🕰️ What's the Oldest Home in Ipswich?

Rockton. Built in 1855 — four years before Queensland even existed.

It’s been in the same family for 106 years, still lived in today by the granddaughter of the couple who bought it in 1918.

Set back from the street, hidden behind hoop pines, Rockton turns 170 this year.

What a remarkable achievement!

This brick villa has hosted ballroom dancers, barefoot jazz nights, Kerry Packer’s ancestors — and even a ghost in heels.

It’s not a museum. Rockton is a living time capsule.

And its story’s still being written.

🧱 Built Before Queensland

• First Owner: Built in 1855 by William Craies, the first Bank of NSW manager in Ipswich.
• Land Estate: Originally sat on 7 hectares, complete with vineyard and stables.
• Sale & Collapse: Sold in 1862 after Craies' business failure; purchased by Robert Towns (yes, that Townsville Towns).

🏛️ From Vineyards to Towers

• Bullmore Era: Bought in 1882 by the Bullmore family—who added a ballroom, tower, and widow’s walk.
• Family Legacy: The Bullmores are ancestors of media mogul Kerry Packer (Bullmore was his middle name).
• Design Evolution: Grew from colonial cottage to grand Victorian villa with cast-iron lace and polychrome brickwork.

🏚️ Saved, Restored & Lived In

• Haenke Purchase: Architect Will Haenke and wife Laura bought Rockton in 1918 and began decades of careful restoration.
• Still a Home: Their granddaughter, Angela Geertsma (and her family), live there today—three generations later.
• Heritage: Listed in 1992; featured in the Great Houses of Ipswich tours.

✨ What Makes Rockton Remarkable

• Oldest: Possibly the oldest surviving house in Ipswich.
• Lived In: Never turned into a museum—always a family home.
• Layered History: Tied to banking, dairy farming, coal mining, literature, and ghost stories.
• Garden Glory: Still surrounded by hoop pines, jacarandas, poincianas, figs, and 170 years of memories.

🍨 Want the Full Scoop?

👉 Read the full Rockton story here

🪪 Ipswich Suburb Stat Cards

A quick look at some of the most interesting Census stats from around Ipswich. 

Each card tells a story.

Yes, we know it’s from the 2021 Census—but let’s be real, most people haven’t seen this stuff.

👇 Here’s the Ipswich-wide stat card (link to 6 different suburb cards underneath):

👉 Check out 6 more I made here

🗳️ Vote

🧩 Word Scramble

🤔 Trivia

Did you read the stat cards?

📍 GuessWhere

Look at the photo, guess where it was taken from in Ipswich, click the link to drop your pin on the map with your location guess.

Play GuessWhere Ipswich →

🐕 Final Greyhound Race Held at Ipswich Showgrounds

After 42 years, the last race at the Ipswich Showgrounds took place on April 5. A lease dispute ended renewal talks, with Racing Queensland rejecting terms that included a rent increase and $12M ‘make good’ payment. Racing will shift to ‘The Q,’ a new $39M facility in Purga. More about the Q →

🏃‍♀️ Ipswich Juniors Win Gold and Set Records at Nationals

At the Australian Junior Athletics Championships in Perth, Ipswich’s Leah Leembruggen (St Mary’s College) set a new Queensland record in the U16 200m hurdles, taking gold in a PB 27.91. John Kasiano (Ipswich Grammar) won gold in the U18 200m (PB 21.26) and silver in the 100m, while Simeon Anstey (Ipswich Grammar) claimed gold in the U17 400m in 48.89. All three are coached by Di Sheppard at Athletic Pathways. Sprint star Gout Gout is set to compete in the Under 20 and Open 100m and 200m later this week. View Gout’s full race schedule →

💰 Ipswich Cleans Up in Lotto

Ten locals split $2.5M in a Saturday Gold Lotto syndicate bought at Ipswich City Mall Newsagent. Days earlier, a Leichhardt woman won $20M in Powerball with a ticket bought online. More →

📈 Ipswich Unit Prices Soar

Redbank, Goodna, and North Booval ranked in QLD’s top five for unit price growth—up to 32.5%—according to new data from PropTrack. Rising demand and affordability are driving the surge. Full story →

🌱 Ipswich Signs $67M Green Waste Deal

Ipswich City Council awarded a $67M contract to Remondis to process garden waste, aiming to fix long-standing odour issues from the previous Swanbank site. Waste will now be processed outside the city. Council release →

Wednesday (April 9^th)

💵 NY Dance Raceview - Moana Easter Workshop for kids aged 4-7 to participate in dance, games, arts & craft for the day 9am-1pm tickets

💵 Queensland Museum Rail Workshops - Glowscape & other events happening at the Rail Workshops from 9:30-4pm (every day) more info

🆓 Ipswich Children's Library - Build a Bug drop in workshop for all kids from 9:30am-12:30pm info

🆓 Nicholas Street Precinct - Hide & Sea interactive marine display tent with touch tanks and more. 10am-2pm (until Friday) See an Instagram vid

🆓 Ipswich Art Gallery - Check out Don't Get Too Comfortable artworks by locals Matthew Cheyne and Caroline Cheyne 10am-5pm (daily) more info

🆓 Ipswich Art Gallery - Kids hands-on maker stations 10am-5pm (daily) info

💵 Ipswich Civic Centre - Freckleface Strawberry The Musical is on today & tommorrow with shows starting at 11am and 6pm (it is 60 mins long) learn more

💵 Studio188 - Bunktopia puppet shows 10:30-11:30am and 1-2pm (every day) more info

💵 Brothers Leagues Club Ipswich - $25 poker night you must be registered by 6pm

🆓 Monte Lane Wine Bar - Trivia night (at 6:30pm) is free but you'll need to pay for your wine & pizza (prizes included) bookings essential

🆓 General Public - Trivia night at 6:30pm info

🆓 Banshees Bar & Artspace - Open mic night from 7pm info

💵 Springlake Hotel - Balls Out Bingo starts at 7pm tickets

Thursday (10^th)

🆓 The Old Courthouse Gallery - Tesla the Musical is an In Concert production and this is the first public presentation of the work in full 7-9:30pm tickets event info

💵 Quibble Markets @ Orion - Denim Painting Workshop 6-8pm info

💵 George Hogg Performance Venue - Stages of Dating is a cabaret show about the complications of dating 7:30-8:45pm tickets

🆓 Banshees Bar & Artspace - Karaoke night from 8pm info info

Friday (11^th)

💵 Ipswich Civic Centre - Rebecca O'Connor as tribute to Tina Turner. Simply The Best starts at 7:30pm info

💵 Banshees Bar & Artspace - Live music: Cigany Weaver and The Salty Sirens jazz nautical folk song starts at 7pm tickets

💵 Hotel Commonwealth - Live music from 7pm book table here

Saturday (12^th)

🆓 Parkrun - Ipswich has 4 different Parkruns: Bill Paterson Oval, Ecco Ripley, School Rd in White Rock and Robelle Domain info

🆓 Silkstone State School Hall - Check out Ipswich Garden Spectacular to see spectacular flowers 8:30am-1pm event info

🆓 Nicholas Street Precinct - The Handmade Expo April markets 9am-1pm FB page

🆓 Nicholas Street Precinct - Easter Bunny & face painting 10am-2pm (today + tomorrow) info  

💵 Joseph Brady Park, Barellan Point - Active Kids learn fishing event by Ipswich City Council from 2-5pm $5 per kid

🆓 Ripley Markets (Behind the Splash 'n' Play at Providence) – Over 100 stalls, food trucks, live music & kids’ entertainment from 3PM event info

🆓 MiHi Tavern (Brassall) - Classic car show, food trucks, live music, food & bar from 4PM event info

💵 The Soul Nook Collective Marburg - Soulful Sunset Sound Bath by Bold Sounds is your chance to try sound meditation 4-5pm book here

💵 Tivoli Drive-in Theatre - Playing Spider-Man: No Way Home and Venom: The Last Dance. The movie starts at 6:30pm, the gates open at 4pm details

💵 Ipswich Civic Centre - Queens of Comedy show at 8pm info

💵 Falvey's Hotel Yamanto - DJ Havana Brown from 9pm info

Sunday (13^th)

🆓 Queensland Transport Museum (Gatton) - Open Day showcasing original military vehicles event info

🆓 Marburg Showgrounds - Live harness racing from 11am (free entry) info

💵 Orion Hotel - Bottomless Sundays 'Long Lunch' and live music—12pm and 2pm start times bookings essential

💵 Banshees Bar & Artspace - Watercolour Meditations Workshop at 4 pm info

Monday (14^th)

🦗

Tueday (15^th)

Hotel Commonwealth - Trivia Tuesdays 7pm book here

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—Jamey
Ipswich Insider ( Facebook, Instagram)
Eastern Heights, Ipswich, QLD 4305

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