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INSIDER #046: Bowerbank, 193 acres of freedom & our top 5 guides

Published 23 days ago • 6 min read

Today we admire the landmark Bowerbank, revisit 5 of our top local guides, and detour to the Granite Belt for a drone-view of 78 hectares for sale. Plus, everything happening locally this week. Catch ya round!

⬣ Bowerbank: The Quick Look

First impression. Bowerbank feels less like a standard Queenslander and more like a private lookout. It’s a big Federation-era timber villa, sitting high on the hill, with that bold 8-sided verandah that makes you stop and stare.

The story. Built in 1914 for chemist William Fox and his wife Florence (nee Bowers), the name is a private nod to her maiden name. Locals called it “The Foxes”, and there was even a fox figure on the gatepost.

🔢 By the numbers:

  • Address: 69 Ellenborough Street, Denmark Hill.
  • Land: 2,395 m² (Lot 2 RP2853).
  • Timeline: Built 1914. Fox died 4 July 1925. Sold for $98,500 in Oct 1982. Land valued at $780,000 in 2025.

View Bowerbank →

👀 In Case You Missed It: Our Most Popular Local Guides

We’ve been digging into the data to tell stories about Ipswich that you won't find anywhere else.

If you didn't catch them the first time around, here is a collection of our most talked-about guides from the last few months.

CLICK THE IMAGES TO VIEW THE GUIDES

GUIDE 1: 🏡 Ipswich Street Names & Estate Themes

Ever wondered about the story behind your street name? We look at the hidden themes in our estates, like the championship golf references scattered throughout Brookwater.

GUIDE 2: 🏙️ Skyline Standings

We ranked the 21 tallest structures in town. It’s not just apartments—find out how the massive telecommunication towers and stadium floodlights stack up.

GUIDE 3: 💰 Precinct Power Rankings

Who really runs this town? We broke down the top 10 economic engines and biggest money-making precincts that are driving the city's growth.

GUIDE 4: ☀️ The Megawatt Report

A solar-powered deep dive into the top 30 largest installations across the region. See who is soaking up the most sun in Ipswich.

GUIDE 5: 🌊 Ipswich Waterways

A complete map and defintive guide of the blue veins of our city. Explore the 15 must-know creeks and rivers that carve up our backyards.

🍷 Your own 193 acres of Granite Belt Wine Country

Have you ever dreamed of owning your own National Park?

Imagine building your dream cabin in the woods on a massive 193-acre estate that feels like your own private National Park. We are talking about your own private gorge, seasonal stream, and absolute silence—all just minutes from the best wineries in Queensland.

If you've ever wanted to escape the noise and own a mountain, you need to see this.

🎥 Watch the Drone Tour →

Why is this in Ipswich Insider? Simple. In a vote a few months ago, 24% of you voted the Granite Belt as your #1 dream weekender location. So, here's an amazing opportunity.

UPDATE: Mine Mapper. Wow, we got a tonne of interest in this tool. It was the single most clicked link in Ipswich Insider EVER. Wild stuff. We’ve just pushed a fresh update live. They say Ipswich is like Swiss cheese—now you can see the history even more clearly. This new version features more correct open and close dates for the mines along with improved map tool user experience. Discover coal mines (Updated) →

Men’s Breakfast, Saturday Feb 14: Hear Brett Rogers share his 40-year journey through Mines Rescue, Fire, and Ambulance services. Sat Feb 14, 7:30am, Uniting Church Booval. $10. RSVP Trevor: 0409 889 386 or footearthur@gmail.com by Feb 11.

🗳️ Vote

🗳️ Last Week's Poll Results

Did you catch any of the action at Ipswich Motorsports Precinct in 2025?

  • 80% No, not in 2025
  • 12% Yes, went once or twice
  • 8% Yes, I'm a regular!

167 participants

🤔 Trivia

🧩 Scramble

Unscramble your GuessWhere hint

📍 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.

Ipswich, GuessWhere →

🏟️ Ipswich Gears Up for 2026 Construction Blitz Featuring $40M Stadium Upgrade and $15.8M Ripley Roadworks

Mayor Teresa Harding has unveiled a massive 2026 infrastructure program headlined by a $40 million modernization of the North Ipswich Sport Precinct. The "construction blitz" also funds a $15.8 million upgrade for Fischer Road and new flood defences for Marburg. Local Ipswich News →

🏗️ Old Council Offices Demolished for Seven-Storey Ipswich Hospital Carpark

Demolition of the former council administration building is complete to make space for a new seven-storey, 875-space car park for Ipswich Hospital. The project aims to relieve critical parking shortages for patients, visitors, and healthcare staff in the expanding precinct. Springfield Lakes News →

⚖️ First Daniel’s Law Misuse Charge Heard in Ipswich Magistrates Court

A man has faced Ipswich Magistrates Court charged with misusing information from the public sex offender register, marking the first prosecution under the new laws. Police emphasize that the 'Daniel's Law' scheme is designed for community safety checks, not to enable vigilante action. News.com.au →

🚗 Mount Crosby Road Overpass Reopens After Girder Replacement Works

The Mount Crosby Road overpass has reopened to all traffic following emergency girder replacement works, completed days ahead of schedule. The fix removes load limits and detours, restoring a vital freight and commuter link for Karalee residents. Big Rigs →

🤝 Ali Brigginshaw Named Ipswich Citizen of the Year

Rugby league icon Ali Brigginshaw has been named the 2026 Ipswich Citizen of the Year, celebrating her dual impact as a sporting champion and community mentor. The award recognizes her tireless work in promoting women’s sport and supporting local youth programs. Ipswich City Council →

Advertise your event to 7,000+ locals: Let's chat...

Events Labels:

🆓 Free entry
🍻🍽️ Free, buy food/drink
💵 Ticketed

Wednesday (28 January)

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

🍻🍽️ General Public - Trivia 6:30 PM info

Thursday (29 January)

🆓 Providence Community Centre – Ipswich Thriving Seniors Community Consultation Meeting 9:30-11am info

💵 Brothers Leagues Club - Business After 5 AI & Cybersecurity Insights 5-7pm ($40-$60) tickets

💵 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 (30 January)

🆓 Imbibis Craft Distillery - The Imbibis Artists Retreat 12-6 PM tickets

🆓 Haig St Quarry, Brassall – Ipswich Cane Toad Challenge 6:15-8:15pm details

💵 Banshees Bar & Artspace - Folk'N'Shanty night 7pm ($13.50+) details

Saturday (31 January)

🆓 Westies Skate Shop, Augustine Heights - Grand Opening, live music and events 12pm-late details

💵 The Y Springfield Central Community Centre - Saturday Lego workshop 1-2:15 PM ($30) details

💵 Ipswich Turf Club - All Sports Raceday 1-5 PM ($22+) tickets

💵 Private address, Mount Crosby - Sound Under the Stars 7-8:30 PM ($55) tickets

💵 Banshees Bar & Artspace - Bands: Stoner groove and doom-punk 8pm-late ($13.50) tickets

Sunday (1 February)

🆓 Robelle Domain Parklands - Springfield Markets 8am-1pm info

🆓 Heritage Poultry, Moggill - Moggill Sunday Farm Day 10 AM-12:30 PM info

💵 Ipswich Civic Centre - A Night at the Musicals 5:30-7:30 PM ($42+) tickets

Monday (2 February)

🆓 Weekly Adventure Walk - Coffee + walk (free) w/Kez @thingstodoIpswich 9am follow her page for details

Tuesday (3 February)

🆓 Springfield Lakes Community Centre - Ipswich Thriving Seniors Trivia 9:30-11 AM info

😎 Top 7 Upcoming Events:

5-7 Feb - Powercruise, Queensland Raceway info

7 Feb - Bull-O-Rama, Ipswich Showgrounds info

7 Feb - Reggae and Ska night, Hotel Harp of Erin details

8 Feb - Southside Collective Markets, Ipswich Showgrounds info

8 Feb - Super Bowl American Football Live, Orion Hotel info

14 Feb - Men's Breakfast, Ipswich Uniting Church RSVP →

21 Feb - Adults Only Trivia Night, Cafe Providence details

All upcoming events →

🧩 This Week's Answers

Scramble Answer: DALYS LAGOON

Daly’s Lagoon, also called Bundamba Lagoon, is a large wetland in South Ripley on the Bundamba Creek system. Covering about 80 hectares, it swells after heavy rain and then shrinks back. Once more lake-like, it is now mostly marshy today.

GuessWhere Answer:

📍 Looking out at Bundamba Dalys Lagoon from Ripley Rd, South Ripley.

This Week's Trivia Answer:

B) Drone zones. Fly and no-fly zones around Amberley and Ipswich.

📊 Last Week's Results

The Trivia:

Trivia #045

Ipswich homes and businesses send roughly how many Orion Lagoons' worht of wastewater into treatment each day?

❌ A.) 6 (~18 million litres/day) — 6% guessed wrong

✅ B.) 17 (~51 million litres/day) — 81% guessed right

❌ C.) 26 (78 million litres/day) — 13% guessed wrong

157 participants

📍 GuessWhere:

GuessWhere #045

  • Players: 173
  • Average guess distance: 1,536m
  • Farthest guess: 21.46 km
  • Closest guess: 7m (nice1!)
—Jamey (Facebook · Instagram)
Eastern Heights, Ipswich, QLD 4305
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