 Queens Park
Merle Finimore Ave
Ipswich
Ipswich's family friendly grand historical park, established in 1864 and named after Queen Victoria is today the green recreational heart of the city. It incorporates a multi-age multi-level playground, café and environmental centre, 1920s tennis courts, Japanese garden, quaint croquet club (c1902), and fantastic free mini zoo of Australian native animals that has its origins in an original animal enclosure built in 1936. Terraced in the distinctive rustic limestone (a 1930's Depression project) that adorns Ipswich's older public places and dotted with Federation style rotundas, historical points of interest and picnic shelters, it offers a full day out for visitors of all ages.
Look out for the 1891 built rotunda at the entrance to the nature centre, the 1941 built greenhouse, glasshouse and formal gardens and the Walter Burley Griffin designed red brick incinerator behind the nature centre that dates from 1936 and is now HQ of Ipswich's Little Theatre. At the time it was built to burn off the city's rubbish.
Meanwhile, playground wise, it's about as good as it gets, with water play and inbuilt pumps to create rivulets, a fantastic flying fox, a swing circle, climbing web, Liberty swing, climbing frames, multiple slippery dips, a submerged train shell, learning blocks, ropes to 'abseil' up an incline and a swinging hammock. Surrounding the playground and further down the hill are multiple picnic shelters and some barbecues and across the access road, the child friendly Queens Park café and Environmental Centre.
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