Give mum a day to remember this Mother’s Day. There’s plenty of things to do with mum in Ipswich and country, here’s some top picks.
Picnic train ride
Book a picnic steam train ride for mum on 12 May departing Bundamba or Swanbank station.
Leaving at 9am, 11am or 1pm from Bundamba and 10.10am or 12.10am from Swanbank.
Travel on the Queensland Pioneer Steam Train past the site of the Box Flat mining disaster and wonderful bushland, then stop and grab a spot under a shady tree at Swanbank for lunch.
The Swanbank food fair will be operating from 9:30am to 2:10pm with yummy treats, coffee and slow cooked meats. Adults cost $22, children $11.
Celebration of sisterhood
The Soul Nook Collective is co-hosting a celebration of sisterhood event for Mother’s Day on 11 May in Marburg.
It will be a day to honor all women with a luxury outdoor setting, gourmet grazing platters, bubbles on arrival and live music by Virjillia Joy during the event.
Take in a breath taking sunset and create your own gift to take home. There will be an optional private and conscious ceremony to honour the special women in our lives who aren’t with us anymore.
Take a portrait photo in our special photography chair and relax in the gorgeous bell tent picnic setting with fire place to watch the sun go down. You also have the option to add flower crown making to your ticket.
The event is being held at the Marburg Church on 11 May from 2pm to 5.30pm.
Standard cost is $120, VIP tickets are $160 and include a handmade Boho Posies flower crown and free gift.
Contact The Soul Nook Collective on Facebook or visit their website for more information.
Visit Ipswich’s great houses
Treat mum a day early for Mother’s Day to a tour that will visit three open homes during the Great Houses of Ipswich, a National Trust event to explore the heritage and history of Queensland’s oldest provincial city.
Discover streets lined with cherished heritage homes, grand churches, historic pubs and heritage listed homes that are rarely open to the public and take a walk through three private homes, Claremont, Lakemba and The Chestnuts.
The Great Houses Heritage Tour includes access to the open homes, Devonshire tea on the veranda of the award winning Ipswich Visitor Information Centre and commentary from a local guide who will take you on a journey immersed in local history and stories of bygone eras.
Leave the car behind and relax on a friendly tour that will give you priority access to all three homes.
Book early to avoid disappointment. The tour departs Roderick Street carpark at 9.30am and concludes about 1.30pm.
You can also visit the houses yourself, a great activity if you can’t take the bus tour. The houses will open from 10am to 4pm on 11 May and entry costs $5 per person (children and students are free as well as National Trust members).
Locations:
Claremont at 1A Milford Street, Ipswich.
Lakemba at 14 Chelmsford Avenue, Ipswich.
The Chestnuts at 90 Nicholas Street, Ipswich.
Wine and cheese at a vineyard
Explore the rural setting of Ironbark Ridge Vineyard and make a day for mum to look back on.
Wander through the six acres of chardonnay, shiraz and grenache vines.
Sit on the verandah of the 100-year-old property, and try the wine for $5 with a cheese platter $15.
Or bring your own picnic and sit under the lovely big trees next to the lavender that is starting to bloom.
Plant a tree for mum
Trees for Mum is an annual event where you can cherish your mum by planting a native tree in her honour.
Mums will receive a free gift on the day, enjoy a coffee (get a discount if using a keep cup), visit the nearby playground and bring a picnic rug to enjoy the serenity.
Get a free plant from the council’s mobile nursery and learn about natives in your backyard.
A free talk on Bioscaping 4 Biodieversity by Flora 4 Fauna will start at 10am.
Trees for Mum will be held on Sunday, 12 May from 9am to 11am at George Palmer Park on the corner of Blacktone Road and Sealy Street at Silkstone.
Register by logging into myipswich.com and searching Trees for Mum Day or call Ipswich City Council on 3810 6666.