Goodna is preparing to turn purple this weekend as the much-loved Jacaranda Festival returns, bringing live entertainment, school performances, market stalls and fireworks to one of Ipswich’s biggest community celebrations.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding says the festival is a highlight of the city’s annual events calendar, with thousands of residents expected to enjoy the festivities at Evan Marginson Park.
Speaking on West Bremer Radio, Mayor Harding also provided an update on repairs to the River Heart Parklands walkway and announced the return of her annual Christmas card competition, featuring a brand-new prize for young artists.
Goodna ready to celebrate Jacaranda Festival
(UPDATE: The 2026 Goodna Jacaranda Festival has been postponed this year. Read more here.)
The Goodna Jacaranda Festival will return on Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24, celebrating the iconic purple-flowering trees that have become synonymous with the suburb.
Mayor Harding said Goodna’s famous jacarandas, particularly those lining Brisbane Terrace, provided a spectacular backdrop for the annual celebration.
“We’re turning Goodna purple,” Mayor Harding said.
“We know that Goodna is well known for its stunning jacarandas that line Brisbane Terrace, and each year we get to celebrate as a community.”
Ipswich City Council has contributed $7,500 through its community events funding program to support the festival.
Mayor Harding said the event continued to bring families and residents together through a wide range of entertainment and activities.
“The whole community looks forward to this much-loved event every single year,” she said.
“There’s live performances, there’s school choirs, market stalls, food trucks and much, much more.”
The festival will also feature Sideshow Alley, the popular Quest for Talent competition and a fireworks display.
West Bremer Radio will once again be part of the festivities, broadcasting from the event and connecting with festivalgoers throughout the celebrations.
School performances growing in popularity
One of the festival’s biggest attractions continues to be its school performance program.
Mayor Harding said the popularity of the program had grown so much that organisers had needed to limit the number of participating schools.
“The organisers actually had to limit the number of schools performing,” she said.
“I think you’ll have the best of the best. It’s going to be like the battle of the schools.”
She praised the commitment of local students and teachers who dedicate time to preparing performances for the community.
“It’s great to see our local kids with so much talent and with such dedicated teachers,” she said.
The festival will culminate in fireworks, providing a colourful finale to the celebrations.
Mayor Harding said the display was always a favourite with families.
“The fireworks will close with a big bang in the night sky, and it’s just beautiful to see,” she said.
The festival will run:
- Friday, October 23: 4pm to approximately 10pm
- Saturday, October 24: 8am to approximately 10pm
Residents are encouraged to make the most of the two-day event and enjoy the entertainment, food and community atmosphere.
River Heart Parklands walkway repairs underway
Away from the festival celebrations, Council is progressing restoration work at the River Heart Parklands, with plans to fully reopen one of Ipswich’s popular riverside walkways.
The walkway suffered significant damage during ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred in 2025, when a landslip damaged approximately 20 metres of concrete footpath.
Mayor Harding said the damage required more than simply replacing the affected section of pathway.
“About 20 metres of concrete footpath was damaged by a landslip,” she said.
“It was quite a significant landslip in the embankment of the footpath.”
Council is undertaking extensive stabilisation works to strengthen the affected area and reduce the risk of future damage.
The project includes:
- Repairs to the damaged concrete footpath
- Piling to stabilise the embankment
- Rock protection works
- Revegetation of the surrounding area
Mayor Harding said the improvements were designed to make the parklands more resilient during future flood events.
“These works will make River Heart Parklands more resilient against future flood events,” she said.
She said the improvements should also help Council reopen the walkway more quickly following severe weather.
Works expected to continue until March 2027
Mayor Harding said residents would begin noticing earthmoving equipment and construction activity around the parklands during October.
The works are expected to continue until March 2027, weather permitting.
She acknowledged that the closure had been frustrating for residents who regularly use the riverside walkway for exercise, recreation and enjoying the Bremer River.
“It’s really pretty. It’s lovely,” she said.
“We’ve had to make a few changes because it floods so often.”
Mayor Harding thanked residents for their understanding while Council worked to restore the popular attraction.
“Thank you to the community for your patience as we work on repairing this popular spot,” she said.
The project forms part of Council’s ongoing efforts to improve the resilience of public infrastructure against flooding and severe weather.
Mayor’s Christmas card competition returns
With Christmas approaching, Mayor Harding has officially launched her fifth annual Christmas card competition, inviting primary school-aged children across Ipswich to showcase their artistic talents.
The competition gives young artists the opportunity to have their artwork featured on the Mayor’s official Christmas cards, which are distributed to community leaders, organisations and businesses throughout the city.
Mayor Harding said she was once again looking for festive designs that captured the spirit of Christmas.
“I’m once again on the lookout for a festive-themed design for my official Christmas card,” she said.
She encouraged entrants to consider including something recognisably Ipswich in their artwork.
“Bonus points are also included if you have an Ipswich reference in your drawing,” she said.
The competition is open to primary school-aged children, with separate prize categories for younger and older students.
New prize celebrates creative use of colour
This year’s competition introduces a new award recognising outstanding use of colour.
Mayor Harding said the addition would provide another opportunity to celebrate the creativity of young artists.
“We’re very excited to be introducing a brand-new prize this year, and that is the best use of colour,” she said.
“That will recognise an entry that demonstrates exceptional creativity through vibrant colour used in their design.”
The competition offers the following prizes:
| Prize | Reward |
|---|---|
| First prize – Prep to Year 2 | $200 Visa prepaid gift card |
| First prize – Years 3 to 6 | $200 Visa prepaid gift card |
| Second prize | $100 Visa prepaid gift card |
| Best Use of Colour | $50 prepaid gift card |
Mayor Harding said the prepaid gift cards would allow winners to choose how they wanted to spend their prizes.
However, she said the greatest opportunity was having their artwork shared with people across the city.
The winning designs will feature on the Mayor’s official Christmas cards, giving young artists the chance to see their creativity recognised throughout the community.
How to enter
Families interested in entering the competition can obtain further information through Mayor Harding’s Facebook page.
Entry details are also available by emailing mayor@ipswich.qld.gov.au or visiting the concierge desk at the Ipswich City Council administration building.
The Mayor did not confirm the closing date during the interview, so families are encouraged to check the official competition information before submitting their artwork.
With the Goodna Jacaranda Festival bringing the community together this weekend, River Heart Parklands repairs progressing and young artists being invited to help celebrate Christmas, Mayor Harding said there was plenty happening across Ipswich as the city approaches the end of the year.
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