ipswich Australia Day Awards

Awards include:

Citizen of the Year Senior Citizen of the Year Young Citizen of the Year Cultural Award of the Year Sports Award of the Year Event of the Year

Nominate them by Monday 11 November 2019 at Ipswich.qld.gov.au/ausdayawards

MEET THE SCOTSMAN BEHIND THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF QUEENS PARK

He supervised the first glasshouse or hothouse in the park to propagate dahlias, particularly the red and white variety which was named after him. Bruce Glass, a direct descendant of Munro, joined other family members and council officers recently for the official unveiling. He said the family was pleased with the silhouette. “I think also the feeling is it would be good if there was more of this (recognition) happening for other prominent people who made some contribution in the past. “The term role model is appropriate for Alexander,” he said. For more in Ipswich’s heritage trails and historical makers visit Ipswich.qld.gov.au/heritagetrails Subscribe free to Ipswich First news alerts at Ipswichfirst.com.au/subscribe

A Scotsman who made his way to Ipswich in 1882 via the Darling Downs left a lasting impression on the Ipswich of today as curator of Queens Park for 27 years. Alexander Munro is remembered with the first historical silhouette made of solid steel installed by Ipswich City Council to mark places of historical interest. In 1860 when Ipswich was declared a municipality Queens Park wasn’t much more than unkempt bush–land bordering the emerging township. It is one of Queensland’s oldest parks and was originally designed by Walter Hill, director of the Brisbane Botanic Gardens, who supplied some of its early plants. When Alexander Munro was appointed as the park curator he took on the job of reshaping the land over a period of nearly three decades.

Image: Alexander Munro with his wife Mary Ann, daughter Christina and sons George and Alexander Jnr, 1890s (Robyn Buchanan Collection) Picture Ipswich

19

BEHIND THE FENCE AT THE IPSWICH NATURE CENTRE

Hard working zoo keepers can be found walking the board walks of the Ipswich Nature Centre from sun up to sun down rain, hail or shine. Staff do a lot more than cuddle animals all day. When they are not feeding, cleaning or checking on the animals, they are spending time working on ways to enrich the animals’ day. Cleaning out pens and making sure the animals have dry beds is a constant job. Most pens are hosed out, raked, bowls cleaned, fresh hay provided and droppings removed. About 16 wheelie bins of rubbish are removed per week. It is a mixture of dirty bedding straw, leaves and debris from the enclosures and faeces.

You think dinner time is manic at your place, how would you feel about facing 200 hungry mouths a day? The shopping list alone involves 30 kilograms of fruit and vegetables per week and 140 kilograms of dry feed such as seeds and pellets per week. Then there are all the different stores to visit to collect food for the lizards, bilbies and insectivorous birds. Imagine the shopping bags needed to carry the array of carnivore foods such as rats, mice, quails, chicken necks and wings, bones, kangaroo mince and pilchards. Once home, who is going to help carry all that inside let alone store it, weigh it, and cut it up to varying sizes? For the staff and volunteers at the Ipswich Nature Centre their time spent caring for the animals is worth the effort.

20

When all that is done, there is always research and learning to keep up to date. Training of volunteers and staff is constant and staying up to date with the latest findings is important. The Ipswich Nature Centre was recognised for its commitment to positive animal welfare receiving a three year accreditation from The Zoo and Aquarium Association late last year.

Staff are also monitoring the animals throughout the day to check for any health or behavioural issues. One of the most enjoyable tasks for the keepers is playing with the animals and preparing their enrichment. Some of the most popular games with the Ipswich animals are hide and seek, toys, balls and playing in water. Parcels are prepared with cardboard boxes to hide food items in to allow the animals to search for them and rip open boxes. Parcels are also made from paperbark or newspaper with food items inside or interesting smelling things like feathers from birds or wool from the sheep. Hiding food around the enclosures allows the animals to naturally forage for it. Treat balls with small bits of food inside are a favourite for the dingo pups, bilbies and quolls. A different item is used each day for each animal so they have variety.

The Ipswich Nature Centre is at Queens Park, opening hours are: Tuesday to Sunday

9.30 am – 4.00 pm School Holidays Open 7 days: 9.30 am – 4.00 pm Public Holidays 9.30 am – 4.00 pm Closed Christmas Day and Good Friday

Subscribe free to Ipswich First news alerts at Ipswichfirst.com.au/subscribe

21

Until Friday 20 September COMPETITION ENTRIES OPEN

FORWARD 7–11 Years FORWARD 12–17 Years FORWARD 18–25 Years JUDGING CATEGORIES

THEME

FUTURE

Saturday 19 October The Circle, Robelle Domain SCREENING AND AWARDS EVENT

W I N a G o P r o

Ipswich.qld.gov.au/iffy

23

GoPro, HERO, and their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of GoPro, Inc. GoPro is not a participant in or sponsor of this promotion.

STORYARTS FAMILY PROGRAM

Workshops and presentations: Storytelling, puppets, writing, drawing, cartooning, mindfulness Stories, art, music and more for all ages

and raising readers. 14 – 17 October 2019

Join us for the finale celebration of the 2019 StoryArts Festival Ipswich featuring South African born author, musician and storyteller, Valanga Khoza. Light refreshments served. Adults Thursday 17 October 2019 6.00 pm – 7.30 pm Ipswich Central Library Celebrating StoryArts with Valanga Khoza

StoryArts Family Program is supported by funding from Friends of Ipswich Libraries. FREE

S P E C I A L E V E N T

For full details and bookings visit Ipswichlibraries.com.au (07) 3810 6815

24

HOW A YOUNG IPSWICH GIRL CAME TO MEET HER HERO

Sophia Ipswich and saw she was a young BMX rider, and thought that was really cool. “I got back to the organisers and said I would love to do an event.” Buchanan shared her story at Ipswich Central Library and caught up with Sophia. As it turns out, the two have plenty in common. By sheer coincidence, Sophia’s current school teacher, Stephanie Lovat at Sacred Heart Booval, also taught Caroline Buchanan when she was growing up in Canberra. Just like Buchanan, Sophia is quickly making a name for herself in the world of competitive BMX riding, with three consecutive national titles under her belt so far. Subscribe free to Ipswich First news alerts at Ipswichfirst.com.au/subscribe

When Silkstone’s Sophia Preston wrote to Ipswich Libraries to donate two copies of a book she thought other children may enjoy, she could not have guessed it would end with a special meeting with her hero, world champion BMX rider Caroline Buchanan. Sophia, 9, is herself a BMX rider and said she decided to donate copies of the book so other children could read its positive message. On receiving a handwritten note from Sophia, staff at Ipswich Libraries not only added the book to the collection but also reached out to Buchanan about visiting for a special event. “It’s a small world. I was sitting on the other side of the world in America and I pulled up my email and saw a scanned copy of the actual letter Sophia wrote to the library,” Buchanan said. “At the time I didn’t recognise the name but I jumped on Google and typed in

25

Competition

It’s time to start planning your sparkling Christmas light display. Entries into the 2019 city-wide Christmas Lights Competition open early October.

ChristmasinIpswich.com.au

26

IN IPSWICH

‘TIS (NEARLY) THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY

CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND 13-22 December FINDING SANTA COMMUNITY

CHRISTMAS CAROLS CHRISTMAS LIGHTS COMPETITION NEW YEAR’S EVE

27

Ipswich City Council 45 Roderick Street PO Box 191, Ipswich QLD 4305, Australia Tel (07) 3810 6666 Fax (07) 3810 6731 council@ipswich.qld.gov.au Ipswich.qld.gov.au