🧱 Meet Notnel – West Ipswich’s 160-ish-year brick time capsule

Notnel, 6 Burnett St, West Ipswich sold for $900 000 in 2024, proof that a 162-year-old cottage can still turn heads.

Built in 1861–63 by brick-layer David McLaughlin, it boasts 13-inch solid-brick walls and a surprise attic—both rarities in Queensland.

Its quirky name came in 1934 when new owner George Hawley flipped his Nottingham street “Lenton” backwards and then kept the house almost unchanged, helping preserve about 80 percent of its original structure.

• 1855 – Patrick O’Sullivan buys the empty ½-acre Burnett St block.
• 1861–63 – David McLaughlin builds the five-room brick cottage and rents it out.
• 1872 – Draper John North purchases the home for his growing family.
• 1876 – North acquires the next allotment, turning the yard into a fern-filled garden.
• 1934 – Farmer George Hawley buys, reverses “Lenton,” and christens the house Notnel.
• 1934–1990 – Hawley family safeguards the cottage for 56 years with minimal changes.
• 1990 – Sold for $80 000 to the Small family, who launch a full restoration.
• 1992 – Added to the Queensland Heritage Register (Place 600571).
• 2016 – National Trust open-day debut and sale for $475 000.
• 2019 – Changes hands again for $550 000, attracting heritage-minded owners.
• 2021 – Market upswing lifts the price to $650 000.
• 2024 – Records a new high at $900 000, cementing its status as a heritage prize.

Brick by brick, burrow into the bigger Notnel story:

Read More Here →

🛝 Ipswich's Priciest "Playgrounds"

For this week’s SPOTLIGHT we slid through council ledgers and developer deals to discover Ipswich’s priciest play spaces—revealing where the city, its council and its developers pour their biggest buckets of cash into kid-friendly fun.

The Top 11:

• Orion Lagoon, Springfield Central — $17 m
• Robelle Domain kids zones, Springfield Central — $15 m (est.)
• Bob Gamble Park play-zone, Ipswich Central — $6.8 m
• Splash ’n’ Play Adventure Park, South Ripley — $4.3 m
• Redbank Plains Rec Reserve playgrounds, Redbank Plains — $4.0 m
• Faye Carr “Rocket” Park, Ripley — $3.6 m
• Colleges Crossing Nature-Play, Chuwar — $3.6 m
• White Rock Adventure Playground, White Rock — $2.1 m (est.)
• Cameron Park Inclusive Playground, Booval — $2.05 m
• Orion “Mega” Playground, Springfield Central — $1.9 m
• R. J. Richardson Paddle-Steamer Playground, Goodna — $1.53 m

All figures expressed in 2025 dollars.

Full Story Here →

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Want to spread the word about your business, a project you’re working on, or just say hi to 3,500 neighbours?

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💰 House Sold For Over — $1.03 m!

Mick Musk at RealWay Ipswich recently sold 8 Menzies Lane, Eastern Heights for $1.03 m—fetching $351,000 more than the owner bought it for in June 2020. If you wonder what your house could fetch today... Get Mick around for a free, no-pressure, no-obligation valuation. Text or call Mick at: 0414 701 001.
Get your free valuation here →

🎉 Free Bulletin Poster Spot

First to email jamey@ipswichinsider.com.au with “Bulletin 16” as the subject line gets a free poster/announcement in next week’s BULLETIN. No repeat winners. Let's make this BULLETIN active!

🦦 Ipswich Platypus Count

Council DNA tests and habitat mapping suggest only about 20 platypus still call Ipswich’s creeks home.

🗺️ Ipswich vs New York (Because why not?)

At 1,094 km², Ipswich LGA spans roughly 19x Manhattan's land yet houses o6x fewer people. It’s just 1/3 of Long Island’s land (3,630 km²) but has 30x fewer people (8.06 m people live on Long Island). Nifty!

🗳️ Vote

🧩 Scramble

📍 GuessWhere

How to play: Look close at the photo, guess where it was taken from in Ipswich. Click the link and drop your pin to see how close you can get.

GuessWhere →

🤔 Trivia

💰 Council Sets $55 Infrastructure Levy For Budget Shortfall

Ipswich City Council’s 2025-26 draft budget will impose a flat $55 annual infrastructure levy on 99 % of ratepayers to address a projected $1 billion decade-long funding gap. The charge is predicted to raise about $5.4 million in its first year. More details →

🚧 New Transport and Main Roads Program Released

Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) just released its 2025-29 Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program (QTRIP). Highlights: $274 m Cunningham flood repairs, Warrego–Mount Crosby interchange costed between $250 m–$1 b, $8 m Purga bridge, $10 m Centenary corridor study, Ipswich-Springfield rail business case. Full Breakdown →

🏗️ Grandstand Tender Closes For North Ipswich Stadium Upgrade

Council tender 5662 seeking design-and-construct bids for the 2,000-seat western grandstand at North Ipswich Reserve closed at 2 pm on 24 June. Evaluation of submitted bids now begins, the final step before awarding the multimillion-dollar contract. Tender details →

🏗️ Preform Concrete Walls Rising Fast at Providence Town Centre

Expect a full-line Coles, 21 specialty stores, gym and childcare when the 8,000 m² hub opens mid-2026 in South Ripley.
Info →
See discussion on FB →

🤠 SPARK Ipswich 2025 Reveals 50-Event Arts Program

The 20 June program release lists more than 50 shows, light installations and street parties for the 11–20 July festival. Organisers expect large nightly crowds as St Paul’s projections and “Creatives on Queen” debut downtown. Full Schedule →

🐎 Flash Aah Sprints Home In $250k Ipswich Cup

Nine-year-old outsider Flash Aah stormed from last to claim the $250,000 Ipswich Cup on 21 June, ending a 1,000-day drought and delivering trainer Troy Pascoe his biggest win. Story →

🏉 Jets Fall 30-18 To Bears In Hostplus Cup

Ipswich Jets surrendered a halftime lead to lose 30-18 to Burleigh Bears at Pizzey Park on 21 June. The defeat leaves the Jets 13th, four points outside the top eight with ten rounds remaining. Results →

🏃‍♂️ Ipswich Youths Set Records And Earn National, International Call-Ups

Leah Leembruggen accepted a certificate for smashing Sally Pearson’s U16 200 m hurdles record; Jack Hocking joined Scotland’s U20 rugby squad; and three Jets prospects helped Queensland claim its first U19 Origin shield. More details U19s State of Origin →

Want your event front-and-centre with a featured poster?

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Wednesday (25 June)

🆓 TAFE, Bundamba — Smart Factory tour 5-7 PM details

🆓 Monte Lane Wine Bar — Quiz night 6:30 PM book

🆓 General Public, Nicholas St — Trivia 6:30 PM info

💵 Brothers Leagues Club — Poker $25, reg 6 PM, play 7 PM

🆓 Booval Freemasons Centre — Heartfulness meditation 7 PM info

🆓 Banshees Bar — Open-mic 7 PM info

🆓 Orion Hotel Springfield QLD — Music trivia, free, 7 PM info

Thursday (26 June)

💵 Queensland Museum Rail Workshops — Little Engineers (2-5 yrs) 10-10:45 AM info

🆓 Ipswich PCYC — QPS recruiting seminar 10:30 AM info

🆓 Studio 188 — Open mic 6 PM details

🆓 Club Services Ipswich — Trivia 6:30 PM info

🆓 Banshees Bar — Karaoke 7 PM-late details

Friday (27 June)

💵 Imbibis Distillery — Tour & tasting 2 PM tickets

🆓 Orion Hotel — Brooklyn Nine-Nine trivia 6:30 PM details

Saturday (28 June)

💵 Qld Pioneer Steam Railway — Heritage Circuit 9:40 AM, 10 AM, 12:10 PM, 12:30 PM book

💵 George Hogg Performance Venue — ‘DESPERARDOES’ 2 PM & 7 PM tickets

💵 Hotel Metropole — ‘Wizard of Rock’ 5:30 PM ($5) tickets

🆓 Stony Creek Brewing — Live music: Sean P Music

💵 Ipswich Civic Centre — Zeppelin tribute 7:30 PM ($70) tickets

💵 Studio 188 — Dannielle De Andrea 7:30 PM tickets

💵 Springfield Lake Hotel — Australian Eagles tribute 8 PM ($39) tickets

Sunday (29 June)

🆓 Blackstone Hall — Heartfulness meditation 9-10 AM details

🆓 Providence Community Hub — Restorative yoga 10 AM info

🆓 Stony Creek Brewing — 1st Birthday with Yamzie live & food truck info

🆓 Limestone Park — Diner Dash food trucks 2-6 PM info

Monday (30 June)

💵 Orion Minis at BIG W — Boomerang painting 10 AM ($7) tickets

💵 Riverlink Shopping Centre — Winter Wonderland 10 AM-2 PM info

🆓 Yamanto Central — Space Adventure 10:30-11 AM info

Tuesday (1 July)

🆓 Queens Park Enviro Centre — Art in the Park 9 AM-2 PM details

💵 Brookfield Gardens — Pet-plant workshop 10 AM tickets