Author Topic: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile  (Read 54657 times)

Offline KANACKI

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The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« on: May 18, 2015, 02:15:52 PM »
The ghosts of bloody mile.

Special thanks to Bronwyn in reminding me of interesting story.

No one is quite sure when the stretch of road between Dunmore and Minamurra became known as a murder mile? Some times quoted as “The bloody mile”. For much blood has been spilled either through murder, suicide or violent accident. Can certain areas of the world tend to attract the sad fate of misery and death more than others? Can remnants of traumatic past event repeat itself and perhaps cause others?

Questions to ponder while we explore the history of the area. Area itself in question is rather longer than the punned Mile, About mile and half. The Bloody mile is generally with in the now disused Dunmore train crossing in the North to Minamurra train Station in the South with Bridge crossing the Minamurra river almost in the centre.

The early inhabitance of this mysterious continent, the local Wadi Wadi tribe in their Dharawal lanuage “Mem mora” meaning plenty of fish. Its was the old aboriginal trails indeed that was first explored used by cedar getters and and later colonial settlers that opened up the region. The crossing point of the Minimurra river was for thousands of year in very spot where the bridge is today.

The first traumatic event that was recorded on the land near where Dunmore house sits today. Its was on farm called Marks Farm. Which covered originally a large part of Jamberoo. In May 1836 James Tobin was arrested for the murder of his Convict overseer Robert Fox with and Axe. Tobin claimed Fox was killed by Bush rangers. However the murder weapon was found near Tobin's hut.

Tobin was charged and found guilty of smashing in the head of Robert Fox and sentenced to death. On his day of execution he still declared his innocence but resigned to his fate. Tobins body was then cut up by medical students in dissection and parts of his body can still be found today preserved in glass jars in the medical collage in Sydney. Some claim as long as his body is not allowed rest in a proper grave the place of where he lived and worked will always be stained with tragedy.

In 1st of April or there about William Gard drowned at crossing point of the Minamurra river. His death was reported in Sydney Morning herald of 1853.

The most disturbing was the horrible murder committed by a women by the name of Ellen Flynn in  January 1861. She was living with her sister Ann White in a house on the southern end of Minamurra bridge. In heat of summer Ann was sick and Had only given birth to newborn not long. Her sister for some reason snapped one morning and took the baby and cut up the child into pieces was walking around holding a little pair of severed legs saying to her sister the mother of the baby “ Look I am a Butcher now” Ellen Flynn was taken away to Parramatta Asylum where she spent the rest of her days. The original house where these events happened all sad and abandoned could still be seen until it was torn down in the early 1870's

In 1894 a man by the name Martin travelling south found a riderless horse eating grass at the front gate of Dunmore house owned at the time by Mr Fuller. On proceeding further south he found the body of man on his back with outstretched arms sticking up on the bridge. It was discovered that dead man was 30 years old and was a farmer by the name of John Mc Encros of Dunmore with a young family. He had been returning at night across the bridge when some thing spooked the horse throwing him backwards head first onto the bridge fracturing his skull where he died with outstretched arms sticking up. The question remain who or what spooked the horse?

1895 was a rather fatal year as 6 people drowned in river near the bridge when their little boat was swamped. 3 of the bodies never recovered.

 In 1898 a Mrs McLaughlin had either fallen to her death or committed suicide? Her body was found near the creek leading into the river.

In 1909 a headless body decomposed was found in swamp between the railway line and road. The head was found meters away. There was a abandoned  swag found at Minamurra railway station. But it was a mystery how the body got so far away from the train line?

In 1912 or there about 4 men was killed and six injured in quarry at Minamurra when a rock wall collapsed. One of the survivors who was still so distressed by the incident that...2 weeks later Granger Eyles jumped into the path of an oncoming train a Minamurra railway station and was cut to pieces. His body littered the track from Minamurra to Dunmore.

During WW1 in 1916, Mrs Lambert riding home in a horse and buggy struck a rock or bump in road in front of Gate of Dunmore House and was thrown unhurt. Unfortunately the baby she was holding was tossed from her arms and struck a rock on the side of the track killing the baby instantly.

Eugene Shaw in 1922 fell of train unnoticed and some somehow fell under the wheels and was cut in half. The headless body torso was caught in the cow catcher  by second train heading south in front of the train slowing slicing off piece by piece.

In 1924 William Murray a shell shocked veteran of WW1 snapped after a heavy night of drinking in Shellharbour at a dance, while walking home through Dunmore  murdered George Simpson on claim that Simpson had been rude to his wife. Murray had slit the throat of Simpson and tossed the body into some lantana. The throat was severed so much it had almost decapitated Simpson, except for a tiny flap if skin on neck holding the head to the body.

William Murray was tried and convicted of Murder. He was condemned to death, however his execution was commuted to life imprisonment on appeal because of his service and post traumatic stress.

In the 1920s the first solid reports of a haunting became public. There were others of course. Mostly known to families of locals who had experience strange things there. Tommy Dion a Chinese Australian used to drive a bus a night to Kiama. Passing through Dunmore near the gate he encountered a strange headless ghost on several occasions. Eventually he sold that bus run to an other company as he was afraid to stop there at night.

On April 1931 a 25 year old man by the name of Joseph Penny ran his motorcycle head on with another. The result of the impact crushed the throat of Joseph and he died near the southern part of the Bridge at Minamurra.

In 1932 Frank Smith Aged 20 unemployed in the great depression of the 1930,s and was camping near the southern end of the Bridge. He claimed he heard during the night screaming and baby crying and house was on fire in which he tried to rescue the child. Frank Smith was found I the morning in a tent with his hand was so badly burned that his fingers on one of his hands was burnt off. The trouble was there was no house fire and where he got burned was a mystery. Frank could not tell much more of the event as the shock had cut in and died from his injuries later that day.

On the 24th of March 1949, a 27 year old man by the name of  Neville William Fielding with his father William Henry Fielding was travelling south along the princes Hwy at Dunmore near Dunmore House. When they drove up the back of broken down truck driven by 19 year old  Kevin McCormick. The truck hazard lights was left on. How Neville a father of two children never say it was a mystery?

The years went on and as you can see over time the Bloody mile began to get a reputation by the local population. As the old Shellharbour Minamurra dirt swamp road became by passed by the princess Hwy that still passed the front gates of Dunmore house the fatalities still added to its deadly toll.

Most notable around 1978. And old boss of mine. One of nicest people you could meet, had a life of sheer tragedy. On returning home from holiday on the South Coast with his wife and two kids in the car heading north just past the Minamurra bridge. His wife was driving chatting away and accidentally run up the back of a truck that had some log protruding over the back of the truck. His wife was decapitated as the log came through the windscreen leaving the son in the back seat with his dead mother head in his lap. Tragic as that was a few years later his daughter died of breast cancer and his son perhaps haunted by that terrible accident, Killed himself  by blowing himself up with explosiveness in a flat in Warrawong with his wife and son. Strange enough less tragic accident with truck was than 20 odd metres from you guess it the gates of Dunmore house. Over time being  at the time one busiest road with all the traffic from the south coast passing by there was several other tragic accidents near the same spot. Road modification over time reduced accidents but they still kept happening.

In late 1980's and early 1990's there was a body of murdered prostitute found rolled up in a carpet dumped in the swamp that was never fully solved. In mid 1990s body parts of male turned up around the southern highlands and Illawarra Kiama Dunmore area. A kid with his father dumping rubbish at the Kiama dump that is across the road from Dunmore house saw a severed head in the garbage. Before it could be retrieved the bulldozer had tipped tons of rubbish over it. Despite frantic efforts by police to recover the head nothing was found.

Today the new free way bypasses the old second of the Princes Highway. The original track is now a public footpath through the swamp. The newer old prices Highway is an access road for resident of Minamurra, Kiama Downs residents and is much quieter these days.

Stories about some encounters are perhaps just urban myths created around real events. One such can was cyclist riding through the swamp a night saw a black misty blob of shape floated between the trees and across his path only to vanish. Needless he did not stick around to find out what it is. Other claimed that walking the path of the old original cart road which is now a public footpath saw in distance a person indistinct that vanishes on approach. A camper who stayed at the rest stop was awakened late at night by a scream and a baby crying on leaving his camper van he claim he had saw a horse galloping up the road with no rider disappearing at the gate of Dunmore house.

And Dunmore house itself has a few stories itself as the ballroom it has been claimed to have a ghost. However the epicentre of supernatural activity is by Far along the road and not the house itself. The long history of murder and traumatic death has indeed etched in its self in local environment and into local lore itself. And perhaps a serious contender of one most haunted locations in Australia ?

Bust most of all one can see why it is aptly named “The bloody mile.”



Kanacki

Offline KANACKI

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Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2015, 02:52:11 PM »
Here is some pictures of the site along the Bloody mile.

Today the original cart road is now a footpath going through the swamp. It was here half way along the path that body of the prostitute was rolled up in a carpet was dumped in 1990's. It was along here the baby that was thrown for the buggy at the turn of the century. The old prices hwy looking up to Dunmore house on the hill. It is here where several fatal accident happened.

The picture of gate today far different from the original gate that shrouded by trees that Tommy Dion sighted a strange headless phantom there in the 1920's.

The pathway through the swamp looks much different in day light. at night it takes of a foreboding look. late at light some swear they can hear screams of a baby crying and strange noises. When the moon is full on the eastern horizon passing trains leaving strange strobe effect through the trees making hand movement seem if every thing is film in slow motion. It was in this swamp that several bodies was found.

Its atmosphere makes one wonder if it holds more secrets?

Kanacki

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Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2015, 03:22:23 PM »
Here is some pictures of the southern part of the bloody mile.

You can see the old bridge now replaced with new concrete one. One of houses in the picture was the house where in 1861 Ellen Flynn murdered her sisters baby and was walking around holding the dead severed babies legs like if they were little sausages.

It was on the bridge the farmer  John Mc Encros of Dunmore who was thrown from his horse after his horse was spooked by some thing? it was also on this bridge that Joseph Penny died on in 1931

It was under the bridge that several people have drowned. it was also near here that in  1932 Frank Smith Aged 20 unemployed in the great depression of the 1930,s and was camping near the southern end of the Bridge. He claimed he heard during the night screaming and baby crying and house was on fire in which he tried to rescue the child. Frank Smith was found in the morning in a tent with his hand was so badly burned that his fingers on one of his hands was burnt off. The trouble was there was no house fire and where he got burned was a mystery. Frank could not tell much more of the event as the shock had cut in and died from his injuries later that day.

This is picture of transport pioneer Tommy Dion in 1920's he was sighted a strange headless apparition near the gates of Dunmore house.




Offline bronwyn

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Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2015, 04:20:00 PM »
Wow Kanacki,I had heard of some of those stories & remember a lot of fatal accidents(late 70s onwards) as well as living in Minnamurra at the time of the prostitute that was found and the body pieces in the area.I did not realise though that there was so much death in that area.

The river itself has a reputation by the locals that it can turn at any moment if you are not respectful or just unlucky.Sometimes as I had an extremely active & vivid imagination I would "see" something break the water of the river but at the southern end of the bends(only at night & only occassionally) so I would just shut my eyes till we got to shellharbour or Oak flats & hope to heck my sister didnt need to be sick just before we crossed the Minnamurra Bridge because I hated that spot with a passion, it is just not right.(urban legend that I heard  for that spot, when I was a teenager,that  was where you got taken to be raped)

I was born in Kiama,grew up in Albion Park then Kiama (from late 70s on) so some stories/urban legends had been passed on that  I heard & it was never really Dunmore house(a little bit with the headless horseman at the gates) it was just the whole area was haunted and a bad place to break down & be at night.
I myself never liked Minnamurra railway station,I got very fit going home from the station at night because I would jog/run to be away from it...lol.I didnt know of the deaths there till today.

Your old bosses accident is one that I do remember I was 9 at the time,we had just passed through there approximately 30 mins  prior ,on our way to our new home in Kiama.
So much horrific deaths & accidents no wonder it is called the Bloody Mile.Thankyou for the information.

Everyone to their own..Namaste.

Offline KANACKI

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Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2015, 10:48:57 PM »
Hello Bronwyn

Its my pleasure that you hear enjoyed the post of the sad history of the Bloody mile. Many local people do not realize how many deaths are associated with that area. In the early 90's I remember the incident of the dead prostitute in the carpet. Because I pulled in there with a flat tire. It was dark and raining not just raining but pouring down. No Mobile telephones those days. It was known dumping ground of rubbish as it was then just off the princes Hwy for people too tight to pay a dumping fee and two dumps ironically nearby.

There was garbage builders waste of sorts. and that carpet rolled up. Soaked to the bone I had struggled breaking the tight grip of wheel nuts with  wheel brace. With a  torch in pouring rain, I  picked up half a house brick near the carpet. Finally got tire off and changed the tire none the wiser that a body of women lay in rolled up carpet nearby. I was totally shocked a few days later on the news to hear of discovery on dead body found rolled up in the carpet.

Even then as I changed the tire I did not feel it a safe place to loiter around especially in dark. The She-oaks light up with the high beams of cars passing in the rain gave the place surreal haunted look. It did not take much imagination to feel one being watched through the trees.

I apologize with not being able to recall the name of this poor victim. I looked everywhere on the net To find out her name. At least some thing better than "prostitute" I recall the name was given back then on the news an in the paper. However there is nothing on the net today with identity of this sad soul who must of met a terrible fate. After she all was some ones daughter and perhaps some ones mother?

Such is fate of some especially involved in the dark world of drugs.

The Bloody mile as I have posted,  are some of the stories I believe there is a few more. The farmhouse off Dunmore road near the Golf course and the dump a young women burned to death there around 1900. Not quite on the Bloody Mile but near it.

Its easy to see why it has such sinister reputation. And yes perhaps there is some strange forces at play around that area?

Kanacki

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Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2015, 08:00:12 PM »
In regards to the 1992 body part being dumped. I should ad that head of the body was never discovered.
The following trial was in 2009. Where the wife and Son was tried for Murder. A woman accused of killing her husband and chopping up his body has pleaded not guilty to murder in the Supreme Court.

Joyce Mary Chant's lips were set in a firm line as she appeared in the dock today with her son, Jamie Vincent Chant. She allegedly asked him to help distribute the body parts and he has been charged with being an accessory. Wayne Robert Chant was regarded as a missing person from the time he disappeared in 1992 until 2006, when police reopened the case. They charged Joyce Chant with his murder in November 2008.

In 1992, a decapitated and limbless torso was found wrapped in a bloodied bedsheet near a Mount Pleasant truck stop south Kiama Bends. In the following weeks, two severed legs at Jearra Dam and a left arm were found dumped near Marulan truck stop. across southern Sydney.

In 2006, when the case was reopened, forensic experts in the United States used DNA offered by Wayne Chant's mother, Dorothy, to link the remains to Mr Chant. Joyce Chant wore a purple top and pinned her long, blonde hair behind her ears, speaking only to reply "not guilty" to the charge of murdering Mr Chant in Revesby, between September 21 and October 6, 1992.

Jamie Chant, who is on bail, will not enter a plea to his charge until he next appears in court on December 5, because his lawyer, Matthew Byrnes, said they were considering making an application in relation to the proposed joint trial. He leaned forward, blinked often and opened and closed his mouth as his lawyer argued his case.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has also laid two further charges against both the accused in relation to the same crime. They will plead to the charges next month when they return to the Supreme Court.
Justice Graham Barr set a trial date for 16 March, 2009.

It was alleged in court  years of domestic abuse by victim  was cause of the Murder. At the time as the body parts showed up. there was a claim by Child in Kiama dump that he seen a severed head in the Garbage. The dump is in Murder Mile.

Kanacki

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Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2015, 07:55:50 PM »
Here is a photograph taken just recently of the pathway through Condon's swamp alone the bloody mile in day light.

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Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2015, 08:20:16 PM »
Here is the new paper story of of 1932 death of man camping on the southern end of the bloody mile who claimed before he died that he had been trying to extinguish a fire at a house. The trouble was there was no house fire. His hand was so burned several of fingers had been burnt off.

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Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2015, 08:28:23 PM »
Here is newspaper story of decapitated boy found in mangroves of the Minamurra river in 1909.

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Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2015, 08:58:03 PM »
Here is the 1916 story of tragic loss of 2 month baby girl as the buggy wheel hit a rock or bump and baby was thrown from the arms of women holding her.

Some people claimed some times late at night you could hear the rattle of Buggy being pulled by a horse, the cry of a baby and scream of women. Was the reported noises a ghostly recording of the tragic events of 1916?

Just one more of the mysteries of the Bloody mile.

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Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2015, 12:04:56 PM »
The Bloody mile crosses through the freshwater swamp that drains into the mangroves of Minamurra river It was near here in Dec 1923 that William Murray murdered George Simpson by cutting his throat with a razor. Was the strange ghost sighted by Tommy Dion the bus driver the ghost of George Simpson?

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Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #11 on: May 27, 2015, 12:10:35 PM »
Here is picture of one creeks that crosses the path of bloody mile.

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Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #12 on: May 27, 2015, 03:10:42 PM »
On the 12th of September 1922. Eugene Shaw 42 body was dragged along the train line to near Minamurra station. How he managed to fall under the train and get dragged for almost a mile is a mystery?.

In 1926 the body of James Thomas Wales at Minamurra his head shattered and arm severed. Apparently run over by a train from Kiama at night. The exact cause of events leading to the fatality is unknown. Just another victim  of long list of coincidental fatalities in area that tend end up in various forms of decapitation. If there was an area prone to haunting you could imagine the bloody mile would have more than one ghosts of its traumatic past haunting the Condon's swamp.

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Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #13 on: May 27, 2015, 03:34:36 PM »
in 1931 Joseph Penny Died when his motor cycle impacted head on with a motor vehicle. The force of impacted crushed Penny's throat almost severing the head. Joseph (you radiate sunshine and light)ed on his own blood from internal bleeding. Dying with in meters of the gates of Dunmore house.

Kanacki

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Re: The Ghosts of the Bloody Mile
« Reply #14 on: May 27, 2015, 07:51:57 PM »
In 1949 27 year old Neville William Fielding run up the back of truck broken down on the road near Minamurra bridge near the gates of Dunmore house. His father was a passenger and revived severe scalp injury. Neville the driver was decapitated. neither of them had seen the broken down truck which had it lights still left on.

Kanacki

 


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