Tulmur Place Archives - Springfield Lakes

A major renewal milestone has been reached in Ipswich as the Nicholas Street Precinct recorded more than two million visits in the year following the opening of its Venue building.

Background on the Redevelopment

The Nicholas Street Precinct in Ipswich continued its long-term renewal with the opening of the Venue building in November 2024. This formed part of an ongoing effort to replace the former derelict mall with a modern mixed-use destination. The redevelopment links historic and cultural landmarks across Ipswich Central and includes new entertainment, dining and community spaces.

Venue building Ipswich — *Photo Credit: Nicholas Street*

Rising Visitation Numbers in Ipswich

In the 12 months following the Venue building’s opening, more than 521,000 visits were recorded at the facility. The wider precinct reached 2.12 million visitations during the same period, averaging nearly 6,000 visits per day. This represented growth of about 30 per cent since the area reopened in 2020.

The precinct now contains 21 operating businesses, with projections indicating an estimated $1.25 billion contribution to the local economy by 2032.

Ipswich redevelopment — *Photo Credit: Nicholas Street*

Community Events and Public Use

The precinct has served as a regular venue for community activities, with 30 events delivered across 67 days in the past year. Tulmur Place hosted seasonal programs, cultural celebrations, markets and youth-focused festivals.

One cultural event attracted approximately 6,500 attendees, while public commemorations and family-oriented activities continued to draw steady visitation. The Ipswich Central Library and Ipswich Children’s Library remained key attractions during these periods.

Expanded Dining and Leisure Options

Visitor numbers increased further in late 2025 after new dining venues opened within the precinct. In September, more than 326,000 visits were recorded, reflecting a nine per cent increase from the previous month and a 161 per cent rise compared with the same month in 2024.

The restoration of the heritage-listed Hotel Commonwealth added to this phase of growth.

Nicholas Street Ipswich — *Photo Credit: Nicholas Street*

Design Features and Amenities

The precinct’s features at Tulmur Place include a zero-depth water element, performance stage and a six-by-three metre LED screen. The area offers 1,000 undercover parking spaces and is located near the Ipswich Art Gallery, Top of Town, Riverheart Parklands and the Ipswich Civic Centre. The precinct was designed by Australian architectural firm Buchan Group.

Awards and Industry Recognition

In 2025, Nicholas Street Precinct received multiple awards recognising urban regeneration, social infrastructure development, commercial refurbishment, wayfinding design and hotel redevelopment. Previous awards between 2021 and 2024 acknowledged achievements in urban design, landscape architecture, tourism facilities, innovation and community service delivery.

Looking Ahead

With steady visitation, increasing tenancy activity and regular community participation, the precinct continues to play a key role in Ipswich. Further announcements regarding additional spaces and offerings are expected as development progresses.

Published 17-Nov-2025

The Ipswich City Council announced the names of the new sites taking shape at the Nicholas Street precinct development, following a survey in August.

After deliberations on 24 Sept. 2020, the Council endorsed the top names residents have chosen for the new library, new civic space, and a laneway.

Some 304 residents submitted their name suggestions whilst over 6,500 voted on their choices for the upcoming CBD.

The Ipswich Central Library is set to open soon as the building’s construction is in the process of completing this October.

“Ipswich Central Library is a very practical name for the new general library that aligns with naming conventions of other libraries across the city,” Ipswich Central Redevelopment Committee chairperson Deputy Mayor Marnie Doyle said.

Tulmur Place will be the name of the new civic square, where entertainment and community events will take place.

“Tulmur means Ipswich in the universal Indigenous language and I very pleased this council has seen fit to recognise our city’s Indigenous heritage in selecting this name for the new civic plaza,” Ms Doyle said.

The laneway will still retain its more commonly known name as Bottle Alley.

“While the laneway has been widely known as Bottle Alley for many years, it has in fact never been officially named. Today’s decision locks in the name.”

The new precinct will be generally known as Nicholas Street Precinct, covering Brisbane, Ellenborough, Bremer and Bell streets.

“Retaining the Nicholas Street Precinct name makes sense because it is a well-known and long established name for the area. It has also been widely used in recent years in marketing and promotion for the precinct.”

Five key spaces, including the children’s library and the new council administration building, will still need names once the new CBD’s development is completed. Many of the residents’ suggested recognised personalities like tennis superstar Ash Barty and bagpiper Joe McGee, as well as the region’s first peoples.

Located 40 minutes outside of Brisbane CBD, Nicholas Street will become the trade centre for 215,000 residents. Apart from the library and the civic plaza, the site will also become a commercial, retail, lifestyle and dining precinct with the first shops opening by mid-2021.

Tag: Tulmur Place

Two Million Visits Mark Revitalised City Precinct in Ipswich