Start planning your weekends with these great walks in Ipswich.  From mountains to hike to lush gardens and reserves you'll find some nature here...Colleges CrossingColleges Crossing is a great place to take the family for a walk.  Check out the lake for fishing and kayaking.And there’s bike and scooter paths, walking tracks, a playground and sheltered tables.

Ipswich has an abundant number of walking trails, many of which are great tracks for both casual walkers and those with more experience who want more of a challenge. This isn’t supposed to be a comprehensive list by any means but provides a selection of some of my favourite walks. I have focused on two areas of Ipswich hiking that provide exciting views, rocky features, and flora and fauna.Ipswich hiking in Flinders-Goolman Conservation EstateThere are two main starting points depending on which walk you plan on doing. Both parking areas come off signed left hand turns from Ipswich-Boonah Road when travelling towards Boonah. Both have BBQ and picnic areas and are family-friendly: Hardings Paddock Picnic Area (15km from Ipswich CBD)– Part of this may follow a dirt road, but the parking is ample and access is not difficult with a conventional car.Flinders Plum Picnic area (25 km from Ipswich CBD) - To get there, you will need to drive several kms of unsealed road to the Flinders Plum Picnic area and there may be a small water crossing if it has recently had heavy rain, although most conventional vehicles will make it without much trouble.

Sometimes the best adventures are right under your nose. Scott and I have driven past Flinders Peak for years, admiring the dominant peak with its dramatic cliffs until we finally decided to schedule it in as our next family adventure.The hike is rated as a Class Five (Difficult) walking trail, and our three boys aged 9, 11 and 12 love a good hard hike and were up for the challenge.What to bringWe headed off from Flinders Plum Picnic Area and we soon realised that we’d left an essential item in the car. Yep, we had our water, hats and snacks but we didn’t have the packet of lollies that we’d promised the boys for a celebratory snack at the summit. Disaster! Before hiking up Flinders Peak, don’t forget to:- Allow 3-6 hours- Take plenty of water and snacks- Hiking boots or trail running shoes are recommended- Pack your lollies for the summit

Your destination? Flinders Goolman Conservation Estate, a veritable theme-park for hikers, with 10 walking trails and three summits encompassing 2,200 hectares of extensive forests, countryside and volcanic peaks.Grab your backpack, fill your water flask and get ready to conquer Mt Goolman, Mt Blaine and Flinders Peak with this guide.1. For lookout wanderers – Mt Goolman LookoutIf you’re still building up to the Mt Goolman summit, you can still settle for getting a good glimpse of it, taking the Mt Goolman Lookout track.

Just a stone’s throw out of Ipswich, there’s a patch of bush that’s got everything a good hike should have — an interesting trail, great views, wildlife and tall timbers.Ipswich has an abundant number of walking trails, many of which are great tracks for both casual walkers and those with more experience who want more of a challenge.

If you’re looking for a place where you can hike and birdwatch, Ipswich is the place for you, there are more than 277 recorded bird species on record in Ipswich.Colleges Crossing Recreation ReserveSet on the banks of the Brisbane River, Colleges Crossing, is a great spot for a walk and some birdwatching. Look out for pelicans, great egrets, royal spoonbills, black kites and many more species. There’s also a lake for fishing and kayaking, bike and scooter paths and walking tracks. Bring a picnic as there’s BBQ facilities and sheltered tables. Brisbane Valley Rail TrailThe BVRT is the longest rail trail in Australia, at 161km it follows a disused Brisbane Valley rail link that connects Wulkuraka to Yarraman. The Ipswich section is 22km long from Brassall to Fernvale. It winds its way through rural settings and country towns and is perfect for fun family adventures.  Along the BVRT there have been more than 40 recorded species of birds including Australian Wood Ducks, Rainbow Lorikeets, Eastern Yellow Robins and Magpie-larks.