Ipswich City Council has signed a development agreement for the construction of a 160-room Hilton Garden Inn hotel on vacant council-owned land in the city’s centre.
Ipswich Hotel Group Pty Ltd will invest $53 million to build on the Ellenborough Street side adjacent to the city’s award-winning Nicholas Street Precinct, with 150 construction workers set to start in late 2026 with an expected a completion date of late 2028.
“With seven storeys and 160 rooms, the Hilton Garden Inn Ipswich will take our reputation as a must-visit destination for great experiences to the next level. This hotel is a game-changer for the city,” said Mayor, Teresa Harding.
“This $53 million investment will bring a further 50 permanent jobs on completion. Those permanent jobs will bring $2.7 million into the city’s economy each year, based on productivity data from Economy.id.
“The accommodation and food services sector is worth $337 million to the city – and today’s announcement will boost that significantly, with permanent jobs, and business opportunities for industry suppliers.”
The announcement followed the implementation of Council’s Hotel and Short-Term Accommodation Action Plan, initiated by Mayor Harding to address a lack of hotel accommodation across the city in the lead up to the Brisbane 2032 Games.
“A recent audit identified 515 short-term accommodation rooms in Ipswich – about 310 less than will be required for the Games and beyond. This signing more than halves that gap,” Mayor Harding said.
“This will supercharge Ipswich’s tourism sector, ramping up the number of overnight stays by visitors drawn to the Hilton brand, and providing a boost for tourism operators and businesses particularly as we work collectively to maximise the opportunities on offer in 2032 and beyond.”
“With more than 1,100 Hilton Garden Inn hotels trading globally and a pipeline of over 450 worldwide, the brand continues to build strong momentum across Australasia – spanning major hubs like Brisbane as well as regional and provincial centres including Busselton, Albany, and Darwin,” said Hilton Area Vice President and Head of Australasia, Paul Hutton.
“Hilton Garden Inn hotels already operate in key regional markets and will open in Suva later this year, with Hilton Garden Inn Ipswich another strong example of how we’re bringing our trusted, value-driven hospitality to high-growth destinations.
“We’re proud to partner on a hotel that supports Ipswich’s continued transformation, offering business and leisure travellers a welcoming and convenient base in one of Queensland’s fastest-growing cities.”
Hilton Director Development Australasia, Tushar Raniga, added “Ipswich is emerging as one of South East Queensland’s most dynamic cities, and Hilton Garden Inn Ipswich is ideally suited to support its continued evolution”.
“The Hilton Garden Inn Ipswich is designed to deliver high-quality, efficient accommodation that strengthens local room supply, supports tourism and business travel, and creates lasting benefits for growing communities.”
Ipswich Hotel Group Pty Ltd director, Rupert Yang said the partnership with Hilton and Ipswich City Council was an exciting opportunity.
“We commend council for their proactive approach to addressing the current and growing need for more accommodation through their Hotel and Short-term Accommodation Plan,” Mr Yang said.
“We value the opportunity to work with the council as the landlord of the site on which the hotel will be built, and we feel privileged to be delivering an important piece of infrastructure for the city.
“We are also thrilled to be again partnering with Hilton to deliver the Hilton Garden Inn Ipswich. This will be a sister property to our Hilton Garden Inn Brisbane City Centre North and is a clear demonstration of the mutual trust and confidence that Ipswich Hotel Group and the Hilton management team have in each other.”
Council’s Economic and Cultural Development Committee Chairperson, Councillor Pye Augustine said Council had targeted short-stay accommodation to support Ipswich’s hospitality, tourism and events sectors.
“The Hilton Garden Inn, a brand known globally for its warm service, modern comfort and thoughtful design, will sit adjacent to our revived city heart, Nicholas Street Precinct, giving guests access to its many dining and entertainment offerings, as well as those throughout the city,” Cr Augustine said.
“The Hilton Garden Inn Ipswich will further boost a strong local tourism industry that attracts two million visitors and brings $460 million into the local economy per year.
“It will help attract new events to Ipswich, adding to stellar offerings such as CMC Rocks Festival, Winternationals, Ipswich Cup and Ipswich Show which last year attracted a combined attendance of more than 100,000 people, while almost 52,000 fans attended the Supercars at Queensland Raceway.
“Despite these wonderful offerings, a recent audit showed a clear shortage of short-stay accommodation across our city currently, so the Hilton Garden Inn Ipswich is a huge step forward.”
