What was the River Heart vision? Its origins and what council hoped to achieve explained

It has been 23 years since the first River Heart vision for Ipswich Central was unveiled, before Riverlink and the parklands were developed. In this special episode you’ll hear exclusive behind the scenes insights into how the original River Heart vision came to life and why. The vision itself was more than the parklands you see today. It was about a viable future for Ipswich CBD and North Ipswich against the backdrop of a substantial population growth. This wide-ranging conversation with former Ipswich City Council chief planner Gary White and development manager Brendan Nelson also considers the need for a River Heart vision 2.0. At the end of the show a reminder about Planes, Trains and Autos on the first weekend in May.
Published: 26 April 2025.
Theme music: AudioJungle - Mark_Music and Matt Steiner
Image: River Heart vision logo from one of the earliest known presentations on reprofiling the perception of Ipswich city centre circa 2002  (supplied)
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