One of the oldest parks in Queensland, Queens Park boasts enormous, shady trees dotted around the picturesque green expanse on the hill at the eastern entrance to the city. A perfect place to spread out the picnic rug, fire up the barbie and spend a pleasant few hours. If you're not such a BYO person, the indoor-outdoor Queens Park Café offers everything for the hungry park-goer, including a special Kids' Menu. Next door to the Café, is the Environmental Education Centre with some fun interactive displays. Queens Park's playground was inspired by Ipswich's coal mining history, with an impressive design incorporating a flying fox, fixed model train, Liberty Swing for people in wheelchairs to enjoy a ride, and water pumps. And if that's not enough, there are two more amazing, free attractions - the Japanese-themed Nerima Gardens, and the Ipswich Nature Centre which has been delighting visitors since 1936. Enter the Ipswich Nature Centre through the historical rotunda and be charmed by wallabies contentedly nibbling or dozing, and other native animals such as wombats, emus, bilbies and water birds in their authentic habitats. Then there's the barn where the younger ones won't be able to resist farm animals such as pigs, calves, guinea pigs and lambs. Nerima Gardens was designed in consultation with Ipswich's sister city in Japan. A model traditional Japanese tea house, constant sound of flowing water, winding paths and charming gardens make this a tranquil and calming space. A unique factor is that Australian native plants have been used, with some being indigenous to Ipswich.