🌾 Franklyn Vale Homestead: Mort Family-Owned for 175 Years

Franklyn Vale Homestead isn't just an 1870s Queenslander – it's a remarkably intact station complex in the Mort family for ~175 years.

Verandahs, bunya pines and original outbuildings sit alongside c.1900 additions by Addison & Corrie, including a schoolroom and guest wing.

Heritage-listed and seldom photographed, the property offers a rare snapshot of early rural Queensland. Complete with an octagonal summerhouse, slab shed, meat house, overseer's cottage and more.

Read more here →

🌆 Skyline Standings: Ipswich’s Tallest Structures Past, Present and Future

For this week’s Spotlight, we looked up—literally—to find out what stands tallest around Ipswich.

We measured, ranked, and rounded up the top 21 tallest structures currently standing, revisited the tallest giants of the past, and previewed 2 upcoming buildings set to dominate the skyline for years to come.

Curious to see what topped the list?

Think we missed something tall? Hit reply and let me know.

See Ipswich's 21 tallest structures →

Want a poster here? Details →

💦 Ripley Splash ’n’ Play is open again after resurfacing works, closed from early February and reopened 15 Aug. Hours: 10am-4pm Apr-Aug, 8am-6pm Sep-Mar. Free entry.

🎭 Come From Away at Ipswich Civic Centre: Sep 13-14 and 19-21. Heart-lifting musical about Gander on 9/11. Tickets from $69. Book now

🎶 ILMusic: So Fresh 2010+ at Hotel Metropole, Sat 30 Aug, 8pm. Last-decade bangers with Mizzie Maxx, Maddi and The Dreamers, plus The Knockout Collective. Event page

🌾 Historic Franklyn Vale cropping farm at Mount Mort is under offer. It'll be the first time it changes hands in 175 years. No public price; based on all the details, we estimate circa $5.5-6.5m. Sale does not include heritage listed Franklin Vale Homstead. See the listing

🗳️ Vote

🤔 Trivia

🧩 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 →

🫨 Magnitude 5.6 Quake Rattles Ipswich & SEQ
S-E Queensland’s strongest on-shore quake in 50 years hit near Kilkivan at 9:49 am, 16 Aug. More than 12,500 “felt” reports poured in. It’s the biggest tremor locals have felt since the 3.8-magnitude Gatton quake in 1988. Seqwater inspected 18 dams and found no damages.
More Details (ABC) →

🚔 12-Year-Old Charged After Augustine Heights Stabbing
A 12-year-old girl faces attempted-murder and car-theft charges after a 55-year-old woman was stabbed in the chest about 4 pm, 18 Aug. The victim is stable at Princess Alexandra Hospital; the child will appear in Ipswich Children’s Court on Monday.
Full story (ABC) →

📹 Eight New Flood Cameras Added To Disaster Dashboard
Council’s camera network jumps from 16 to 24, with fresh live-feeds now watching Bundamba, Marburg, Calvert, Walloon, Grandchester, Redbank, North Ipswich and Marsden Parade (CBD) ahead of storm season.
Ipswich Council Statement →
Watch Cameras →

🏗️ Ipswich Hospital Adds $9.6 M Transit Care Centre
Located on Level 6 (Ward 6C), the expanded “transit lounge” will double to 10 beds and 14 chairs, run 24/7 and relieve Emergency Department bottlenecks by mid-2026.
QLD Govt Statement →

Quick‑fire snippets—local buzz & chatter:

• 🧒 Ripley Splash ‘n’ Play Reopens After Repairs →
• 🏉 Ipswich-native Ali Brigginshaw Reaches 50 NRLW Games →
• ♻️ Riverview Tip Repairs Completed Ahead Of Schedule →
• 💰 Goodna Aus-Post Properties Sell For $2.13 Million →
• 🪖 Veterans Hub To Open At Old QT Building →
• 🤠 Galvanized Festival Program & Calendar Released (PDF) →
• 🖼️ Ipswich Art Gallery Named 2025 GAMAA Finalist →

Advertise your event here →

Head to Hotel Metropole on Sat 30 Aug (music from 8pm) for ILMusic’s So Fresh 2010+! Catch your favourite pop hits from 2010 to now with Mizzie Maxx, Maddi & The Dreamers, and house band The Knockout Collective. Tickets $15 online or at the door—grab yours and groove: See full event details here →

Award-winning musical Come From Away lands at Ipswich Civic Centre 13-21 Sept. Experience the uplifting true story of post-9/11 kindness and community. Limited shows—See more details here →

Wednesday (20 August)

🆓 Ipswich Turf Club - Race Day 12-5 PM info

💵 Springfield Lakes Community Centre - Thriving Seniors Choir 1-2 PM ($5) more info

🍻🍽️ Banshees Bar and Artspace - Open Mic 6 PM info

🍻🍽️ Monte Lane Wine Bar - Trivia 6:30-8 PM info

🍻🍽️ General Public - Trivia 6:30 PM info

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

🍻🍽️ Orion Hotel - Karaoke Wednesdays, 8-10 PM info

Thursday (21 August)

🆓 Brothers Leagues Club - Disability Expo 10 AM-1 PM details

💵 Queensland Museum Rail Workshops - Little Engineers (age 2-5), wheels & movement 10 AM details

🆓 YMCA Springfield Lakes - The founding story of YMCA, entrepreneurship talk 12-1 PM info

🆓 Studio 188 - Author Hour with Jeff Apter (author of 30 music bios) 6 PM details

🍻🍽️ Club Services Ipswich - Trivia 6:30 PM info

💵 Ipswich Civic Centre - "The Female of the Species", satirical comedy 7 PM ($35) info

💵 Orion Hotel - Trivia Night, prizes 7-10 PM ($1) details

🍻🍽️ Banshees Bar and Artspace - Karaoke, free 8 PM info

Friday (22 August)

💵 Springfield Lakes Community Centre - Thriving Seniors Craft Club 9:30-11:30 AM ($5) info

💵 Imbibis Craft Distillery - Distillery Tour and Tasting 2 PM ($15) tickets

💵 Ipswich Turf Club - Street Feast 4 PM-late ($3) info

🍻🍽️ Orion Hotel - Throwback Friday: ABBA Girls tribute 3-11 PM details

🍻🍽️ Stony Creek Brewing - Live music: Rebecca Lee Nye 6-9 PM more info

💵 Springlake Hotel - Magic Men, girls' night 7 PM ($55) info

💵 Banshees Bar - HOTT SEXX "MC Drunk" single launch 7 PM tickets

Saturday (23 August)

💵 Willowbank Raceway - Jamboree: All day fun Saturday and Sunday 6am-late full details

🆓 Marburg Showgrounds - Garden and Outdoor Expo 8 AM-2 PM more info

💵 Royal Hotel Harrisville - Music: Boots on the Banks 12-8 PM info

💵 Ipswich Showgrounds - The Hayden Oration with Steven Miles MP 6-11 PM details

💵 Queensland Raceway - Speed Demons: Showdown Saturdays 6-10pm info

💵 Hotel Metropole - Live music: Nik Phillips 70s show 7:30 PM ($23.50) info

Sunday (24 August)

🆓 Main St, Orion Springfield Central - Dog Markets: International Dog Day Barkets 8 AM-4 PM details

🆓 Riverlink Gasometer - Market Zone Markets 8:30 AM-3 PM info

💵 Trevallan Lifestyle Centre - Claire Roe’s book launch, "The Wildflower Way," 10 AM-12 PM ($30) info

🆓 Providence Community Hub - Restorative Yoga (all levels) 10-11:30 AM info

Monday (25 August)

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Tuesday (26 August)

🆓 Queens Park Enviro Education Centre - Educator PD: worm farms & composting 4-6 PM details

💵 Rising Sun Martial Arts, Bellbird Park - Intro session 6-8 PM ($20) info