The picnic area is open to the public from 6am – 6pm, offering free access to bushwalking trails, horse riding trails and mountain bike trails.

Once upgrades are complete, there will also be picnic facilities and nature play area available for use.

Please note climbing of White Rock and the adjacent southern ridge is prohibited. It is registered cultural heritage and protected under the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 (QLD).

The Ipswich Enviroplan Program supports the identification, protection and maintenance of vital ecosystems and natural environmental values.

As part of this program, the White Rock-Spring Mountain Masterplan 2020-2040 was developed, and identified opportunities to upgrade Paperbark Flats. $4 million will be invested into these improvements at Paperbark Flats.

This project has considered protection of the natural environment, prioritising facilities that enhance the visitor experience, while mitigating impact on wildlife.

Additional assessments are planned to identify and reduce impact on rare, threatened or significant vegetation.

Signage added will also be used as an education opportunity for visitors to learn about the natural and cultural elements in the area, and understand how to do their part in protecting them while visiting the conservation estate.

Early construction (such as installing services) is expected to start from mid 2026. This stage is expected to cause minimal disruption, and the space will remain open.

The main construction is then expected to commence in FY 2026-2027 and should take about 2-3 years. At this point, there may be temporary closures to allow for works to be undertaken while ensuring the safety of our community.

As closures occur, residents neighboring the picnic area will be notified by mail. Notices will also be shared on the main White Rock-Spring Mountain Conservation Estate page.

Upgrading the site has been planned for several years. This is primarily due to the significant increase in visitor numbers following the Covid-19 pandemic and the adjacent residential developments constructed over the last several years, including increased visitation from outside Ipswich.

Much of the infrastructure contained within the site such as roads, fencing, toilets, draining and signage, are nearing, or at the end of their functional life and required replacement.

Over recent years, visitation to Paperbark Flats has grown steadily, from just a few hundred people per week to several thousand. Interest from visitors outside Ipswich has also increased as nature‑based recreation, including activities like Parkrun, continues to rise in popularity.

Currently, the Paperbark Flats Picnic Area alone attracts around 1,500–2,000 visitors each week, with similar numbers using other parts of the Estate to the east near Springfield. With ongoing development across the region, projections show visitation could reach up to 5,000 visits per week at the picnic area in the future.

Additional maintenance costs for the newly upgraded picnic area are estimated to be around 10-15%.

Any costs for ongoing maintenance of the site is covered within the Enviroplan budget, which is exclusively used to protect and manage conservation areas and provide environmental education to the Ipswich community, and does not take away from any general Council services.

The primary reason for the upgrade is not to increase overall visitor usage of the estate, but to manage and build resilience for the already increased and increasing visitor usage of the estate.

By providing a dedicated, purpose-built and attractive environmental picnic area, visitors can experience nature-based recreation and environmental education within a controlled, safe space. Short walks from the picnic area to nearby lookouts are already provided, with feedback from the community indicating that shorter distance, natural experiences would be very well received.

These upgrades will also help reduce public access to more environmentally sensitive areas within the estate, while still enjoying, appreciating and respecting our important natural areas.