FOR nearly three decades, Jack Sim has been walking quietly among the dead – lantern in hand, dressed in black, history on his tongue – building something no one else in the world has managed to match.
Owner and creator of Ghost Tours Australia, Mr Sim first stepped out on his own in 1998. Since then, he has transformed a lifelong passion for history into a cultural-heritage tourism business that this year celebrates 28 years of continuous operation, with a strong presence in both Ipswich and Brisbane.
Before ghost tours became his full-time calling, Mr Sim worked with the Director of Public Prosecutions, including in Ipswich – an experience that sharpened his understanding of crime, consequence and the human stories that linger long after the headlines fade.
As Ghost Tours Australia approaches its 28-year milestone, Mr Sim now holds a distinction few could have imagined when he first tour set out: the longest-running continuous cemetery ghost tours under the same founder anywhere in the world.
Born and raised on local stories, Mr Sim grew up in a city where crime, tragedy and mystery were spoken about quietly but often – passed from neighbour to neighbour, family to family.
“Ordinary people carried knowledge about local tragedies,” he said.
“Most of the time, there was always truth at the heart of the tale.”
With deep Ipswich roots – his grandmother, mother and great-grandparents all locals – Mr Sim never had to search far for stories. They were already embedded in the streets, cemeteries and heritage buildings of the city itself.
“Everything you hear comes from Ipswich locals and is researched and written into a script by me – a human being,” he said.
“My guides learn from scripts I write using my own mind to distil enormous amounts of research into stories customers will enjoy.
“That research begins with interviews with former prisoners and criminals, detectives and police, funeral directors and undertakers, gravediggers, historians and locals. That’s how all my Ipswich tours were built.
“Old ghost stories, personal recollections, myths and legends were told by people, not machines – and I try to save and share them.”
Over the years, Ipswich has remained the spiritual home of Ghost Tours Australia, drawing everyone from sceptics and storytellers to die-hard paranormal hunters.
Not every Ipswich story involves shadows and whispers.
One of the most enduring centres on James Ryan – a quiet, well-liked local man who, more than 50 years after the Glenrowan shootout, claimed he was Dan Kelly, brother of Ned Kelly, and the last surviving member of the Kelly Gang.
Ryan’s scars and brand marks gave weight to his claim, dividing families and journalists alike when he spoke publicly in 1933.
“Whether people believe him or not,” Mr Sim said, “his story has left a permanent mark on the community.”
Mr Sim has never set out to prove ghosts exist.
“It’s not about that,” he said. “It’s about storytelling, engaging with history, and sharing it in a way that’s fun, spooky and meaningful.”
That philosophy has quietly reshaped how people view cemeteries and heritage sites – not as places to fear, but places worth understanding.
He’s chasing memory and stories, and Ipswich, it turns out, still has plenty left to tell.
To support Jack’s long-running local tourism business and explore Ipswich’s haunted past, visit ghosttoursaustralia.com.au/ipswich-ghost-tours for the Haunted Ipswich CBD Ghost Tour, Ipswich Cemetery Ghost Tour and Goodna Cemetery Haunted History Tour.
