We can't deny that Ipswich can get hot.  So what do you do when it's sweltering and you need to cool off?  Head to one of these free water parks!Orion LagoonOrion Lagoon offers pools for all age groups with a toddler friendly 0.3m depth area up to 1.5m for proficient swimmers.  Checkout the fun squirting spouts and stepping-stones, barbeque areas and picnic tables.Robelle DomainKids will love the large tipping bucket in the zero depth water park at Robelle Domain.  There’s also jet sprays and spouts.  The water park is surrounded with shady picnic areas, boardwalks and playgrounds as well as land art pyramids and an early evening sound and light show.

Celebrating a birthday is one of the most exciting times in a child's life – The cake, sprinkles, balloons and presents, what's not to love!If you have a upcoming birthday in your family but are stuck for ideas on how to make the day a memorable one, you're in luck, because we have made the task easier for you by composing a list  of the top places in Ipswich to host a party.With lots of beautiful parks, animal experiences and adrenalin-fuelled activities, Ipswich is the perfect location for your next get together.

When it gets hots this summer, head to the city of Ipswich, just 30 minutes from Brisbane. That’s because the local city council has opened a big selection of FREE water parks that are suitable for families and great for kids of all ages, even little toddlers.Bob Gamble Park is in the River Heart Parklands has a zero-depth water pool for the kids and plenty of other activities like flying foxes, slides, a discovery forest and much more.

As Spring rolls around every year, Jacaranda trees in the Heritage City and surrounding countryside start to bloom, adding a pop of colour to parks and reserves.Here are a few ways to experience the Ipswich Jacaranda season this year.Wander Timothy Molony ParkThe park is opposite St Mary's Church - a spectacular 1870s landmark which is one of the city's most photographed buildings - is fringed with Jacarandas blooming every Spring that eventually form a purple carpet on the grass below.

Take a step back in time and have a peek at our prehistoric past with these sites around Ipswich... Denmark HillFossils were first discovered at the Denmark Hill Conservation Area as early as the 1890s.   In the 1920s eight tonnes of material was sent by train to the University of Queensland and thousands of fossils were uncovered dating right back to the Triassic Age more than 200 million years ago.Follow the Triassic Circuit, a 200-metre walking track, kids will enjoy this circuit, there are barbeques, a playground, toilets, picnic settings and sealed walking paths through the park.

The Heritage City has 6500 hectares of reserves and conservation estates to explore.  Some have amazing facilities for kids from play equipment, zero depth water parks and environmental education centres.  Some of the city's parks are located on the banks of the Brisbane River and offer an ideal location to laze the day away.Learn more about some of the best parks in the region and some of the secret locations you can visit.