THE Ipswich Chamber of Commerce and Industry was launched on May 31, 1906 at a public meeting in the Technical College on Limestone St.
The formation of the Chamber emerged in response to the growing and diverse business activities in the wider Ipswich region including retail, mining, milling, heavy industry and a wide range of farming interests.
Speakers at the launch included the President of the Brisbane Chamber of Commerce, Mr A.J. Carter, and T.C. Beirne.
Ambrose J. Foote of the famed Ipswich retail icon Cribb and Foote moved the first resolution – “That in the opinion of this meeting, it is desirable that a Chamber of Commerce and Industry should be established in Ipswich”.
The very first Ipswich Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomed 40 financial members who then elected Mr Foote as the first president.
The agenda for the Chamber in its first year is much the same as today: to promote the best interests of local business and industry and to discuss anything affecting the best interests of the city and surrounding districts.
The Chamber’s membership of 40 in its first year has grown to number in the hundreds today. This is a tribute to the breadth of business resilience and talent in our region, and to the Chamber’s commitment to renewal in order to meet the evolving and changing needs of members.
The Ipswich Chamber of Commerce and Industry continues to build on its proud past and look to the future with positivity and confidence.
The Chamber has been an integral part of the business community since 1906 and the primary goal is to inform, connect and represent local businesses in the region. The Ipswich Chamber’s most fundamental mission is to generate more business activity for the community.
We help business owners grow and prosper, and provide businesses the opportunity to connect and engage with each other to form strong business partnerships with real value.
The Chamber acts as an advocate for business and has an established inter-regional collaboration with other key business groups.
