Embraced for its soul-nourishing benefits, gardening is known to enhance physical wellbeing and uplift moods. Why not harmonize your passion for plants with a coffee outing? Explore Ipswich's finest nursery cafes and garden eateries for a delightful blend of nature and relaxation.Rafter & RoseStep into the charming world of Rafter & Rose, a beloved local café that exudes a unique ambiance. Guests enter through 19th-century French cast-iron gates and down a garden laneway to a delightful indoor space adorned with lush pot plants and an eclectic array of ornaments. Renowned for their delectable cakes and treats, all freshly made on-site, many options are gluten-free and/or dairy-free—yet bursting with flavour. Indulge in delights like white chocolate cheesecake, New York baked cheesecake, and more from their extensive menu offering breakfast, brunch, and lunch.Location: 17 Ellenborough Street, Ipswich

Are you looking for a place to take the kids where they can burn off some energy and then indulge in morning tea?  Or an ideal spot to meet up with friends for a play date followed by lunch? Then check out these top spots in the Ipswich region.Ripley Splash and PlayGrab the kids’ swimmers and a towel for this one – Splash 'n' Play at Ripley has shallow streams and small fountains for the little kids to play in and water shooters and aqua arches for the older children.There’s also a playground with seesaws and swings, a giant twisty slide, climbing ropes and a flying fox.

It’s common knowledge that the best spots to hike around Ipswich are in our two largest conservation areas, Flinders-Goolman and White Rock. But have you traversed them in their entirety? Surely not, these locations are HUGE. Thousands of acres, towering peaks and deep rugged valleys. It’s really quite mind boggling to consider the actual extent of our natural areas.So let’s amend that!  Here’s some of our hidden hiking gems and how to get there.Gun Pit RidgeHeading off of the main fire trail that runs from the Paperbark Flats Picnic area to the familiar staircase at the base of white rock, there’s a sneaky little treasure sitting inconspicuously just out of sight.

Who doesn't love a day out on the trails? Twisting through chicanes, pushing up ascents and thundering back down to earth on the other side. It only makes sense that we give a little back to ourselves on occasion and what better way to do it than delving into some of the best in mountain biking that the region has to offer.Thankfully, right here in Ipswich there's loads of places to explore and we've done the hard yards to get all that information right here in the one place.

Kayaking. We know it’s a thing, we’ve all seen people do it and most of us have always been just that little bit curious. And yet here we are, surrounded by some of the best waterways in South East QLD and so many of us do not partake!Well, all of that’s about to change lads and ladies. You’re in Ipswich and this, is kayaking country. It’s about time you sorted yourself out and got paddling. Whether young, old, married or single, there’s a kayaking adventure for all of us.For the familyWhen scientists first split the atom in 1938 they released a huge amount of energy and ultimately ended a war… And in 2020 you too can split the kids, into different kayaks and be dazzled by their inability to stay awake for the car ride home. It’s just science. 

Nearly four years ago now Ipswich was at the forefront of something special.We embarked on a mission to be the most comprehensively mapped city in the Southern Hemisphere.When the call went out, I answered and here we are today with 57 individual locations, (most of which were physically mapped on foot) now totally accessible to the public online.