Ipswich is proud to be leading the way in many areas, including economic and residential development, education, tourism, lifestyle, heritage, sport and culture.

Economic Development – Ipswich is now well regarded as a hub for economic development, attracting multi-million dollar industrial enterprises and developing significant commercial and industrial parks.  Ipswich is home to the Amberley Airbase, scheduled for a massive redevelopment worth $284 million, and is the largest operational airbase in Australia.  Ipswich’s economy once consisted of coal mining, cotton farming, wool manufacturing and rail industries. Today, Ipswich’s economic strategy focuses on the vast potential in aerospace, food industries, education, manufacturing, transport and distribution. Solid economic opportunities are presented in the ever-growing Ipswich Aerospace Precinct, Bremer Business Park, Ebenezer Industrial Park, Swanbank Enterprise Park, Synergy Park, River Heart Project and the Ipswich Motorsport Precinct. These opportunities are all part of Ipswich City Council’s Ipswich 2020 and Beyond vision, which focuses on sustainable development, both now and for the future.

Residential Development – Ipswich is thriving in residential development, ahead of the City’s anticipated population boom. Ipswich’s population of 140,000 is expected to grow to 317,000 by 2026. The Queensland Government’s South East Queensland Regional Plan released in June 2005 identifies planning for 75,000 new homes in Ipswich over the next 20 years. The level of development activity in the region has more than doubled in the past two years. Property growth throughout the City is further confirmed in the $5 billion net increase in the Queensland Government’s property valuations in April 2005. The guiding vision for Ipswich is to create a network of distinct communites interwoven with recreational facilities, green open space and rural landscapes serviced by large scale infrastructure, roads and public transport.  These communities will be developed around centres and linked to employment nodes where people can work and study.  In line with this, City Centres have been planned and/or established at Springfield, Ripley Valley, Brassall, Goodna and Rosewood,  with inner city residential development also taking shape with the first high density unit block in the CBD constructed in 2006. 

Education – Ipswich is the only regional centre in Australia with two university campuses – the University of Queensland Ipswich Campus and the University of Southern Queensland Springfield campus.  It is also home to Education City, which is planned to be Australia’s largest learning community, bringing together education, training and learning providers all in the one location.  The campus offers a diversity of programs for students to study and unique partnership opportunities for education and training providers and associated businesses. The result is a place where people of all ages and backgrounds can come together and learn.  The first stage of Education City was opened in March 2006.  The campus will continue to grow over a series of stages throughout the next 10 to 15 years.  It is estimated that Education City will be worth approximately $1B when it is fully developed.  The student population of Education City alone is expected to reach almost 10,000 when the development is complete. This includes 750 students that will live on campus.  Ipswich has identified education as an important industry playing a key role in the economic future of the region. Ipswich City Council works in partnership with the City’s educational representatives to achieve maximum benefits for all stakeholders. The Ipswich Region Education and Training Cluster Inc. (also known as The Green Corner – Ipswich Study Region) is an education network collaboratively working to develop exciting study opportunities, linkages and learning pathways and exploring innovative ways to attract international students to the region.

Tourism – More than one million people visit Ipswich each year, intrigued by its enchanting blend of city and country, and past and present. Tourism plays an important role in Ipswich and is a major contributor to its economy. Tourism is acting as a catalyst for the visual improvement of sites of heritage significance (including the Ipswich Art Gallery) and parks (including Queens Park). This new infrastructure is not only providing new facilities for Ipswich residents, but is also providing new attractions for visitors to the City.

Lifestyle – Ipswich, South-East Queensland’s vibrant centre of booming growth.   In the midst of our city’s rapidly expanding population and economy, Ipswich maintains its unique, home grown ‘village style’ character.  This, together will an impressive array of tourism experiences and attractions, is what brings over a million visitors to Ipswich each year.  Just 40 minutes from Brisbane (the State’s capital city), Ipswich is ideal for a for a day trip or a short break away.   From dedicated family experiences, outdoor activities and adventure to heritage attractions, charming country townships and deluxe retreats, Ipswich caters to visitors of all ages and interests.  Whether you are looking for a quiet country retreat, a cosmopolitan city providing all the modern-day conveniences or just a great place to bring up a family, Ipswich provides a quality lifestyle to suit all needs. Ipswich offers an excellent location and climate, and affordable living with easy access to schools, sporting and recreational facilities, banking, health and medical facilities, shopping, dining and entertainment.

Heritage – Ipswich is a city with rich heritage and retains one of the finest collections of early colonial architecture in Queensland.  Locals love the history of their community, which can been seen in carefully restored Queenslander homes throughout Ipswich neighbourhood, civic buildings, atmospheric old pubs and the palatial homesteads.  A rich history, country-style hospitality, galleries, museums, antique stores and a treasured architectural heritage all here waiting to be discovered in Ipswich, Queensland’s oldest provincial city.  the Ipswich is renowned for its architectural, cultural and natural heritage, which is celebrated in the streetscapes of Ipswich and in heritage homes, pubs, trails and galleries. Ipswich proudly preserves and still operates from many of its historical buildings and homes, with more than 6000 heritage-listed sites. Ipswich also has a range of charming townships within the western rural areas of the city, each with its own legitimate claims of historical significance.

Sport – Sport is a favourite recreational and competitive activity in Ipswich. It is this pastime and passion which has positioned Ipswich as one of Australia’s sporting ‘nurseries’. Ipswich has more Olympic representatives per capita than any other provincial centre in Australia. The City is proud to host high quality sporting events at world-class facilities. Examples include the Australian Superbike Championship, Queensland 300 V8 supercars, Winternationals drag racing, the Queensland Open Golf Championship and regular golfing events at the award-winning Greg Norman-designed Brookwater Golf Course.

Culture – Ipswich is a leader in cultural activities, with a strong choral and Eisteddfod tradition, a large visual arts population and a growing multicultural arts community. The Ipswich Art Gallery is the first and largest social and cultural infrastructure project to be undertaken in the region. For the past three years it has been the most visited regional Art Gallery in Australia. Regular cultural events include the Ipswich, Jacaranda and Kaleidoscope Festivals, the Ipswich Poetry Feast and a multitude of concerts, dances and exhibitions.