Denmark Hill Conservation Reserve

It's not often you get an unspoiled natural wonderland in the heart of a city, but Denmark Hill Conservation Reserve in Ipswich Central is an idyllic environmental gem. This hideaway for nature lovers offers a choice of bush walking loops that range from 200 to 800 metres. Once you descend the walking tracks amid huge native trees, you completely forget that you're just a few minutes away from the city's main streets. It's a popular place for bird watchers, with owls, kookaburras, wrens, finches, and others making their homes here. The 11-hectare site was established as a reserve in the 1880s. It features picnic facilities, a nature-based playground, and a totem landscape art feature to recognise the connection and cultural significance to Traditional Owners. One of the cultural uses was sending communications through smoke signals.