Hotspot in focus: City of Ipswich (QLD)

Where is Ipswich?

Ipswich is an urban region/city in south-east Queensland, Australia, which is located 44km’s south-west of the Brisbane city. A local government area, the City of Ipswich has a population of 200,000 (projected to grow to 435,000 residents by 2031). The city is renowned for its architectural, natural and cultural heritage with over 6,000 heritage listed sites and 500 parks for residents to enjoy!

Disclaimer: This article is general nature and should not be relied upon. FHBA is not qualified or licensed to recommend locations for your first home. If you do not know where you want to buy your first home you should speak to a licensed professional.

Why Ipswich?

With most of the suburbs having access to trains to Brisbane and many of the properties affordably priced, Ipswich can be a good combination for those aspiring first home buyers looking for a good lifestyle whilst being able to commute to work conveniently via public transport.  Some of the more popular suburbs in the Ipswich region, for first home buyers, include:

  • East Ipswich
  • Booval
  • Brassall
  • Collingwood Park
  • Bundamba
  • Ebbw Vale
  • Goodna
  • Dinmore
  • Riverview
  • Redbank / Redbank Plains

With plenty of blue-collar workers, the Ipswich City Council have had to work hard to create sufficient jobs for its growing population. The award-winning Springfield master-planned community has been developed over the last decade to mirror a city like Parramatta, which is located in Sydney’s west.

Already with a new hospital, business park, and railway line, Springfield is considered the fastest growing suburb of the Ipswich region, it also currently has several projects in the pipeline. These include:

  • $50m expansion of the University of Southern Queensland
  • $70m headquarters for GE
  • $80m Mater Hospital
  • $100m Brookwater resort
  • $1.5 billion dollar expansion of Amberley RAAF base

There are also several road improvement projects in the pipeline, which are designed to attract those who travel to work from Ipswich, but like the easy going and quiet lifestyle that it offers.

Ipswich is home to some of the best mountain views in the QLD region

The Ipswich economy

City of Ipswich’s Gross Regional Product is estimated at $8.96 billion, which represents 2.9% of the state’s GSP (Gross State Product) – this is quite significant considering Brisbane & Gold Coast make a large portion of the state’s GSP.

Ipswich was a major coal mining centre when the mining boom was in full swing. The city is the ‘cradle of coal mining in Queensland’. Other manufacturing industries include earthenware works, sawmills, abattoirs and foundries, while the region is also has a rich agriculture industry. Ipswich remains a strong manufacturing region, with more than 14% of workers employed in the manufacturing industry, compared to just 7.6% for other parts of QLD.

Ipswich Housing

New housing has grown in popularity as first home buyers on tight budgets look to get a foothold in the market in the more affordable areas surrounding the Brisbane CBD, along with the $20,000 QLD FHOG (for new homes only) which has been extended to 31 Dec 2017. The infrastructure in the Ipswich region has led to better accessibility which as prompted aspiring first home buyers to consider Ipswich as a potential destination for their first home.

According to APM Data, the median house price in Ipswich is currently $347,000 and the median unit price currently stands at $271,000.

Looking to determine if you have saved enough for your first home in the Ipswich region? Click here to use our Eligibility Estimator.

How can FHBA help secure your first home in Ipswich?

Buying your first home can be quite tricky. That’s why at FHBA we are with you every step of the way, even as far as helping you moving into your first home!

First Home Loan

Your FHBA Coach will explain all the steps, determine your borrowing capacity, offer suitable loan options, compile your loan application paperwork and even assist you with applications for the FHOG and Stamp Duty concessions. Click here to get pre-approved with a no-charge assessment!

FHOG eligible brand new home

The map below shows our range of brand new property opportunities for aspiring first home buyers looking to buy in Ipswich and surrounding areas (all with FHOG eligibility + the FHBA 50 Rebate!). Simply click on the map for more details on each option. Be sure to make an enquiry if you are interested and want to know more about these or other options!

We have access to over 50 different projects across the Ipswich region!

Established homes

FHBA Buyers Edge assists first home buyers looking to buy an established home – regardless of budget, property type, or property location, we will not rest until you have successfully settled on a property you have chosen & you have comfortably moved into your first home. Find out more about our specialist services, by clicking here

If you are looking for more information or if you have any questions, please complete the form below to speak to an FHBA Coach.

Written By,

Taj Singh

FHBA co-founder








First Home Buyers Australia
First Home Buyers Australia

Australia’s leading organisation specialising in assisting first home buyers achieve the great Australian dream of property ownership.