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Today we look at Aberfeldy (c.1878) in Sadliers Crossing. We launch the Insider Toolkit with our first 3 map tools: a flood checker, school catchments and an Ipswich true size comparison tool. Plus we introduce Pick ’Swich, a new game where locals rank things like homes, playgrounds and the worst car parks. All the details below. Aberfeldy: Sadliers Crossing’s Victorian IconBuilt c.1878 for the Queensland Times dynasty, this grand timber home is a masterclass in 19th-century grandeur. The Highlights:
A true sleeping beauty of Ipswich history. The Insider Toolkit. Powered by Ipswich Insider.Here are some free local tools to help you know more about Ipswich. They are all fast, map-based, and easy to use. We plan to make heaps more of these so everything is in one place—no need to muck around with clunky government websites and logins. 📏 The True Size of IpswichJust for fun: Ever wondered how Ipswich compares to London, Bali, or New York in size? Drag and drop our city (or any suburb) anywhere on the globe to see our true scale. It's pretty wild comparing Ipswich LGA footprint to Singapore, Jamaica and more... Try for yourself in 5 seconds: 🌊 Will It Flood?Don't guess about a property's history. Enter an address or drop a pin on this map to instantly see if a location went under during the major 1974 or 2011 flood events. 🎒 School ScoutMoving house or planning for next year? Search your street to instantly find exactly which primary and high school catchments you fall into, plus walking distances. Want a poster here? Details → TJ's Leathercraft in Woodend, Ipswich runs weekly small-group leathercraft classes (beginners to advanced) and makes custom full-grain leather goods, plus repairs and restorations. Tools and materials supplied. Family-run workshop by Terri and Nathan. Explore custom Ipswich leather goods → The Darkhorse Forge is an Ipswich shed-based knifemaking workshop run by local mum Keisha Wurth, crafting custom handmade knives and hatchets for outdoor, hunting and kitchen use, plus leather or kydex sheaths. See her best work → OFFERS OVER $1,950,000, Ironbark — 9.91ha (24 acres) with three separate dwellings: a homestead-style main home, original cottage and granny flat. Off-grid-ready with solar, batteries, generator, 150,000L tanks, dams, paddocks, stables and big sheds. See full listing → Whatever It Takes by Ipswich author Toni Risson tells the Beaumont Transport story, from North Ipswich to Tivoli, with trucks, drivers, coal, the 1974 flood and yarns. 320-page full-colour hardcover, $50 (email to buy) or chat with Toni here 🗳️ VoteIntroducing Pick 'Swich 🔼 🔽I dunno about you, but seeing the poll results is my favourite part of every newsletter. With that in mind, I built a custom ranking widget for the Ipswich Insider website. This way, lists like Best Ipswich Character Homes and Best Ipswich Playgrounds can become live rankings where we locals decide together which is best. So this week, of course, we are starting with Character Homes. Rank them however you want. Every couple of weeks we'll switch up the regular poll with a link to one of these ranking pages... I call it "Pick 'Swich". 🗳️ Last Week's Poll ResultsShould I do a small print run of these (A2 high-quality glossy print)?
118 participants >>> Okay, it's settled... anyone know a great local printer? Should we split Ipswich Insider into two shorter emails each week?
229 participants >>> Settled: stick to 1 weekly email :) 🤔 Trivia
🧩 ScrambleUnscramble your GuessWhere hint📍 GuessWhereHow 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. Ipswich, GuessWhere →🏗️ North Ipswich Reserve Closes For $41m Grandstand BuildAs of 1 January, the JG Stephenson Oval change rooms, grandstand, and Corporate Centre are officially closed for construction of the new Western Grandstand. Work is scheduled through October 2027, with all club and corporate bookings on hold. Ipswich City Council → 📹 CCTV Released: Police Hunt Redbank Plains Robbery SuspectDetectives have released footage of an armed robbery on Redbank Plains Road from 14 November 2025 (Ref: QP2502065550). A man threatened staff with a firearm before fleeing on a bicycle toward Bellbird Park. Police are urging anyone with dashcam footage from 11:30am that day to come forward. Queensland Police → 🚔 Motorcyclist Critical After Multi-Vehicle Crash At PurgaA rider was hospitalised with serious injuries on 3 January after a collision involving a blue utility and a black motorcycle on Ipswich-Boonah Road. The impact caused the rider to hit a second utility. Investigators are seeking witnesses or dashcam footage from around 11:40am. Queensland Police → 🏥 Queen Street Crash Leaves Goodna Rider Seriously InjuredA 32-year-old Redbank Plains man remains in Princess Alexandra Hospital following a three-vehicle crash on Queen Street, Goodna, on 5 January. The rider’s Yamaha motorbike collided with a stationary Pajero and a Ford Focus. Police are appealing for CCTV or dashcam evidence. Queensland Police → 🏛️ Council Reviewing Feedback For 2026–2031 Corporate PlanFollowing the consultation period ending 7 December, Council has begun reviewing community submissions for the city's next five-year strategic plan. The draft outlines priorities for the region's growth, with the final document expected to be endorsed by mid-2026. Shape Your Ipswich → Quick-fire snippets—local buzz & chatter:
Advertise your event to 6,800 locals: Let's chat... Events Labels:🆓 Free entry Wednesday (07 January)💵 Springlake Hotel - Balls Out Bingo 6 PM ($20) tickets 🍻🍽️ Banshees Bar and Artspace - Open Mic 6 PM info 🍻🍽️ General Public - Trivia 6:30 PM info Thursday (08 January)🆓 Silver Jubilee Park, Ipswich - Take it to the Streets activities 3-7 PM info 💵 Everyday Mums Hub - Zumba class 6:30-7:30 PM ($12) tickets 🍻🍽️ Club Services Ipswich - Trivia 6:30 PM info 🍻🍽️ Orion Hotel - Trivia 7-10 PM ($1) details Friday (09 January)💵 Limestone Gallery and Studios - Metal Clay Play 6-9pm ($19) details 💵 Banshees Bar & Artspace - Dedway, Kathleen Turner Overdrive and Chop 7-11 PM ($9) info Saturday (10 January)💵 Swifts Sports Club - ASJPE casual social puzzle day 9 AM-4 PM ($10) details 💵 Ipswich Art Gallery – Digital Clay Teen Workshop 10am ($15) info 🆓 Vedanta Centre, Springfield Lakes - Swami Vivekananda's birthday celebration 10 AM-1 PM info 💵 Ipswich Turf Club - Ian Leavers Raceday 12:30 PM some info 🆓 Providence, South Ripley - Ripley Markets 3-8pm info 🍻🍽️ Brothers Leagues Club – AC/DC Tribute Show 9:30pm details Sunday (11 January)🦗 Monday (12 January)🆓 Weekly Adventure Walk - Coffee + walk (free) w/Kez @thingstodoIpswich 9am follow her page for details Tuesday (13 January)💵 Springfield Lakes Community Centre - Ipswich Thriving Seniors Bingo 9:30-11:30 AM ($10) info 🍻🍽️ Hotel Metropole - Trivia 7pm info 😎 Top 5 Upcoming Events:15 Jan - Rosewood Family Fun Day, Anzac Park Swimming Pool info 15 Jan - Gathering for the Rosewood History Group, Rosewood Library info 16 Jan - Disney trivia, Orion Hotel details 18 Jan - Springfield Markets, Orion info 21 Jan - Simpsons trivia, Hotel Commonwealth info All upcoming events →🧩 This Week's AnswersScramble Answer: SWANBANKSwanbank began as coal country: Box Flat Mine opened in 1897. The Swanbank power station followed, commissioned in 1967. In the late 1990s, landfill operations began beside the energy precinct. Today it is a heavy-industry hub with gas generation, massive battery packs and waste processing. Future planning: more battery, solar, green-hydrogen and waste-to-energy projects. GuessWhere Answer:📍Taken from Swanbank Coal Road looking across the cooling lake where Swanbank A/B power stations used to be. This Week's Trivia Answer:d) 3x taller (137m). Oaks Aspire is ~48m. Swanbank B chimneys were 137m and Swanbank A chimneys were 122m. 📊 Last Week's ResultsThe Trivia:How many total emails dis Ipswich Insider send in 2025?133 participants ❌ A.) ~95,000 ❌ B.) ~120,000 ✅ C.) ~140,000 — 34% guessed right ❌ D.) ~160,000 📍 GuessWhere:GuessWhere #042
—Jamey (Facebook · Instagram)
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Join 7,400+ locals for this week's top stories, insider guides and the best of what's on.