Australia

Anna Hitchings finds a treasure chest of history, charming shops, fantastic food, nature walks and adventure rides just outside Brisbane

When I told friends and family I was off to Ipswich for a weekend, some of them laughed. The booming, urban sprawl southwest of Brisbane is not up there among Queensland’s tourist attractions. But I discover a town full of hidden treasures that makes for a great weekend holiday or at least an inviting stop-off point if passing through. DAY ONE I kick off the day with a visit to the Rafter and Rose cafe on Ellenborough St for breakfast. It may be small but the food is fantastic, especially the popular bacon jam. Though everything on the menu is a safe bet, the pastries are definitely the stand-out. Rafter and Rose also sells homemade jams (including bacon) and sauces.

I’m craving fresh air and nature so I walk to Queens Park in central Ipswich. The park is one of the oldest in the state and while you’re there, you can visit the Ipswich Nature Centre, which houses Australian birds and animals. The nearby Nerima Gardens are picturesque and definitely worth a stroll, too.

The Pumpyard Bar and Brewery is the perfect spot for lunch and a beer. The team at Pumpyard takes beer brewing to the next level and has gained a well-earned reputation for it. Whether you try the light and refreshing carrot-flavoured beer, the barley wine dessert beer, the s’mores stout — brewed using marshmallows, cocoa and biscuits — or a sampling paddle of them all, the choice is yours.

If you’re not a beer lover, try the froze — a frozen mixture of rose´ wine, agave syrup and lemonade that tastes like a frozen sangria. Going along with the bacon theme, the brewery also serves a bacon icecream sandwich with caramel sauce, which is delicious, but very filling.

After lunch, I stroll through the Top of Town precinct on Brisbane St with stops at Gemutlich for cute homeware and the Gift Emporium. If you’re a lover of all things vintage, check out Vintage Advantage on Brisbane St and/or the Antique Centre on East St.

There is certainly call for a pretty frock in Ipswich and I don mine before heading out to dinner at The Cottage Restaurant, housed in an 1860s renovated building on Limestone St. I eat a delicious rabbit, followed by a scrumptious lavender creme brulee.

I retire to my hotel, the very central Metro Hotel International on South St, for an early night before an early start. DAY TWO I’m greeted at the ripe hour of 4am in the Metro Hotel lobby by my pick-up for a Floating Images’ hot air balloon flight. The family business has been running for almost 20 years and is the hot air balloon company closest to Brisbane.

I’m whisked up into the air and enjoy one hour of wide-view wonder over the Lockyer Valley against the backdrop of the Great Dividing