Amberley is Australia's only RAAF Super base and the Department of Defence has committed $1.1b to its development. The base is home to 24 x F/A-18F Super Hornets, requiring $117.1m for upgrading supporting facilities, and four C-17 Globemaster heavy transport aircraft. There are 3,500 personnel on site, projected to reach 5,000 by 2014.

The Aerospace and Defence Support Centre-Amberley (ADSC-A), a ground breaking initiative of the Queensland Government, will be a master planned, commercially oriented high technology hub for high value-add and knowledge-based aerospace and defence support enterprises.

Ipswich has two Universities and a major TAFE College, as well as numerous public and private schools to service the growing population. Two new schols were opened in Springfield in late 2011 and Education City at Springfield continues to grow.

One of the growth industries in Ipswich. Recent attractions include the Scenic Rim Wine Trails, The Workshops Rail Museum and the Ipswich Visitor Information Centre.

The wine industry in Ipswich is really taking off. The Scenic Rim Wine Trail guides visitors to new and established wineries in the Ipswich region. Ipswich is fast becoming a mecca for wine lovers all over South East Queensland.

The Ipswich Motorsport Precinct is the home of motorsport in Ipswich and sets the scene for high-speed action and crowd pulling excitement. The motorsport precinct is also home to Willowbank Raceway, Ipswich Kart Hire and the Ipswich Kart Club and Queensland Raceway.

Synergy Technology Park is a purpose-built industrial development offering cost-effective solutions to energy supply, cold storage, thermal energy, warehousing and transport.

The manufacturing industry provides the greatest total economic contribution to the Ipswich economy, in excess of $2.5 billion annually.

Transport and storage industry is major contributor to the Ipswich economy due to the strategic positioning of Ipswich with major highway access on the Cunningham and Warrego Highways and the Ipswich Motorway to the Gold & Sunshine Coasts.