Meet Rockton: Ipswich’s Oldest Home Celebrates 170 Years Strong

Rockton isn’t a museum — it’s a home.

Built in 1855, four years before Queensland even existed, Rockton is likely the oldest surviving house in Ipswich.

Dancers at a jazz night were once warned not to wear heels or risk falling through the century-old floorboards. A snake once curled up on the piano. And some say a ghost in old-fashioned heels still paces the upstairs hallway.

The garden used to hold 2,000 grapevines and spanned 7 hectares—today, it still covers nearly 2 acres, shaded by hoop pines, jacarandas, and figs.

It’s history you can hear, feel, and sometimes trip over.

Here’s why Rockton isn’t just old—it’s iconic:

📜 History & Origins: How It all Started

Rockton’s Story

• Built in 1855: Rockton began as a three-room brick cottage for William Craies, the first manager of the Bank of New South Wales in Ipswich, and his wife, Sabina.
• Builder Identified: The first major extension was completed the same year by local builder William Hancock.
• The Estate: By 1856, Rockton already had five extra rooms, a breezeway hall, outbuildings, and stables—even a detached bath house and kitchen.
• Vineyard & Livestock: Craies planted a vineyard with 2,000 grape vines, and had paddocks for horses and a cow—a mini farm just 2km from the Ipswich center.
• Cottage Style: The original home featured front and back verandahs, fireplaces, and brickwork in English bond style.
• Craies’s Collapse: After the failure of his business partnership Walter Gray & Co, Craies was forced to sell the house in 1862.
• 1862 Sale Ad: The home was advertised with an entrance hall, drawing and dining rooms, four bedrooms, nursery, pantry, store-room, kitchen, servants’ room, and a wash house.
• Purchased by Robert Towns: The new owner was Robert Towns, a major Sydney entrepreneur—and the man Townsville is named after.
• Rental Period: Towns never lived there—he used Rockton as a rental property during his ownership.
• Next Owner: In 1873, the house passed to Samuel Hodgson, a prominent Queensland figure in commerce and politics.
• Bullmore Arrival (1877): The Bullmore family moved in around 1877 and officially purchased Rockton in 1882.
  Family Connection: The Bullmores are part of the family line that produced Kerry Packer, one of Australia’s most influential media tycoons—“Bullmore” was his middle name.
• Major Upgrades: The Bullmores added a two-storey wing, enclosed the breezeway into a ballroom, and added a roof-level widow’s walk (fancy term for rooftop patio).
• Iconic Tower: Around 1890, they added the home’s famous brick tower, likely designed by George Brockwell Gill, a top Ipswich architect.
• Roof Swap: Around this time, the roof was upgraded from timber shingles to corrugated galvanised iron.
• Trelawney Dairy: The Bullmores also ran Trelawney Dairy near Harrisville — showing they were as much businesspeople as socialites.
• Post-Bullmores: After Mr. Bullmore died, the family sold off much of the land in 1916, and the house fell into some disrepair.
• Saved by the Haenkes (1918): Enter Will Haenke, a local architect and future coal mine owner. He and his wife Laura purchased Rockton and began restoring it.
• Modernization Begins: Will wired the house for electricity, moved the kitchen into the main wing, and carefully updated the interiors.
• 100+ Years, One Family: The Haenke family—and later their descendants, the Geertsmas—have kept Rockton in the family ever since.

🏡 Architecture & Design: What Makes It Awesome

“Rockton”: 1976 Pen and ink sketch by Dirk Blokland in his book Historic Ipswich

Room By Room

• Oldest Wing: The 1855 cottage still stands as part of the main house—a single-storey, low-set brick wing with English bond brickwork and a hipped roof.
• Original Verandahs: These verandahs wrapped front and back, later partially enclosed for modern bathrooms and storage.
• 1856 Expansion: Craies quickly added more rooms—dining, drawing, nursery, pantry—extending the cottage into a country home.
• Roof Overhaul: The original shingle roof was replaced with corrugated iron around the 1880s or 1890s.
• Two-Storey Wing: The Bullmores’ addition includes polychromatic brickwork, shuttered windows, a steep hipped roof, and timber floors.
• Widow’s Walk: A cast-iron-railed platform sits atop the roof—one of Rockton’s most recognizable features.
• Ballroom Addition: The breezeway between the cottage and extension was enclosed to create a ballroom with a projecting bay window.
• The Tower: Designed around 1890, this square tower has arched windows and was built specifically for indoor bathrooms.
• Arts & Crafts Touches: In the 1930s, Will Haenke added a large bay window, decorative joinery, and other architectural flourishes inside.
• Garage Addition: In the 1980s, a new garage was added by Buchanan Architects, designed to match the home’s historic character.
• Outbuildings: Includes a freestanding timber-framed billiard room, a brick garden shed, and the old kitchen block turned fernery.
• Billiard Room Lore: That billiard room floor is so old, it once required guests to dance barefoot at a jazz night to avoid falling through!
• The Grounds: Rockton sits among massive hoop pines, Moreton Bay figs, poincianas, jacarandas, and a circular drive.
• Garden Layout: There are formal garden beds, low limestone walls, and quiet corners that feel more country estate than suburban block.
• Backyard Pool: A modest swimming pool was installed in 1953—discreetly placed so it doesn’t disturb the heritage aesthetic.

📝 Later Use & Heritage Listing

The Public Life of a Private Home

• Heritage Classification: Listed under Theme 6.4–Building settlements, towns, cities and dwellings.
• National Trust Listing: Also recognized by the National Trust of Queensland for its cultural and architectural value.
• Events on the Lawn: Rockton has hosted school fundraisers, the Ipswich Girls Grammar markets, and even costume-themed historical events.
• Ghostly Footsteps: The family has long reported the sound of a lady in heels walking the upper hall—believed to be Mrs. Bullmore.
• Public Recognition: In 2002, the Ipswich City Council installed a bronze heritage plaque at the gate for passers-by.
• Featured Favorite: Rockton is a staple in the Great Houses of Ipswich tour and a local favorite for heritage enthusiasts.
• Still Lived In: Angela and Wybe Geertsma—descendants of the Haenke family — live here today and raise their family in the same house.
• Modern Touches: The house has air conditioning, Wi-Fi, solar, and other upgrades—all tucked away to preserve its historic look.

🌳 A Century of Family Stewardship

Behind The Scenes

• Architect’s Legacy: Will Haenke brought the house into the 20th century—wiring for electricity, updating the kitchen, and maintaining the gardens.
• 1930s Redesigns: Added Arts & Crafts elements, including a large bay window, decorative plasterwork, and fine timber detailing.
• Generational Flat: In 1945, a self-contained flat was built on the northern side for Will’s son Willis and his wife Helen Haenke, a playwright and poet.
• Swimming Pool Added: The 1953 pool is part of the heritage listing and remains in good shape.
• Restoration in Stages: From cedar doors to timber verandahs and corrugated roofs, repairs are always faithful to the original.
• Ghost Stories Live On: Helen Haenke often joked that the ghost upstairs was “just checking we’re doing it right.”
• Billiard Room Floor: Those 1850s floorboards had to be restored recently—guests at a jazz night had to remove heels to avoid damage.
• Eco-Friendly Updates: Rainwater tanks, discreet solar panels, and modern insulation help preserve comfort without compromising the past.
• Garage that Blends In: Even the 1980s garage was built to match the home’s character—nothing is done halfway for Rockton.
• Always Evolving: Angela and Wybe continue to repair, replant, and re-love Rockton—a true labor of legacy.

🏛️ Heritage Significance

Why It Matters

• Rare Survivor: Most 1850s houses are long gone—Rockton remains, intact and thriving.
• Full Estate Feel: It still has its outbuildings, gardens, walls, and trees—a real 19th-century estate in the middle of suburbia.
• Architectural Fusion: From handmade bricks to patterned brick towers and Art Deco flourishes—it all works.
• Community Anchor: Rockton is part of Ipswich’s identity—many locals grew up walking past it, wondering what was inside.
• Official Criteria: It meets key QLD heritage values: Criterion A (history), B (rarity), D (architectural form), E (aesthetic beauty), H (important associations).
• Generational Stories: The house hasn’t just lasted—it’s been lived in, celebrated, and remembered by the same family for over a century.