Disability-friendly City of Ipswich: A place to live and thrive

A short drive west of Brisbane is the City of Ipswich, a laid-back small town where nature, history and community fill every day with possibilities. While the drive from Brisbane is short, the list of things to do and sights to see in Ipswich is long!

From beautiful nature trails and gardens to historical railway experiences and award-winning museums, Ipswich is already a seriously popular place to live. With easy and fast public transport to Brisbane, great weather, and plenty of ways to have fun, Ipswich is a very popular place to live.

The best part? Ipswich is packed with disability-friendly activities, places and services, so everyone can live their best life.

If you’re considering moving to Ipswich, stay right here on this page. We’re going to explore the many reasons why Ipswich is a great place to live and thrive.

The Ipswich Lifestyle

Ipswich has long been known for its beautiful architecture, natural surroundings and handy location. That’s what’s made it one of the fastest growing cities in Australia! Ipswich offers a laid-back lifestyle away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, but still has plenty to offer when it comes to fun, community connections and learning.

Here are some of the best things to do in Ipswich.

Things to do

Get to know native wildlife at Ipswich Nature Centre

Located in Queen’s Park and just a short walk from the train station is Ipswich Nature Centre, a family-friendly place for nature and animal lovers alike. There are landscaped gardens that display local flowers and plants, exhibits about the local history, and Australian wildlife to see and learn about.

You can get a bite to eat at the cafe inside or go your own way with a packed lunch. If the weather is nice, bring a sandwich and sit down for a picnic in a shady spot in Queen’s Park once you’re finished exploring!

It’s free to visit, but you have the option to give a gold coin donation towards caring for the animals and gardens.

Ipswich Nature Centre is a wheelchair-friendly attraction with accessible parking available, and you are welcome to bring your service animal. You can find a wheelchair-accessible toilet nearby in Queen’s Park near the playground, and make your way there along wide, flat pathways.

You can find the Nature Centre entrance on Goleby Avenue. It’s open every day except Mondays from 9am to 4:00pm.

See Queensland’s most famous model railway

At the Workshops Rail Museum, you can see the state’s entire railway network in the way that only birds can. The museum’s model railway is a favourite for the whole family. It’s built to show you Queensland’s entire railway network in miniature form, with moving trains to take you on a journey and beautifully detailed towns over famous bridges and through Brisbane’s suburbs.

If that’s not your cup of tea, you can take a look at the heritage-listed historical railway workshop, which was built over 100 years from 1878 to 1980. You’ll see what carriages looked like in the 1880s and get the experience of boarding the train. The sights and sounds of the railway long ago will help to transport you back in time for a truly historical experience.

All entrances to the Workshops Rail Museum and most of the areas are wheelchair accessible, with gently sloping ramps or chair lifts to ensure easy access. If you find you need some assistance, you can ask a Visitor Service Officer to help you use the ramps or lift. You can also borrow a wheelchair to use inside the museum for free, and rest assured - there’s space for wheelchairs set aside at all of the events and activities.

You can find the museum - and use accessible parking - on North Street in North Ipswich. Find out more and plan your visit on the Workshops Rail Museum website.

Get your pub food fix at the Prince Alfred Hotel

Sometimes, nothing hits the spot like a bowl of hot chips and ice cold beer. And there’s no better place to get your fix than Tap’d pub at the Prince Alfred (‘PA’) Hotel.

Located in Booval on Brisbane Road, the PA offers classic pub attractions like delicious food, big screens to watch sport events, and trivia with free entry every Wednesday night. But this is no ordinary pub. When you head to the bar, you’ll have 72 different beers on tap to choose from - the largest selection of craft beers in the entire southern hemisphere! If you can’t choose, try four at once with a Tap’d tasting paddle.

There’s a wheelchair-accessible entrance on Brisbane Street through Chill’d bar.

This hotspot gets busy, so don’t forget to make a booking! You can do that on the PA’s website.

With all this on offer, it’s easy to picture a fun, active and independent life in Ipswich for people with disability. The last piece of the puzzle is the place to live.

Supported Independent Living in Yamanto, Ipswich

Located in Yamanto on the south side of Ipswich, this brand new home is as modern as it gets. Ideal for people who want a balance of alone time and socialising with friends, this Supported Independent Living (SIL) vacancy offers the best of both.

About the home

There’s a large bedroom with its own private patio where you can retreat and recharge, as well as plenty of spaces to hang out with your housemates. The open plan living space, large backyard and alfresco dining area are perfect for barbecues and board game nights.

The details

• Four bedrooms, three bathrooms
• Medium-high disability support
• Ratio: 1:2 or 1:4
• SDA Category: fully accessible

Designed and built with independent living for people with disability in mind, this home provides access to 24/7 support, and has modern safety features like Tunstall Assistive Technology and help buttons in each room.

Eligibility for SDA and SIL

To apply for this vacancy, you will need funding for SIL and Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) in your NDIS plan.

This home is close to everything you’ll need to live life the way you choose. It’s centrally positioned just nine minutes away from Endeavour Foundation Learning and Lifestyle hub in Ipswich and thirty minutes away from our Supported Employment Business Solutions site Wacol. You will have easy access to everyday essential services, including public transport, Yamanto Shopping Village, medical centres, restaurants, cafes and more.

Enquire today about Supported Independent Living in Yamanto, call our friendly team on 1800 112 112 or visit our website.