10 of the Best Parks in Ipswich for Kids

10. Robelle Domain

Robelle Domain is arguably one of the best parks in the entire Ipswich Region. These parklands are spread out over 24 hectares. They contain everything from a water park, cafes, cycling tracks, walking tracks, playgrounds and a swimming lagoon. The water park includes a zero depth play area with 700 litre tipping bucket and jet sprays.

The water park is surrounded by various play equipment including swings, see saws, climbing equipment. There is even a kids interactive music area. The parklands have over 11 kilometres of paths perfect for bike riding, jogging or walking. The pathways pass various streams, bushland, gardens, a lake, a waterfall and private BBQ / picnic areas. There are multiple open areas perfect for the largest family ball game.

The star attraction at Robelle Domain is the Orion Lagoon. The lagoon covers an area of 3.5km and has various areas suitable for children of all ages. At one end of the lagoon are a variety of swimming pools with varying depths up to 1.5m. Meanwhile the other end provides shallow streams with stepping stones ideal for toddlers. The lagoon is supervised by life guards between certain hours of the day.

Around the parklands are BBQ’s, sheltered picnic benches and large grassy areas perfect for pitching your own shelter for the day. There are also toilets, showers and lockers. Food and drink are available to purchase within the parklands at the Lagoon Café and Robelle Café. Likewise there are many food outlets at the nearby shops at Orion Springfield. The parklands have various places for parking and are also wheelchair accessible.

9. Providence Splash ‘n’ Play

Ripley’s waterpark Splash’n’Play is one of the ultimate kids adventure playgrounds.The shallow streams meandering through various water sprayers and water foundations is perfect for the little ones. Whilst the older children will enjoy running through the water shooters and aqua arch. The water play area is partially shaded.

The playground has a dedicated area for smaller children including nets, swings, seesaw and climbing equipment. Older children are going to the love the huge fort 7 metres off the ground. This contains various giant slides, climbing ropes, ladders as well as a flying fox.

There are various benches scattered around both the water park and playground areas for the parents to supervise children. Families can make use of the multiple BBQs and sheltered picnic tables. They can also purchase food and drinks at the parks funky café. Other park amenities include parking as well as a toilet and shower block.

8. Lobley Park

Plane crazy kids are going to love Lobley Park with its aeronautical themed playground. The park includes a RAAF Cargo Plane with a mock cockpit and a control tower complete with x-ray machine and radar screen. Other playground equipment includes swings, climbing equipment, a dedicated outdoor story area as well as many kilometres of pathways for kids to ride bike and scooters.

This is a perfect place to host a small child’s birthday party, particularly with the multiple areas with BBQs, sheltered picnic tables, parking and toilets.

7. Queens Park

Queens Park is one of the oldest parks in the region and offers a variety of a free activities such as a kids playground, a Japanese garden, Ipswich Nature Centre, environmental education centre, café and beautiful leafy gardens for a picnic. Nerima Gardens are beautiful Ipswich Japanese gardens, great for the kids and garden lovers alike to explore with the several pathways, bridges and streams.

The kids will love visiting a range of Australian wildlife at the Ipswich Nature Centre zoo, including kangaroos, wombats, goats, lizards, snakes, birds and emus. The mini zoo is open 6 days a week Tuesday to Sunday, whilst admission is free a gold coin donation is appreciated. All donations are used to care for the animals that live at the centre. The centre is wheelchair friendly.

The kids will enjoy learning about Ipswich’s unique natural environment and waterways at the Queens Park Environmental Education Centre as well as various Councils environmental initiatives such as recycling and other ways to improve our environment. The park also contains its very own Queens Park Café. You can grab drinks and food to go, or eat in whilst enjoying the views of the parklands.

There are various separate playground areas throughout Queens Park suitable for a children of all ages. Playground equipment includes train, small water play area, slides, multiple swings, including a liberty swing, climbing wall, and one of the biggest flying foxes in the region (big enough for Mum and Dad to have a go!).

Surrounding the playground is a beautiful wide open space, with plenty of shady trees perfect for a picnic setting. The park is wheelchair accessible and also includes sheltered picnic tables, BBQs and toilets.

6. Bob Gamble Park

Bob Gamble Park, which is the official name given to stage 2 of the River Heart Parklands is an absolute paradise for kids of all ages. The River Heart Parklands is home to one of several free water parks throughout Ipswich. The park has two main water play areas, one containing several water troughs which feed water into the maze of shallow streams meandering through the stepping stones, ideal for exploring toddlers.

The other water area has numerous spouts shooting water out at varying lengths, which is perfect for the older kids. This Ipswich water park also has ultra modern play equipment including a 25 metre flying fox, a huge climbing frame with massive slide, sand diggers, swings and a swing log for multiple kids to enjoy at once.

Kid’s imaginations will run wild in the unique Discovery Forest. This play area amongst the trees includes balance beams, two forts, wooden totem poles, a sailing boat and a bridge across a dry creek bed. The park has plenty of sheltered areas with picnic tables and BBQs as well as parking and a toilet and shower block. The park is also wheelchair accessible.

5. Leichhardt Park

Leichhardt Park is has two separate playground areas, one being suited to younger children and the other targeted at older kids. The junior area is fully fenced and includes playground equipment such as a slide, swings, sand diggers, climbing equipment. The area has plenty of paths for kids to ride bikes and scooters.

In the older kid’s area there is a flying fox and climbing equipment. This area also has a large sports field to kick a ball around. Both areas have their own dedicated sheltered picnic areas complete with BBQs. The park also has toilets and parking.

4. Henry Lawson Bicentennial Park

Henry Lawson Bicentennial Park is located 12 kilometres west of the Ipswich CBD in the small town of Walloon. This park is the ideal destination for a family Sunday drive. Families can have a BBQ lunch at the park or enjoy a pub lunch at the traditional country style Walloon Saloon.

The park has great facilities for toddlers through to pre teens with modern playground equipment including a sway fun glider, spring platform, oodle swing, omni spinner, climbing dome, fort, slide and swings. For the older children there is a skate bowl, basketball court and several kilometres of pathways for bike and scooter riding.

The park and playground is wheel chair friendly with pathways throughout the park as well as paths leading right into the playground allowing children in wheel chairs to enjoy several pieces of the playground equipment. Other park amenities include toilets, BBQs, undercover picnic areas and parking.

3. Johnston Park

Out of all the Rosewood parks, Johnston Park is ideal for younger children. Located under beautiful large shady trees, the playground is fully fenced and includes a small fort with multiple slides, flying fox, train and swings. There are plenty of park benches throughout the playground for parents to rest whilst supervising the kids.

Other park amenities include parking, toilets, BBQs and various picnic tables throughout the park.

2. Sutton Park

Sutton Park is a fantastic family park for kids of all ages. The young kids are going to love the miniature roadway, complete with traffic lights, stop signs, roundabouts and pedestrian crossing. Beyond the miniature system of roads, there are several kilometres of bike paths for the older children to ride around on.

Sutton Park has a great partially shaded modern playground with swings, see saws, a flying fox, monkey bars, and fort complete with slide. There is plenty of seating around the playground for parents to supervise their children.

For the teenagers there is a good sized skate bowl, basketball court as well as multiple open spaces to kick around a ball. Adults and kids alike will love the brand new CrossFit facility – the first of its kind in Australia! The facility is free to the community with each piece of equipment having full instructions. This ultra modern facility is fully undercover and has solar panel lighting for use during the evening.

Other park amenities include a huge toilet block, BBQs, sheltered picnic tables and parking.

1. Joseph Brady Park

Located amongst beautiful countryside and on the banks of the Brisbane River is the fantastic Joseph Brady Park. This Barellan Point park is one for the families who love outdoor activities. The park contains a partially shaded modern playground . Older kids will love the climbing dome and rock climbing wall, whilst the younger kids will love role playing in the pirate ship fort complete with slide as well as the see saws, swings and spinners.

The park has an access point for your canoe or kayak and you can fish right from the river banks. Other park amenities include BBQs, sheltered picnic tables, toilets and parking. The park is also wheelchair friendly with all areas of the park accessible by pathways as well as a disabled toilet.