IPSWICH has long been a city fascinated by the macabre, crime, and ghost stories – and few know it better than local historian and storyteller Jack Sim.
With deep family roots in the city, Mr Sim has spent years collecting, preserving and sharing the eerie tales and tragic histories that have shaped Ipswich.
Born in the early 1970s, he grew up surrounded by stories of crime, mystery and the supernatural.
“Ordinary people carried knowledge about local accidents, tragedies, and true crimes,” he said.
“It was part of daily conversation, and most of the time there was always some truth at the heart of the tale.”
In today’s digital world, Mr Sim believes storytelling remains vital.
He has a particular fascination with the stories that have left a lasting impression on Ipswich.
One of the most compelling is the tale of James Ryan, who claimed to be Dan Kelly, brother of Ned and the last surviving member of the infamous Kelly Gang.
“Whether people believe him or not, his story has left a lasting mark on the community,” Mr Sim said .
All of Mr Sim’s stories come from Ipswich locals.
“There’s no Googling, no AI. They’re researched and written into a script by me, a human being,” he said.
His family history – grandmother, mother and great-grandparents were all Ipswich residents – has given him first-hand insight into the city’s hidden past.
Among the tour highlights is the old CIB building near the hospital, infamous as a haunted site, and the old fire station, where firefighters reportedly captured photographic evidence of a ghost on a motion-sensor camera.
“Firefighters had been seeing a ghost there for decades,” Mr Sim said.
“They weren’t troubled by it; they thought it was one of their own, an older firey still hanging around the place he loved.”
This September, Mr Sim will bring his signature ghost tours to the Galvanised Festival, offering four spine-tingling experiences: the Haunted CBD Ghost Tour (September 5-12), Cooneana After Dark (September 5), Ipswich Cemetery Ghost Tour (September 6), and the Goodna Cemetery Haunted History Tour (September 13).
Mr Sim and his team, including talented new guide Ada, promise an evening full of fascinating local stories, historical mysteries and a touch of the supernatural.
“It’s not about proving ghosts,” he said.
“It’s about storytelling, engaging with history, and sharing it in a way that’s fun, spooky and meaningful.”
Whether it’s the mystery of Dan Kelly or the ghostly residents of local cemeteries, his tours offer a rare opportunity to experience the city’s past – lively, memorable and hauntingly real.
