Nerima Gardens

Nestled within Queen's Park is the enchanting Nerima Gardens .


Nerima Gardens inviting entrance

 Nerima Gardens was opened in 2001,  in conjunction with Ipswich's sister city in Japan, Nerima .
Nerima is situated on the eastern coast of Japan, south of Fukushima and is one of many international communities Ipswich shares links with. These friendly ties between nations have shared benefits and Nerima Gardens is a cultural gift  to wonder at .


Official opening 17 May 2001

                                                                                                          Passing through the gates marking the
entrance to Nerima Gardens really gives the impression of leaving Ipswich behind and crossing over into Japan .
 The gardens are a unique blend of  Australian and oriental plants cultivated in authentic Japanese style. The hypnotic walkways take you onto a journey of peace and tranquility difficult to describe and hard to compare .
As you wander along the pathways you will find rest stops and benches conveniently positioned to pause and appreciate the serenity of this place. It is one of those timeless places that calls you back and leaves you with an inner peace.It definitely is a highlight of Ipswich .



Scenic view into gardens

 While walking around one of Nerima's twisting paths I met Bob. Bob  (now retired from another iconic Ipswich landmark, The Workshop Railway )and his wife have been coming been coming back here for the past few years to enjoy the peace and quiet while getting a couples walk in. (This place is a sure winner for that !)
The gardens are also home to and abundance of wildlife. The streams and ponds are home to fish, frogs and turtles. Ducks and Magpie Geese also live on and around the pond.Butterflies and Dragon Flies are common to see and coming across a Bearded Dragon family sunning themselves is sure to give you a thrill (no matter how old you are) .


People of all ages enjoy the gardens


On the 19 November 2009, Nerima Mayor Toshiro Shimura travelled to Ipswich to unveil the Nerima Tea house. Mayor Paul Pisasale was more than happy to open the tea house for official functions and strengthening the bonds between the two cities. The tea house offers a nice shady retreat on the walk nestled amongst the gently cascading creeks .

Lizard Corner

Official opening of Gardens Tea House 12 Nov 2009



View of Nerima Teahouse from above



Side view of Tea House

Pathways leading to tucked away delights



Nerima Gardens is a magical place unlike any other and well worth the visit .

A Journey through Queen's Park ....

Gidday and welcome to our journey through Queen's Park.

As you drive into Ipswich city, Queen's Park is located on the left hand side of town. Just follow the signs and turn left into Milford street, you can't miss it .

The park is as old as Ipswich itself , making up part of the original surveyed settlement in 1842. In 1862 designs began to shape it into the attraction it is today .

Queen's Park caters to nearly all occasions. Picnic tables and bar-b-que areas are scattered throughout and a huge playground keeps the kids occupied. With a recently renovated look, Queen's Park kiosk sits in the centre of the park (a relaxing snack spot to recharge) and don't forget to check out the enviromental centre next door .



Queen's Park Cafe

A lookout atop the hill gives a great view of the parklands &  the surrounding landscape and if you are unsure of where to begin, stop in at the Ipswich information centre on the way in town, Tony and the staff are human encyclopedias on the region & sure to provide you with everything from maps to facts  .

Enviromental education centre



Plenty of room to kick the footy





Housed in Queen's Park are 2 must see attractions.

• Nerima Gardens-Experience a rare taste of traditional Japanese garden & let yourself go within the confines of this tranquil sanctuary .
• Queen's Park Nature Reserve-Take a relaxing stroll along the raised boardwalk through the nature reserve,discovering a world of native Aussie plants & animals .

 

Enchanting Nerima Gardens

 




Australian Lace Monitor-Goanna-a nature centre resident



Be sure to check out my individual reviews on these 2 places .



Tennis for young & old

Dotted around the outside of Queens Park you will find plenty of other activities. The Ipswich Bowls club, The Ipswich Junior tennis centre, which actually caters for juniors to veterans and is quite the social atmosphere. The Croquet Club is next to the cafe if you are inclined, and an abundance of sporting fields across the street .


Anyone for croquet ?


Above all else, Queen's Park is a great place for a family function or a peaceful escape and with so much to see you can't appreciate it all in just one visit .

Ant.....>+(-:)



View from Lookout