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The Best Ipswich Newsletter

Meet Fairy Knoll - Ipswich Insider #001

Published about 2 months ago • 3 min read

Welcome to Issue #001 of Ipswich Insider—your weekly Ipswich cheat sheet, delivered every Wednesday. If you enjoy it, forward it to 3 friends—they can sign up for free here. Okay, let's jump right in:

Meet Fairy Knoll

Fairy Knoll, shown in watercolor above. Each issue of Ipswich Insider will feature a new Ipswich landmark in watercolor, along with its story.

In 2010, Ipswich surgeon Dr. Michael Fish and his wife bought one of the city's most iconic homes for $1.2 million. Known as Fairy Knoll, this heritage-listed residence sits on a sprawling 5,313 m2 (1.31 acres) at 2A Robertson Rd, Eastern Heights, and has been part of Ipswich's story for over a century.

📜 History and Origins

  • Built: 1897-1901 for £2,000 (~$575,000 today) for Thomas Hancock Jr. of Hancock & Sons timber merchants.
  • Design: By prominent Ipswich architect George Brockwell Gill (List of his significant Ipswich works here).
  • Name: Inspired by nearby "Faerieknowe" and its hilltop location.
  • Legacy: Louise Hancock lived here until her passing in 1947 (aged 92) after raising 10 children.

🏛️ Architecture and Design

  • Style: Federation-era villa with 2-storey ornate timber verandahs surrounding the home. 
  • Brickwork: Decorative contrasting brickwork.
  • Rooftop Feature: Lantern tower/light well lit the central stairwell, later it was repurposed as a strategic WWII lookout.
  • Interior: 7 bedrooms, 3m-wide entrance hall, spacious living areas, and 2 built-in rooftop water tanks (~30,000 litres), removed in 1952.
  • Grounds: Originally had landscaped gardens, a tennis court, stables, laundry, a coach house, and rock garden.

🏥 Later Use and Heritage Listing

  • Sold: After Louisa Hancock's death (1947), sold to QLD Gov't (1952).
  • Facility: Jefferis Turner Maternal and Child Welfare Home from 1952-1986.
  • Renovated: 1952 remodel converted it into a gov't facility, verandahs enclosed.
  • Converted: 1986—became a respite care center for disabled children.
  • Restored: 1988—verandahs reopened, many earlier changes reversed.
  • Heritage: Officially added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992 (Place ID 600600).

🏡 Modern Ownership and Renovations

  • Privatized: Sold in 2001 for $512,000.
  • Current Owner: Bought by Ipswich surgeon Dr. Michael Fish in 2010 for $1.2 million.
  • Restored: Extensive heritage renovations carried out in the early 2010s.
  • Showcased: Featured in the National Trust's "Great Houses of Ipswich" program in 2018. Did you visit?

⭐ Heritage Significance

  • Iconic: One of Ipswich's most famous historic homes.
  • Character: The lantern tower, verandahs, and gardens set it apart.
  • Protected: Heritage listing ensures it's preserved for future generations.

Fun Stuff

Each issue of Ipswich Insider will have fun stuff related to Ipswich: Word scrambles, trivia, polls/surveys, guess where? and more... You'll vote on what games stay and go. 

🧩 Word Scramble:

🤔 Trivia:

Find answer at bottom of email.

📍 Guess Where in Ipswich:

Hint: You might hear the pipes and drums.

Last Week's Top Stories

🏃‍♂️ Ipswich sprinter Gout Gout (17) runs the world's fastest 200m this year — 19.98s. Watch →

🌪️ Cyclone Alfred financial assistance made available to all areas of Ipswich City LGA. If affected, make an account and apply here → 

What's Happening This Week

Wednesday 

Ipswich Art Gallery - Check out Mark George's glasswork & glassblowing journey exhibtion any day from 10am - 3pm (until Sunday) no bookings required

Stoney Creek Brewing Events Room - Relax, have a drink and draw with others. Real model posing from 6-8pm bookings here

Brothers Leagues Club Ipswich - $25 poker night you must be registered by 6pm BLC membership info

Monte Lane Wine Bar - Trivia night (at 6:30pm) with wine, pizza & prizes bookings essential

Banshees Bar & Artspace - Open mic night from 7pm info

Booval Freemasons Centre - Free guided meditation practice with evening tea reserve a spot

Thursday

General Public Nicholas St. - Sip and paint class from 6-8:30pm tickets

Club Services Ipswich - Trivia Thursday from 6:30-9pm info

Orion Hotel - Poker night from 7pm info

Banshees Bar & Artspace - Karaoke night from 8pm info

Friday

Willowbank Raceway - CMC Rocks 9am-late (all weekend) tickets

Orion Hotel - Live music from 3pm onwards 

Ipswich Turf Club - Race Day 12-5pm info

Stony Creek Brewing - Live music: Rebecca Lee Nye from 6-9p info

Hotel Commonwealth - Live music from 7pm till late bookings

Ipswich Civic Centre - The Killer Queen Experience (Queen tribute band) from 7:30pm-9:40pm ticket info

Banshees Bar & Artspace - Live music: Unleash The Metal Inferno starting at 8pm tickets

Saturday

Queensland Museum Rail Workshops - Robowars fighting robots event (10am, 12pm, 2pm) (until Sunday) get tickets

Orion Springfield Central - Quibble preloved clothing markets from 1-5pm all the info here

Ipswich Civic Centre - Music of the Night: Andrew Lloyd Webber tribute band from 2pm ticket info

Tivoli Drive-In - Picnic under the stars while watching Despicable Me 4 and/or Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy (7pm and 8:45pm) tickets

The Soul Nook Collective Marburg - 60 mins sunset sound meditation from 4-5pm tickets

Stony Creek Brewing - Live music: Dave Barrie (feat. Izzy) from 6-9pm info

Hotel Commonwealth - Live music from 7pm till late bookings

Banshees Bar & Artspace - Live music: Infinite Skies starting at 8pm tickets

Sunday

Hotel Commonwealth - Live music from 1-3pm 

The Rusty Nail - Cocktail making class at 2pm tickets

Monday 

🦗

Tuesday

Hotel Commonwealth - Triva night from 7pm till late bookings

Scramble Answer: Limestone 

Trivia Answer: True. The City of Ipswich has a land area 1.5x bigger than Singapore. 

—Jamey
Ipswich Insider
Eastern Heights, Ipswich, QLD 4305

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