Dog lovers far and wide are hailing the Barkley & Pips digs at Bundamba as a top spot for both fur babies and their hoomans to visit.Complete with its very own well-sized, open air playpen out front, diners can relax knowing their four-legged besties are safely secured and happily amused with a fun ball pit, great pull toys and even real grass toilets at their disposal, thanks to the convenience of PawtoPotty’s ingenious indoor animal toilets.If your canine prefers to stay close at your heel, there are plenty of doggy day beds and water bowls between the tables for them to chill out on. Talk about luxury… it really is a dog’s world!

High tea is a romantic ritual that dates back at least to the 17th Century. It typically features dainty ribbon sandwiches, fluffy scones with jam and cream, petit fours, savoury bites, and a pot of the finest loose leaf brew.Plus, if you really want to up the ante, many high tea venues will throw in a cheeky flute of champers. With its gracious Queenslander homes, elaborate churches and elegant commercial facades, Ipswich is the perfect setting in which to hark back to slower, gentler times by indulging in high tea. Here are several spots that do a sparkling job of it.Cottage RestaurantThe Cottage Restaurant really hits high tea out of the park.  Seared scallops on creamed cabbage and a cup of earthy mushroom soup on the afternoon we visit are just a couple of standouts.

Watercress Olive and Lime Farm is located at Pine Mountain, where visitors can pick up fresh olives, limes and gourmet products from their tiny farm gate shop or a ready-made picnic pack to enjoy in the scenic grounds.Owner Bernie is a fourth generation farmer on the 7.5ha property, which was purchased by his family back in 1890. The farm was originally a dairy farm, with some small crops, until Bernie first planted the olive trees back in 1998.Today Watercress Farm has some 1100 olive trees producing manzanilla, arbequina, kalamata, jumbo kalamata and frantoio olives while the Tahitian lime orchard has some 600 trees. Farmer Bernie sells his produce direct to clubs in Brisbane and through his farm gate.  

Ipswich’s country pubs are worth a little road trip out of town and they’re not too far away if you’re living in Brisbane, on the Goldie or in Toowoomba.These are day trippin’ destinations stacked with charm, history and good old-fashioned hospitality.Expect less neon and more quirk factor, along with publicans and staff who are up for a chat even when the pace is on.

Are we there yet Dad? Dad? Hey Mum, are we there yet? Mum mum mum muuuuuum?If this sounds familiar, you'll be pleased to know there’s a south-east Queensland destination you can reach from Brisbane, Toowoomba, the Gold and the Sunshine Coasts without a monotonous long haul drive.Say g’day to Ipswich, the historic city with a big country heart, packed with fun things for adventurous families to do.

If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of heading out to the Watercress Creek Olive and Limes Festival do yourself a favour and check it out this year when the festival returns in April 2027.The festival is held on Bernie and Lorraine Mahon’s olive and lime farm about 20 minutes north of Ipswich Central.It started out as a small country market and has grown into an amazing day out with tastings, tours, picnics and a diverse range of market stalls on the 7.5ha farm.

There is an ancient legend about a Chinese Emperor whose pot of boiling water was accidentally sprinkled with leaves falling in the breeze. He smelled its pleasant aroma, took a sip, and tea was born!Today’s it’s consumed all over the world – and remains one of our most popular drinks in Australia.If tea is … well… your cup of tea, the City of Ipswich has a potful of delightful experiences on the boil.

La Parrilla is a bright and colourful slice of South America found on a corner in North Ipswich.The cheap and cheerful little eatery, which started life as a West End market stall, is the go-to for authentic BBQ dishes and street food with a Colombian flavour.Chef Sebastian Brun and his Colombian-born wife Carolina Gomez opened their restaurant to share the flavours of Carolina’s homeland, attracting diners from all across the south east of Queensland.

Phat Boyz Smokehouse & Kitchen is a mammoth purpose-built smokehouse BBQ restaurant in the country township of Walloon, on the outskirts of Ipswich.Some of Australia’s most revered smokehouse pitmasters are behind Phat Boyz, having started as a competitive BBQ team and online shop operating out of a backyard shed in 2017, before upgrading to the Bundamba warehouse precinct where the shop has operated for the past three years.The new restaurant features three enormous smokers including the five-metre, two-tonne Moonshine Express a 2.5-metre South American Bird Cage, and The Sweet Smoke Express dessert smoker.

Sometimes, the perfect destination for a romantic weekend away can be right in your own backyard. If you’re looking for a spot to unwind, relax, and spend quality time with the one you love, you can’t go wrong with Ipswich.With quaint, heritage charm, pastel sunsets over the rolling hills of the surrounding countryside, and plenty of unique experiences, there’s more than enough in Ipswich to plan your perfect weekend away—whether you want to do everything or nothing!Here’s a few of the most romantic things to do in Ipswich.