Port Arthur

[bja15]

Has anyone here done the Port Arthur ghost tour?

I went when I was 12 (I am now 25 so 13 years ago) and just loved it.

I really want to go back, as my memories are all hazy now, but would love to know everyone else's idea's and experiences on it..

[Colleen]

Hi bja, Yes, hubby and I did the ghost tour at Port Arthur probaly around the same time as you.  It is certainly worth doing again.  Spine chilling and what I can remember, a lot of activity.  I remember the hair stood up on the back of my neck at one stage when we all heard footsteps where there was no one.  The place was so interesting.  We would definitely go back.

[Christine]

Yes, there is a thread on here about the tours there.

[bja15]

Yes, there is a thread on here about the tours there.

Sorry I couldnt find it..

[Christine]

Simply search "Port Arthur"

http://www.paranormal.com.au/public/index.php/topic,18.0.html
http://www.paranormal.com.au/public/index.php/topic,54.0.html

[deka]

I've done it too bja, and absolutely loved it. The JMO building was probably the creepiest for atmosphere, and down in the disection room. The rest of the site seemed fairly placid to me. We had an awesome tour guide, he had our young daughter absolutely enthralled.

Safe to say though that we had a fairly uneventful night tour, it was when we went back during the day, the following day, that the place seemed to come alive and feel weird. I took a photo which is now over there in their unexplained photo's thingy, and copped a whack to the back of my legs when no-one was behind me. A few people I've chatted to since about PA, have said similar things too, that they felt it was more 'alive' through the daytime.   

[MadMatty]

We did the Port Arthur ghost tour about four years ago now and loved it!  Very moody atmosphere, great story telling.  No gimmicks and no hysteria.  Can't say the same thing for the Launceston ghost tour though!

[Christine]

I haven't been on the Launceston tour. What was it like?

[MadMatty]

We had just been to Port Arthur and done the ghost tour there, so the standard had been set pretty high.  However, the Launceston ghost tour was just not very professional at all.  When we booked the guy we booked with highly recommended the hotel we had to meet at for a meal - then we found out it was his hotel! The two people who were running the tour (well the woman and I am guessing her boyfriend) were walking at the back of the group throughout the streets, talking and texting on their phones.  The story that linked the sites we visited was interesting, but they were using gimmicks in some of the places to the point that at the end, when you got to the final setting of what completed the story that linked all the sites, the leader got you to look closely at marks on a wall, while she tugged on a rope behind us and a "ghostly" mannequin dropped down from the ceiling.  There was a small cassette player badly secreted in the roof playing "spooky" music! It didn't rely on atmosphere and history and experience like you guys do, there was no "science" to it, but just poorly told stories and gimmicks, which I always think is very cheap and nasty!

Looking forward to doing another tour with Spookspotters!

[Christine]

I hate those types of tours. Have you done a tour with Spookspotters yet?

[MadMatty]

Yeah we certainly have!  We did the Convent Gallery with you guys a couple of years back - heard Mother Superior when in the chapel.  It was a great experience!  Hoping to get to Como House this year too!

[Christine]

Ah cool.

[MadMatty]

Hi Christine!  In your experience in Tasmania, or any other Spookspotters folk, did you ever visit Highfield at Stanley?  Old place.  Lots of history....

[Christine]

We haven't been there. We have heard about it though.