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5 Hidden Gems from Ipswich to Brisbane for Families

There are some great places for families on the drive from Ipswich to Brisbane, and itโ€™s not just all about parks either, there are drive-in movies included!

Ipswich Art Gallery

Ipswich Art Gallery - fun things to do in Ipswich with Kids

There is almost always a wonderful childrenโ€™s exhibition on at the Ipswich Art Gallery, not just to look at, but where families can create, experience, touch, play and listen. Find out What’s On at the Ipswich Art Gallery now by clicking here.

Tivoli Drive in Theatre, Tivoli

Thereโ€™s nothing quite like going to the drive-in to see a movie. Pack a picnic, pillows, blankets and chairs and make your way to the Tivoli Drive in Theatre. Two recent release family movies are only $10 per car! Open every Saturday night, market stalls and fun starts at 4 pm.  Thereโ€™s also a cafรฉ on site.  Click here

Robelle Domain, Springfield Central

If youโ€™re looking for a family fun day out, Robelle Domain has everything.  There is 5km worth of bike tracks, an aquativity park where you can have a 7000 litre bucket of water poured on you. How refreshing! There are plenty of picnic tables spotted around the park to enjoy a picnic lunch or barbecue or if youโ€™d prefer not to worry about food preparation, Robelle Cafรฉ is on site offering a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner options. If youโ€™re keen for a swim in a deeper pool, the Orion Lagoon is just next door.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Fig Tree Pocket

Koala Centre Daisy Hill - Things to do in Logan with kids

Keen to hug a koala? Well, you certainly have the opportunity to do this on your drive from Ipswich to Brisbane at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Lone Pine was the worldโ€™s first koala sanctuary starting with only 2 koalas! Today thereโ€™s more than 130 of these gorgeous creatures. Itโ€™s not just koalas youโ€™ll be able to appreciate amongst the riverside bushland, a variety of Australian animals call the sanctuary home including the kangaroo, cassowary, wombat, Tassie devil, dingo, lorikeet and platypus. Read our review of Lone Pine Sanctuary here.

Find out how to get discounted entry every day to Lone Pineclick here.

Hide โ€˜nโ€™ Seek Childrenโ€™s Trail, Mt. Cootha Botanical Gardens

Who doesnโ€™t love a game of hide โ€˜nโ€™ seek? At Mt. Cootha Botanical Gardens theyโ€™ve created somewhat of a mystery tour amongst the shady Exotic Rainforest section of the gardens. On the walk, there are 17 marked objects for you to find along the way.  Youโ€™ll need to look up, look down and look sideways so you donโ€™t miss one. Pick up a brochure for the walk at the information desk near the Planetarium and donโ€™t forget to take a pen or pencil so you can work through your checklist and do a fun quiz at the end of the adventure. Click here.

These 5 hidden gems found on your drive between Ipswich to Brisbane sound like a whole lot of fun, right? Make sure you add them to your familyโ€™s bucket list because they make for a great family day out!

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Janine Mergler

Janine Mergler is a veteran Queensland teacher, graduating from QUT with a BEd majoring in Social Sciences. After many years in the classroom, Janine moved on to academia. She has proudly trained new generations of teachers in her role as a lecturer at Queensland University of Technology Faculty of Education. She has also worked in the Queensland Government as an education specialist, developing education resources and delivering community awareness programs to help families conserve water. Currently she is the owner and editor of Families Magazine, a publication specifically targeted at parents who value a quality education for children.ย  Janine leads a team of professionals who write about family lifestyle, early childhood, schools and education information and family-friendly events.

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