Willowbank is a mostly rural district 12 km south-west of central Ipswich. It is on the Cunningham Highway as the road turns south from Amberley RAAF Base.
The place name is over 100 years old, apparently having originated with the Willowbank Estate, c1890. In common with neighbouring Purga and Mutdapilly, Willowbank was subdivided into farm lots. A provisional school was opened in 1906. In 1914 the school was renamed Lamington and continued until 1943.
Willowbank has several activity centres, all on the Cunningham Highway. Near the turn in the road at Amberley there are a residential area, a local park and Willowbank Shopping Village. About two km south there are caravan parks, an over-50s village and the Willowbank Motel. Further south there is the Warrill Park Lawn Cemetery, administered by Ipswich City Council. Almost upon leaving Willowbank there is the Ipswich Motorsport Precinct with several circuits and a straight for drag racing. It encourages participation by professionals and amateurs who might otherwise use less safe racing locations.
Apart from these centres Willowbank is rural and industrial, but Ipswich City Council has identified it as a future urban growth area. Willowbank's census populations have been:
census date | population |
---|---|
2006 | 1170 |
2011 | 1254 |