Springfield Lakes has been described as a planned active living community, but a new university research project is putting that promise to the test, and local residents hold the key to the answers.
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The University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) has launched an online survey asking Springfield Lakes and Spring Mountain residents whether their neighbourhoods actually make it easy to walk, ride, and get around without reaching for the car keys.
The survey is part of the Active Springfield Neighbourhoods Project, a study led by UniSQ researcher Melinda Covey-Hansen, who is undertaking the work through a PhD internship hosted by Queensland Health. The project is supported by Ipswich City, the Office of the Queensland Government Architect and the Heart Foundation.
Ms Covey-Hansen says the research is grounded in well-established evidence that where people live directly shapes how active they are. Neighbourhoods with good access to walking and cycling paths, parks, schools, shops, public transport, shade and lighting tend to make it much easier for residents to weave physical activity into their everyday routines, she says.
The goal is to find out whether what planners designed is what residents are actually experiencing on the ground. Ms Covey-Hansen says the project will combine resident feedback with mapping and planning data to build a clear picture of whether Springfield’s active living design principles are being delivered as intended and felt that way by the people living there.
Whether that vision has translated into the kinds of connected, walkable streets and accessible parks residents were promised is precisely what this research aims to find out.
Findings from the project will be used to produce a Healthy Places, Healthy People case study through Queensland Health, with the aim of sharing lessons and informing planning, design and advocacy for more walkable communities across Queensland. Resident feedback, including suggestions for improvement, will also be passed on directly to Ipswich City Council to help shape future infrastructure priorities.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding says the council welcomes the research, pointing to the recently adopted Ipswich City Plan 2025 as a sign of the city’s commitment to well-planned, connected neighbourhoods supported by transport, services and local centres. Harding says the council’s city design and planning teams will be watching the findings closely, as real-world resident experiences can help inform how the city continues to deliver quality neighbourhoods for a growing population.
For locals, taking part is straightforward. The online survey takes only a short time to complete and asks residents about their physical activity habits, along with what helps or gets in the way of active living where they live. Residents aged 18 and over from Springfield Lakes and Spring Mountain are encouraged to participate before the survey closes on 10 April 2026.
As an added incentive, participants can opt into a prize draw to win a 200 dollar Healthy and Active pack, which includes a Fitbit and UniSQ merchandise.
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If you would like to have your say on what active living looks like in your neighbourhood, this is your chance to make it count. Researchers want to hear from you. The survey is available online through the UniSQ website. Residents can also contact Ms Covey-Hansen directly for more information via the UniSQ project page.
Published 30-March-2026
