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Shaping
Amalgamation of Ipswich City and
Moreton Shire Councils
When Ipswich became a city in 1904, it only encompassed the
centre of present day Ipswich. Goodna and the area east of
Bundamba Creek amalgamated with Ipswich in 1949 while the Shires
of Rosewood and Normanby merged with the Shire of Moreton.
The surrounding areas had separate Shire councils.
In 1995, the City of Ipswich and the Shire of Moreton merged to
form the Ipswich City Council we know today. This was part of a
Queensland-wide initiative and it created much controversy at the
time. Concerns were raised about the new “super councils” losing
touch with rate payers and the needs of their communities.
However, the merging of shires provided the chance for councils to
have a greater say in the shaping of their region and the Ipswich
City Council has grasped this opportunity with enthusiasm.
Ripley Valley Master Plan
Ipswich’s new and larger Council took the initiative to dream big
dreams for the region. A growing population was destined to place
great strain on existing infrastructure and the spectre of relentless
and undisciplined development was possible. So an Enquiry by
Design process was initiated in 2005. The Ripley Valley Master Plan
was the outcome and this design framework has the goal of
creating a master planned living and working environment for over
120,000 people just five kilometres southwest of the Ipswich CBD.
Ipswich Regional Centre Strategy
In July 2007, the Ipswich City Council and the Queensland government
joined forces to establish a week-long Enquiry by Design forum
focussing on the revitalisation of the Ipswich CBD. This forum brought
together council and state planners, and local and global experts in
urban planning to map out strategic initiatives and design solutions
for the inner city. A number of catalyst projects were identified
including the Ipswich Centre Masterplan, Public Art Strategy,
Streetscape Strategy and Streetscape Design Manual.
The Enquiry by Design forums have been key elements in the
development of the Ipswich Regional Centre Strategy. The Strategy
seeks to revitalise the Ipswich City Centre and make it a multi-
purpose, prosperous and vibrant place. As the principal activity
centre of the western corridor of the South East Queensland
region, the vision for the City Centre is one of hustle and bustle, a
place where locals and visitors alike can visit, shop and share the
spirit of Ipswich. Council’s purchase of Ipswich City Square through
its wholly owned company, Ipswich City Properties Pty Ltd, as well
as its partnerships with local business and other levels of
government, are currently laying the ground work for a future
Ipswich centre that celebrates its prosperous past, to build a vibrant
and dynamic future.
City of Centres
Planning for the future is essential for the sustainable growth of the
Ipswich region. Ipswich City Council’s central planning blueprint,
Ipswich 2020 and Beyond is a roadmap showing where the city is
now, where it wants to be in the future and how these outcomes
will be achieved.
A key element of this blueprint is the idea of a City of Centres
incorporating a network of distinct communities interwoven with
recreational facilities, bikeways and trails, green and open spaces
and rural landscapes that are linked by appropriate roads and public
transport facilities. In this way, a series of city centres are
envisioned that connect residents to their local place as well as to
the broader region. The strategic master plan for Springfield is a
successful example of this way of planning. As the country’s largest
master planned community, Springfield offers a range of residential
densities set within a lakeside and creek line environment. Other
city centre developments that have either been planned or are
already established are at Ipswich Central, Ripley, Brassall, Goodna
and Rosewood.
Springfield
From a large tract of scrub in 1992 when the land was purchased by
the Springfield Land Corporation, today Springfield is the very
definition of a master planned community. More than $2.4 billion
has been spent turning the former forestry into Australia’s largest
and fastest growing master planned community - $12 million a week,
$600 million a year.
The 61st World Congress of the International Real Estate Federation
(FIABCI) 2010 agreed, awarding Springfield the winner of the
“Excellence in Master Planned” category, above 53 other entrants
from 11 countries including Asia, Europe and the United States. This
prestigious award recognises the dedication, quality and vision of
the Greater Springfield master plan, a plan which is even now only
in the early stages of this vast and visionary project.
30 Ipswich 150: 1860 – 2010
Proud Past - Exciting Future