Author Topic: Unexplained Experiences  (Read 13577 times)

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Re: Unexplained Experiences
« Reply #60 on: June 24, 2022, 01:57:48 AM »
SEMAPHORE GHOST

Even as recently as 1918 a family took a house at the Semaphore, and had the place thoroughly cleaned preparatory to moving in. One room was used as a bedroom, and one of the children persisted in saying that on certain nights his room was visited by a lady in a white nightgown. The child was told that he must have been dreaming. He, however, remained firm in his statement, but no notice was taken of his remarks until some weeks later.

About this time the boy's mother had to go into hospital, and a sister came to take charge of the house. Thuds and noises were heard at night time during her stay, but she imagined that these sounds were called by the elder boy moving about in his room. Iwen the mother returned home, but the sister stayed on. One night she heard an unusually loud noise, and getting up to investigate saw standing before her a figure of a woman in a white nightgown. She spoke to her, but the figure did not answer.

In the morning, when she met the mother, and reprimanded her for getting out of bed in the cold air. The mother denied having left the bed, and said that it must have been her husband. 'That is ridiculous,' said the sister. 'The person I saw was a woman. I could see her quite plainly.' Noticing the rest of the family looking uneasy she thought that it would be best to say no more on the subject,

The family, however, decided that there were too many inexplicable things happening for their peacfi of mind, and they decided to seek a more comfortable dwelling. That the place was haunted is their firm conviction. What is the mystery behind these strange visitations?

Published by The Mail Adelaide, SA Sat 28 Dec 1929



UPPER HUNTER GHOST

Another spooky story came from the Upper Hunter where a nursing sister contacted me to relate a similar haunting.

“We had moved into an old school house that had been disused for several years and my husband had been renovating. We’d been there for three weeks when I came home from work and being exhausted went upstairs to the spare bedroom for a nap while my husband was entertaining a mate in the kitchen.

I’d only been in the bed for fifteen minutes when it started to shake violently, really violently. I was bouncing all over the place and terrified. My husband suggested it was probably an old hot water pipe but there was no piping in that room. We scratched our heads and let it be but two weeks later the same thing happened to him. Neither of us has been superstitious but we definitely ‘felt’ something in the old house.

A week later we went out to dinner and came home to find the house still locked and a side-table had moved to the very centre of the living room. Nothing was damaged, nobody had been in the room but the table had moved to the very centre. This was really strange and starting to concern us. One of the sisters at the hospital suggested we talk to the Bishop of Newcastle. He arranged for a priest to visit the house to perform an exorcism. We haven’t been troubled since.”



MORWELL GHOST

Morwell has a ghost. Unlike all other genus of this description, the Morwell ghost is of a copper coloured hue, and is dressed in sombre black. It first made its appearance to a lady who was in the act of taking clothes off the line.

Turning suddenly round, she beheld the object close to her side, and at once fled for protection. Telling her husband what she had seen, he at once made a reconnoitre, and after a long search discovered an object moving along a fence, but it was gone when he came up to the fence. Shortly after this the ghost knocked at the door, and on its being opened by the occupant, the ghost fled precipitately. 

On several occasions since it has been seen wandering to and fro, but all attempts to capture it have been proved futile. Watching parties have been organised, and every corner is carefully guarded, but as yet there is no result. Back and front doors are mysteriously opened and shut, windows are rattled, and beds are shaken, but the cause of it is unknown, even our local guardian of the peace has been unable to find any clue to the astonishing freaks of this visible yet invisible spectre. It has been suggested that some person has been playing a practical joke, but this we can hardly credit. Perhaps the present week will disclose further mysteries or else the timid will be afraid to leave their doors.

Published by Traralgon Record on Friday the 6th of November, 1885.



PROSPECT HALL GHOST

Prospect Hall, in the suburb of Prospect, Adelaide, has been the scene of one of the eeriest and most persistent hauntings recorded In Australian history. First a carriage could be heard (but never seen) driving up to the door. Soon its spectral occupant, a woman dressed in white silk, would walk up the steps and peer into any uncurtained windows of the house. She would then vanish. Later guests could hear her tread upon the stairs. So persistent were the lady's visitations, and so numerous those who had been startled by her appearance and footsteps, that Prospect Hall ended its days by being let to a milkman, who refused to stay there longer than one night.
The rental was sixpence a week.

Published by The Australian Women's Weekly Sat 17 Aug 1946

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Re: Unexplained Experiences
« Reply #61 on: June 24, 2022, 02:09:58 AM »
HAUNTED HUT

It was past three o'clock. Hour after hour l had been walking on the seemingly endless Loddon plains. Belt after belt of dark green, gloomy looking trees was reached and passed, and still no signs of human life or habitations appeared. Sometimes a mob of kangaroos would lazily hop out of my road, and slowly disappear among the gloomy gum trees; or a stray emu would start off; with thundering strides, making the hard dry soil ring with its foot steps. Several times I came across some large brown snakes, which were lying basking in the tropical heat but, after quietly raising their heads and glaring at me for an instant, they slowly wriggled away amongst the saltbush.

All animal and vegetation life seemed prostrated by the intense heat. What would have been the value of one draught of pure cold water. How little do those who dwell among time running brooks and crystal springs of Old England know of the luxury of a drink of clear cool water, or of the intense gratification it affords to a thirsty man, under the burning sky of Australia. I repeatedly chewed the leaves of the succulent pigs face, but its briny juice seemed rather to aggravate than relieve my thirst. On, then, I must go, though every breath l drew was like a blast from a furnace.

The sun had sunk low in the sky, and was glowing blood red through it smoky looking haze; the distant hills were entirely hidden from view. It was evident that night was approaching fast. And such a night, only differing from the day in the absence of the sun. Water must be found before night, or the next day's sun would probably shine upon a madman. Life and death were in the balance, and with renewed energy I hurried on. Belt after belt of timber was reached and passed; the sun had entirely disappeared behind the gloomy, hazy curtain which hung suspended in the heated air.

Another thick belt of trees was reached and passed, when on emerging on the open plain, I espied a boy minding a flock of sheep. How my heart beat at the sight, hurrying up to him, I pointed to my mouth and tried to speak, but could only utter a few unintelligible sounds, he quickly understood me, and unstrapping a tin flask from his side, he handed it to me. Never before or since have I tasted anything which could compare with the luxury of that moment. It was like a draught from the fabled fountain of eternal youth, bringing life, energy, and hope to my exhausted frame. As soon as I could speak, I eagerly asked for more. The boy then directed me to an old hut, about a quarter of a mile from where we stood, and told me that there was a waterhole close to it.
After thanking him, I was hurrying away, when he added, “ but you will not stop there tonight."
On my asking him why not?
He said that the place was haunted. I laughed and telling the boy that ghosts would not hurt me and hurried on.

On reaching the water, my first step was to assuage my burning thirst, and then filling the billy, or tin pot, l lit a fire and put it on, with the intention of making some of the bushman’s usual beverage, "strong tea." Having done this, I turned my attention to the deserted hut. It was an old bark hut, such as may be seen in many parts of this colony where timber is plentiful. The roof was decaying; two sheets of bark from the one end had fallen in, the chimney still stood, but leaned against the end of the hut in a manner that threatened its speedy downfall.

After examining the outside, I entered it through the open doorway. The door had fallen off the hinges, and lay rotting on the floor. The inside seemed equally as dilapidated as the outside. A solitary iguana opened his yellow mouth at me as I entered, but suddenly whisking his tail in the air, he disappeared in a crevice between two slabs. On looking round, I saw that the hut was divided into two rooms, and in the centre of one room was a rough slab table, covered with dark stains, and marks made by some sharp instrument, such as an axe or tomahawk.

I was called from my observations by the sudden boiling over of my billy; and having made my tea, I sat down and did full justice to it. Supper was over. I had eaten enough, and the next thing necessary was sleep. So, after picking the tops of some young gum trees, and spreading them on a sheet of bark, I rolled myself up in my rug, and was soon fast asleep. How long I had slept I know not, but a bright light shining on my face awoke me. Fearing that the hut had caught fire some how, I crept to a chink in the partition wall, and there was a sight that chilled my blood witlh horror.

In the chimney a fire was burning brightly, casting a ruddly glow through the room; and on the left side of the table lay a woman on a stretcher, apparently asleep; but on glancing at her prostrate figure I saw that her head was severed from her body. Uttering an exclamation of horror, I was about to rush into the rooms, when I caught sight of a man standing on the other side of the table, with an axe in one hand and a butcher's knife in the other.

His form is even now present to my imagination. He was short and thickset; his face was half hidden by a black bushy beard, above which glowed two pale phosphorescent eyes, with a fiery spark in the centre of each. He turned and gazed full on the chink through which I was looking. A cold shudder shot through me, and I felt the hair rise on my head, but I could not withdraw my eyes from the terrible fascination of those glowing eyeballs.

Suddenly he turned, and taking up the body, he placed it on  the table; then, lifting his axe, he chopped off an arm and placed it on the fire. Again he lifted the axe, I looked round me for some weapon ; it was evident that the monster had murdered the woman and was now destroying the proof of his crime. What could I do, unarmed, against such a determined ruffian. Again I searched for a weapon, but could find none. Vainly I grasped at the timbers of the walls; not a stick could I find. Suddenly a deep groan almost petrified me with horror. I approached the chink again, and peeping through, I saw that the monster had cut up the body and placed it all on the fire.

Standing with his back to the fire, he was apparently warming his hands at the blaze which was consuming his victim. Again that horrid groan burst forth, seemingly from him. I raised my eyes to his face, and was again transfixed by the luminous fiery gaze, again the roots of my hair became rigid, and the cold shudder crept over me. He slowly came to the table and took up the axe and knife, the burning body still hissed and sputtered in the blaze. Nearer and nearer he came, still fixing that horrid gaze on me. Every muscle in my body became as rigid as marble; a ton of weight seemed to press on each of my arms; I strove to speak, but in vain, my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. Still he advanced, step by step. At last I forced out- In the name of heaven - and fell back senseless.

The sun was just peeping over the tops of the trees, the dew was fresh on the grass, the laughing jackasses threw up their clumsy heads and cackled in chorus, while the magpies perched on the tree tops, uttering their musical notes. The trees were covered with liquid diamonds, which glittered and danced in the rays of the rising sun, or fell like a shower of pearls before the cool south wind, which came whispering and sighings among the slender tops of the young gum trees. All animated nature seemed to be rejoicing at the commencement of day, when I awoke with a start from my sleep.

What had become of the horrid sight I had seen?
Was it a dream or a reality?

Hastily looking into the next room, I saw nothing but what I had noticed the previous evening. There was no axe, no knife, no fresh stains of blood, nothing that would indicate that any one except myself had entered the hut during the night. I looked at the fireplace; the ashes lay in a heap on the centre of the hearth, and seemed to have been undisturbed for months. This was perplexing, but after examining the place thoroughly, I came to the conclusion that I must have been dreaming; so, lighting a fire in the old chimney, I began to prepare my breakfast. A sheet of bark from a neighbouring gum tree formed a kneading trough, the flour and water were mixed and worked into a damper in the regular bush style, the ashes of the fire were carefully opened, the hearth dusted, the damper deposited on it and covered with the glowing embrey dust.

In replacing the ashes on the top of the damper, I saw something glitter like metal, and on picking it up, I found it was a gold ring, inscribed with the initials, L. S.  Here was a mystery.

What should bring a gold ring amongst the ashes of a deserted hut?

My dream began to assuren assume the semblance of reality. Searching again in the ashes, I found further evidence of its horrid reality. Some hairpins, metal buttons, hooks and eyes, pieces of calcined bone, and two human teeth, partly decayed and stopped with gold, bore witness to the fatal truth of the tragedy I had seen acted in the night.

My appetite was gone; and rolling up my rug, I hurried off to the nearest police station, where I told my tale, deposed the calcined teeth and other articles and received the informnation that, twelve months previous to my visit, a man and woman had been missing from that hut , and had not been heard of since. I gave the sergeant my name and address, and he promised to let me know he discovered anything more respecting this mysterious affair; but from that day to this, I have never received any information tending to explain my vision at the Haunted Hut.

Published by South Bourke Standard Vic Fri 4 Oct 1867

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Re: Unexplained Experiences
« Reply #62 on: June 24, 2022, 02:23:14 AM »
THE SOUTH YARRA GHOST

In 1863 there stood, in the South Yarra Road, a terrace composed of three substantial brick houses, untenanted for the reason that they bore the reputation of being haunted. They had all been occupied at different times, but no tenants could ever be persuaded to remain in them for more than a few weeks, though the rents had been gradually reduced from 25s to 21s per week.

Screams and various blood curdling noises drove them out, but the fact was never established that anything had ever actually been seen. There were no other houses in the immediate neighborhood, save a small, neat cottage on an adjoining lot, which was occupied by the owner of the entire property, in which he had invested a
considerable sum of money made on the diggings. He was a strong, healthy looking, but morose and gloomy Scot, whose life was embittered by the evil repute attached to his houses.

In the year mentioned the end house nearest to the cottage was rented by a retired surveyor from the Government service, who had made money and reputation by hard work in the Riverina backblocks, and a right good fellow he was, although an avowed pagan and a sceptic with regard to "geists." He was a widower, with two daughters, both married, and residing in distant suburbs, and his household consisted of an elderly couple known to him from childhood, and a magnificent white (you radiate sunshine and light)atoo, which he had reared himself. Soon after he had settled down I became an inmate in the capacity of his assistant in working but a number of field books in connection with private surveys, and occupied a room at the top of the house adjoining another which was used as a
storeroom for camp equipage and odds and ends of bush requisites.

My employer occupied a bedroom on the first floor, and usually slept with his door wide open, and when I returned from the city at night I could always tell whether he was at home or not. The servants, in a detached building at the back, had no entry to the house after the evening meal was cleared away. The adjoining house was not long afterwards, rented by a contractor, with a wife and one small daughter, and the other by a quiet old couple with one maid servant. The one we occupied was said to be the one in which the ghost performances usually took place, but we occupied it in peace and comfort for three months before anything happened to disturb us.

Then it happened. I had been detained later than usual in town in consequence of a visit to the Theatre Royal, where G. V. Brooke was then playing "Othello." with Robert Heir as Iago, and had to walk home. The surveyor had not returned, and I went on upstairs to my room. I had only partially undressed, when a succession of piercing screams came from, apparently, the sitting-room which adjoined the boss's bedroom. Then all was silent for about five minutes, when they were renewed with increasing violence and a noise as of furniture being smashed.

Acting on the impulse of the moment, but not without a feeling of something akin to fear, I seized a tomahawk, used for blazing trees in the field, and descended, candle in hand. The noises suddenly ceased, and the room was as its usual orderly condition. From there into my employer's room, and then into the dining-room. All was still, nothing disturbed, and, with a sense of great relief, I again reached my room, trying hard to make myself believe that I had been the victim of an overheated imagination.

Crept into bed, but had scarcely settled down when footsteps were distinctly audible on the stairs. Jumped out, and once more picked up the tomahawk. Those awful screams were renewed immediately outside the door, but not until all was again quiet could I muster courage to open it, and then only when I heard the welcome sound of the boss's latch key in the front door. When I told him he laughed up roariously, and expressed the utmost regret that he had been absent and unable to welcome the ghost.

But the morning put an entirely different complexion on it. Our neighbor, the contractor, called to ask if anything was wrong, and to express the hope that if it was necessary for us to fight and quarrel we might make less noise, as his wife had been aroused by the disturbance and his child frightened almost into convulsions. Still the surveyor laughed, and persisted in declaring that "it must have been the (you radiate sunshine and light)atoo."

But the servants had the (you radiate sunshine and light)atoo outside in their own quarters, so that theory was upset. Having no fancy for a repetition of the scare, and more than half believing the stories I had heard about the ghost, I shifted my quarters into a boarding house in the vicinity, to the ill concealed disgust of the boss, but the landlord was visibly ill at ease when he became acquainted with the details.

A fortnight afterwards the old servant came to me when I arrived at the office and said:
"I think it is best that I go for the doctor. The master is ill. I found him this morning standing in the corner of the room undressed, white, and speechless, except for the words 'The ghost! the ghost!'

Some of his hair had been forcibly torn out, and his limbs were terribly bruised. The doctor who came had him removed immediately to the house of a friend living at Richmond, and I heard, long afterwards, that he never properly recovered from the shock up to the time of his death. He may have told his friend the story of that terrible night, but to my knowledge he was the only one, and if he knew he kept it a profound secret.

The houses were again deserted, and, as no one would live in them, they were pulled down, the land sold, and the site is now occupied by two dainty little villas. But I still believe that the dour Scot landlord knew more about the truth than he was likely, in his own interests, to divulge. It was certainly to his advantage to have the houses occupied, so that he can scarcely be suspected of having played the ghost himself.

Published by The World's News Sydney, NSW Sat 9 Dec 1916

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« Reply #63 on: June 24, 2022, 02:53:59 AM »
THE HAUNTED HOMESTEAD OF COOPER'S CREEK

Christinas Eve on the wallaby with Matilda, up is not a pleasant prospect and Christmas eve 1933 was no exception. Blue-nose Jack and myself walked along the channels of Cooper's Creek for over 300 miles making to Adelaide, which we hoped to reach by easy stages, going by Lake Blanche and Lake Torrens. We counted on putting in Christmas Day at old Buldudgerie homestead, now long deserted, standing right on the banks of the Pelican Lagoon, the biggest waterhole on the Cooper. Old Buldudgerie used to belong to a rich Englishman but he abandoned it, and the old buildings, mostly stone, were still standing, and no one living in any of them.

Sure enough we got to Buldudgerie about 4 o'clock on Christmas Eve, found the place deserted, a big old rambling two-storied place, looking out over the Pelican lagoon, with a boatshed, and a landing stage, for a boat, all going to ruin. We soon fixed a camp, Blue-Nose and I, in the old homestead and set a few lines for fish in the hole. We were well rewarded for our trouble and soon caught a dozen big yellow-belly. After we had a good feed, Blue-nose and i retired for the night in one of the many rooms of the old homestead.

A little after midnight i was awakened by hearing someone pass my door a quick stealthily, hurried step which stopped at the big room at the end of the passage. I also thought I could hear a sound, like sobbing, and after a pause of a minute or two, i could hear the footsteps going past our door again. I awoke Blue-nose and we went out and searched, but could find no one, everything was deadly still, except a few frogs creaking in the rushes down by the lagoon and in the distance the cry of a dingo. Christmas Day we put in fishing, sleeping and swimming in the Pelican lagoon and after another big feed of yellow-bellies and nardoo, we to bed.

It must have been about 2 o'clock in the morning when Blue-nose awoke me, saying that a woman had just passed the door and stopped opposite the big room at the end of the passage. We listened, a after a minute or two could hear what appeared like a sobbing sound and then a quick step down the long passage. We both opened the door and looked out and in the bright moonlight clearly saw a white figure hurrying, with bowed head, to the landing stage and disappear in the water. We both saw this and decided we would not go back to the house, but camped outside until daylight.

We went to the room to get our swags and there, across the verandah and along the passage, was a light well defined footmark right up to the big room at the end of the passage and back again to the end of the landing stage, where it led into the water. Blue-nose and I decided we had about enough of Pelican waterhole and the old homestead and rolled up our swags and made tracks down the creek.

We had gone only about 3 miles when we met an old swaggie whom we knew, old "Mickey the Mouse." We pulled up and had a pitch, and he said. "Where did you camp last night." We told him and he said, "No one ever goes there, that place is haunted, i will tell you what happened there a few years ago."

This is what "Mickey the Mouse" told us.

Buldudgerie Station used to belong to an Englishman, a Mr Marjoribanks, and he married a very rich but plain wife, who had willed all her estate to him. Now this Mr Marjioribanks was a fickle man and was not really fond of his rich, but plain wife, but sad to say, was in love with a beautiful girl at Windorah, away up the creek.
Mr Marjoribanks wanted to marry the fair maid of Windorah, but could not do so while his rich wife was alive.

One Christmas night Mr Marjoribanks persuaded his wife to go for a row in the big lagoon and, after being away for about half an hour, he came running up to the station and woke everyone up, stating that the boat turned over at the landing stage and that Mrs Marjoribanks had been drowned. They all rushed down to the landing stage and, after a search, found Mrs Marjoribanks body, of course she was dead. They took her body up to the big room at the end of the passage, where we had heard the footsteps and sobbing. There was a bit of comment about the matter at the time, and a good deal of suspicion pointed to Mr. Marjoribanks, but nothing could be proved against him.

Within a week Mr Marjoribanks had married the fair maid of Windorah and they were down at Bulbudgerie for the honeymoon. One night, about midnight, the door was pushed open and a figure looked in on them and fairly frightened the wits out of the pair of them. After another moment, or two, the figure turned, and with bowed head, made down the passage way and out to the boat-shed.

Mr. Marjoribanks jumped out of bed and struck a match and saw the figure moving out of the house towards the lagoon and along the passage was the track of wet footsteps making towards tho boatshed. After this they both went to live near Lake Pure for a while, and after visiting Windorah for the races, they went home to London and never returned to Queensland. This is the story of the haunted house as told to Blue-nose and myself last year by "Mickey the Mouse."
I have just set down what we saw, word for word.

Published by The Longreach Leader Qld. Wed 5 Dec 1934

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« Reply #64 on: June 25, 2022, 02:25:36 AM »
THE GHOSTLY DIGGER

I wish to make a confession. I'm not a believer in ghosts. I never saw one. Yet there's a circumstance happened in my life that I can't explain, try my best.

In the year 1861, I was digging on Inglewood. It had been a great rush, there must have been fully thirty thousand people there, and a tremendous deal of gold had been got. It had been a wicked place, too, as most big rushes are. There was vice of all sorts, and some murders, more, I fancy, than were ever found out.

Well, at that time I was living up at the back of Daly's Hill. Daly's Hill is the highest point of ground that separates Inglewood from the fall to Thompson's Gully. The hills and gullies there abouts are all covered with thick scrub some eight or nine feet high. At the back of Daly's Hill is a little gully, which runs down a long distance, and then opens out on the Loddon Flats. This gully had been rushed, and a fair lot of gold had been taken out, but the rush was over, and the people had all left.

Looking for a place to set to work in, I happened one day to stroll into this gully. I liked the look of it, and I liked the quiet more. Having my pick and shovel and tin dish with me, I set to work, and as the sinking was only three feet, I bottomed a hole that morning. I got a good wash, and, trying some in my dish was satisfied with the prospect. I left my tools there, and went and fetched my tent. There was a stone chimney that had been left by some of the diggers, and against this I fixed my tent, being glad of it, as the days were getting cold, and as I like a fire to sit and read by at night. I seldom saw any one.

There was one man, however, used to come over of an evening sometimes, and have a chat. He didn't know much, but he always had a lot of news, and he was called the "walking newspaper." The name fitted him so far as I was concerned, for he seemed to know every one and everything about the place. He was a short chunky man, pretty fat, with a round face, merry black eyes, and a curly black head. I think I see him now, as he used to sit on the opposite side of the fire on an empty gin case, with his hands on his knees, and his eyes sparkling. One evening he came over to me, but was more thoughtful than I had ever seen him. Try his best he could not tell a bit of news through, but would break off in the middle—sigh—and look into the fire for five minutes at a time.
I did not take much notice of him at first; but presently I observed his manner, yet although wondered at it, I didn't say anything.

Presently he said, " Do you know whose chimney this was?" I confessed I didn't.

" Well," said he, " it belonged to a tall thin chap with grey hair and hollow cheeks. He always kept to himself, and never spoke more than he could help. He was the prospector of the 'Robbie Burns Reef,' on the other side of the hill. You must have heard how, after the last crushing, he was missed, and, though sought for, never found, the police, when he couldn't be found, came and took his traps away from this very chimney. It's pretty well forgotten now, however, though some believe—and I believe too—he was murdered. However, his claim was taken up by Dusty Bob, but not another spec of gold could be got, and Bob was so frightened by noises he heard that he wouldn't work there any more. Other chaps have tried, but they never would go to the north end, for it was
there the noises were, like some one working and every morning they could see where a fresh lot of reef had been knocked down. So everyone believed that it was the ghost of the prospector, and wouldn't go near. Well, the people went away, and others came, and the story was forgotten again until some children, who used to go over the hill after goats, would bring back tales of the curious knockings they heard, and frightened people very much, though they saw nothing, though red headed Sal said she saw something white by her fence one night. Well, this set me thinking. Thinks I, perhaps the old buffer knows where the lost lead of gold is to be found, and wants us to find it. Thinking so, as I came here this evening, I thought there would be no harm in going down the workings, and having a look. But when I got down, I heard such a tap, tap-tapping of picks and hammers, and such a hollow laugh and a groan, that I cut as quickly as I could, and came here. If there was two hundred onnces to the ton, I wouldn't go down again. And now I must go home, and you may as well walk a bit of the way with me."

I saw he was afraid, and wanted me to go past the haunted reef, and as I didn't care a bit, I went with him.
As we got abreast of the hole, true enough there was the tap-tapping, and the laugh and the groan. On hearing it the "walking newspaper" started at a run, and left me alone. I drew nearer and nearer, and could still hear the noise as plainly as possible. I should think I stayed for an hour, during the whole of which time the ghosts continued working. I then walked home, thinking the matter over. I knew people said that concealed money or gold was often revealed in such ghostly fashion; but I did not believe in ghosts, and so could arrive at no satisfactory conclusion.

I must just here say that I had one other friend, an old man, who had been working along side me at the Back Creek rush. He had daughter twenty years old, a good looking quiet girl. I used to sit in their tent of nights, reading the whole time to myself, and never a word said. She liked it. It used to suit her, and so we fell in love, and were engaged to get married, though her father said the marriage should not take place till I had five hundred pounds. Now I did not possess at the time more than that number of pence; but we were in no hurry, and Dora was quite willing to wait until I had a slice of luck, and found either a nugget or a big patch. The day before I heard of the ghost, however, I had heard bad news. The old man had got tired of Inglewood, and was intending to go to the Pyrenees to dig. I couldn't go, for I was getting short, and so Dora and I were in a bad way.

Well, I got home from the "Robbie Burns," and sat by my fire with my chin upon my hands thinking and thinking, but could not see how I could help having to part with Dora, and her sorrowful face kept coming up before me, and I believed I cried. All at once I was startled by a tap, tap-tapping at my chimney outside, and then a laugh and a groan like I had heard down the cutting. I started up, frightened at first; but then, thinking it might be my late visitor out for a lark, I sat down again, near the door this time, intending, if it was repeated, to pop out and catch him in the act.

It came again, the same tapping, laugh, and groan. I was out in a moment. It was clear moon light but nothing was to be seen, not a leaf stirred, not a stick cracked. I went round the tent, and dodged back again, thinking to catch the intruder, if he was lurking, but no one was there. Wondering, I re-entered my tent, and almost immediately the knocking was renewed. I sat awestruck. I was not frightened, for I thought if any hurt was intended, it would have been done to me before.

I remembered that it was at the ghost's chimney that the noise was being made, I must have sat there for an hour, the noise returning at intervals, each time more violently, until at last a tap more powerful than any sent the stones flying into my tent The tapping thenceforth was continuous, until I saw the whole chimney demolished, apparently without hands. I now bethought me that perhaps I was wanted at the "Robbie Burns." At all events I thought I would go, and see if the ghosts were at work there too. I took a candle with me to light when I got below. All was quiet at first, but presently I heard a tapping at the north end, but no laugh or groan. I went forward, and the tapping continued. I got quite to the place, and when I heard the knocking, I knocked in response.

My knock was answered. This occurred again and again, until I thought I would try with my pick, and see if I could find what the knocking was about, I turned my pick (for I had been knocking with the hammer end, it being a driving pick) and with a few blows dislodged a large junk of slate. On looking with my candle, I started back with surprise, there was a snug little pocket lay a lot of gold and quartz, Now I guessed what the ghost meant. I returned to my tent for a bag (not heeding the wind, for it was blowing a gale now), and coming back soon, had the whole of the treasure in my possession.

I returned to my tent now a contented man, and in the morning found that there was gold enough to raise the five hundred pounds required. As a result, I married Dora, and we shifted to this place, and I have been always thankful to the ghost, though still a doubter, and though still unable to explain the mystery.

Published by Adelaide Observer SA Sat 25 Dec 1880

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Re: Unexplained Experiences
« Reply #65 on: June 25, 2022, 02:51:09 AM »
THE AUSTRALIAN BANSHEE


‘ You recollect Bob Jackson, who used to go to the old King's School, don't you ?' 


' Yes, to be sure’ answered several of the old scholars, whilst one added., ‘He was drowned wasn't he ?' 


' He was’ continued Gus gloomily, 'and it is in connection with his death that the strange circumstance I am about to relate occurred.’

He was going to his father's station and meeting him in Singleton, we agreed to travel together as far as the Page. We crossed the river, and though there was a little fresh coming down, the water was barely up to the horses girths; we had got some seven miles from the river, and had just past the old sheep station hut that stood so long, ruined and deserted. You know the kind of country it is there, fine open forest and level ground, in which you may see and recognise a beast at half a mile distant. Just a nice clear apple tree country without a bit of undergrowth large enough to shelter a bandicoot.

We were riding steadily along, laughing and joking and thinking of anything but supernatural appearances, when suddenly we heard the most piercing shrieks from the bush on our right. We both turned in that direction instantly, and what was our astonishment when we saw a woman rushing wildly through the bush, her dress in disorder, her hair hanging down all dishevelled upon her shoulders, traces of blood upon her hands, arms, and face, and uttering the frightful screams that had drawn our attention to her as she wrung her hands in what seemed to be the intensity 
of agony.

We looked at each other, and I don't know what feeling it was that prevented me from uttering a word or from rushing forward. The woman however came on with astounding rapidity, and, as we 
turned our eyes upon her again, she crossed the road, without taking the slightest notice of us, and rushed  into the bush on our left, still continuing her piercing cries and frantic actions. By this time Bob, who was the first to recover himself shouted after her. She gave, no heed to his cries, but continued her wild career. We then looked round to see if she was pursued, but nothing was to be seen in the direction where she had come. When we again turned towards where we had last seen the woman she was no longer in sight, and the shrieks had ceased. 


' Well, this is a rum start !' said Bob. 


' It certainly is very strange !' I assented. ' Seeing the way she can cut along,' I don't think they'd have a chance of catching her.' 


' What do you think about it, Gus?' he asked. 


' I don't know what to think Bob, for somehow I couldn't persuade myself that the thing was real. 


' I believe that we have been deceived in some way !' 


' Deceived! nonsense!' he answered, ' that would be well enough if there had been only one of us. But we both saw her, and two people don't make a mistake.’


' Don't be too sure of that. I tell you Bob that I don't believe that we have seen anything.’

' But we heard the shrieks !' he added.


However, whether or no I'll make sure about it and with that he dug the spurs into his horse's side, and galloped off into the bush towards where we had last seen the woman. 


I don't know what it was that kept me back ; a kind of feeling such as l had never experienced before, and which sent my hair bristling up from the very roots, came over me when I turned in that direction. I did not follow him then; but sitting on my horse, I watched him as he rode along searching the ground for tracks, and dismounting in order to look more closely. He was not long away, and I noticed that he looked pale, nervous, and anxious when he joined me. 


' Did you find her ?' I asked. 


' No,' he answered, and his voice sank as he added, ' nor did I find any sign of her. I looked over 
the place where I could swear I saw her pass, but I couldn't find so much as a single track.' 


'Just as I thought,' I rejoined. 'It was some ocular deception of which we have been the victims’


' But how about the screams ?' he asked. 


' It might have been a jackass, or a curlew, or some other bird, and our fancy turned the cries into 
screams.' 


Bob shook his head but said nothing. We were not very lively on, our way to Aberdeen, but when we reached there, we halted for a quarter of an hour, to refresh ourselves and our horses. This enlivened us a bit, and we got into our old laughing and chatting manner as we rode down to the river. About a hundred yards from the river we met a couple of travellers who had just crossed.

‘ Hurry on, hurry on, young fellers ‘ said one, 'if you want to get across, for the fresh is coming down at a deuce of a rate, and it was only just as much as we could do to get over without swimming.' 


Thanking him for the warning we galloped down to the stream. We were both upon steady old horses accustomed to the water, and on which you might depend your life to take you across a broader river than the Hunter at Aberdeen. We therefore did not hesitate a moment, but at once plunged in, in order, to lose no time. On the farther or northern bank, the water is much deeper than on the side at which we entered, and I found when I neared this spot that even before I had reached what l knew to be the deepest place, my horse was swimming. The current was running very rapidly, the water like so much pea-soup, but my horse breasted it nobly. Just as I was in the strongest part of the current I turned to look at Bob. He was only five or six yards behind me, heading his horse steadily up stream and making for the landing. In a few more seconds, my horse's feet touchcd the ground, he gave a plunge or two and we were safe on shore.

I then turned to watch for Bob. His horse was making way admirably, and he was now in the very force of the current when a huge log borne down on the stream, caught broadways on across horse and rider, and in an instant both went down. Without considering the consequences to my 
self, I leapt my horse into the stream and swam him towards the spot where I had seen Bob go down ; but the horse must have struck him, or something else must have kept him down, for he never rose again. Had he done so, I must have seen him. It was only with the greatest difficulty that I once more regained the river bank, where I lay for some time half senseless from exertion and excitement. As soon as I could once more move about, I gave the alarm, and before long had assistance to search for the body.

It was not, however, until the fresh had subsided that the body of poor Bob was found some ten miles lower down the river. The bodies of horse and rider lay together on a mud bank, poor Bob's foot having in some inexplicable manner got entangled in the stirrup leather, and thus he and the horse had helped to drown each other.

The most curious part of the story has yet to come, I was talking to old Dobson about Bob's death. You know he is a very old resident in that part, and is acquainted with all the in's and outs of every property and station in the district. I happened to mention casually the circumstance of our having encountered the screaming woman. It was the first, and with this exception will be the last time that I shall speak of it. Old Dobson's red cheeks turned absolutely pale, or rather I should say a light blue colour, as I told this part of the story.

‘ Did you both see her?' he asked. 


' Yes,' said I. 


' And did you both follow her into the bush ?' he questioned almost breathlessly and I thought trembling.


' No,' I replied, ‘ I couldn't help thinking that it was some ocular deception, and so remained on the 
road. Bob, however, followed her but could see nothing. He even tried to make out her tracks but 
could find none.' 


' Then thank your stars, Mr. Dashwood, for if you'd followed her, your life wouldn't have been worth a week's purchase,' and with a sigh of relief, he shook me by the hand and congratulated me on 
my escape.

Mr. Jackson's death is now fully accounted for. Nothing could have saved him and he then mentioned the names of several persons who had seen this ill-omened spectre, for it was nothing else. Everyone of those who had
attempted to follow and trace out the spirit had perished miserably within twenty-four hours, either by accident or violence. 


' So then,' said Harry Buckley, ' when I get into the bush, I must take precious good care not to go 
running after the women, especially if they are given to screaming.'

‘ You need not be alarmed,' cried Frank, ' a sensible ghost wouldn't certainly set up a scream at 
your good looking face, however Gus's moustache and beard may have frightened it.' 


' He is safe,' continued Gus, 'for I have never heard of the appearance of this fatal spectre except in the vicinity of the old sheep station hut.' 


' And what may have been her particular object in amusing herself in this way after death ?' asked 
another. 


Old Dobson told me the story.
Very many years ago, the present spectre had been a very handsome, but a very dissolute and violent tempered woman. She was married to the man, a shephord, who inhabited the now ruined and deserted hut. In one of her paroxysms of passion at an accusation made by her husband, she stabbed him to the heart. Immediately afterwards overcome by remorse and perhaps by the dread of punishment she rushed away raving into the bush.

There she must have perished miserably, for some three or four months afterwards what were 
supposed, by the remnants of clothing near them, to be her remains, were found torn and scattered by native dogs. Ever since that time she makes occasional visits to the scene of her crime and punishment, and rushing along through the bush utters the same wild shrieks that she sent forth when alive ; but woe to the man who shall dare to follow, or attempt to trace her.


Published by Sydney Mail NSW Sat 29 Dec 1866


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Re: Unexplained Experiences
« Reply #66 on: June 25, 2022, 03:03:49 AM »
AUBURN STREET GHOST

Within the last few days a very general topic of conversation in town has been some extraordinary, and at present wholly unaccounted for, occurrences that have taken place on the premises of Mr Rogers, cabinetmaker, in Auburn-street. The house occupied by him is situated nearly opposite the Australian Store, and is two-storied. Before being taken by Mr Rogers it was used as a public house.

Shortly after Mr Rogers went into it, some very strange noises were heard at night in the lower story, sounds as if the furniture were being moved about, doors opened and shut or banged to, and persons walking about, and this all at a time when the outer doors were securely fastened, and none but the regular inmates were inside.

On several occasions Mr Rogers has had friends to stop with him during the night, and these have heard the same noises, but on going to the spot from whence they apparently proceeded, nothing more was heard.

Adjoining the house are some other premises, formerly used as a butcher's shop, and at the back of this are two small rooms and the staircase. The noises in this house have generally preceeded from the furniture shop, or about the foot of the stairs, or from one of the two rooms alluded to, which is used as a bedroom. The noises have frequently been heard at intervals for about nine months, and every attempt on the part of Mr Rogers or his friends to detect the cause of them has been unsuccessful.

A young man, a journeyman cabinet maker, who only came from Sydney a fortnight ago, and who has slept from his arrival in the bedroom at the back of the shop until Friday last, informed us that since he came he has never had but one night's rest. The very first night he slept in the house he was astonished about twelve o'clock by hearing a tremendous crash, as if a chest of drawers had been thrown down stairs and smashed to atoms. He rushed out of the room to see what was the matter, but nothing was to be seen except Mr Rogers, who had come down stairs on the same errand.

On Thursday last the young man was alarmed in the middle of the night by hearing the handles of the three doors simultaneously turned, and some one walk up his room to his bedside, and then walk away again. Since then he has objected to sleep down stairs, and has accordingly been domiciled above. On Friday night the inmates, with another, sat up all night and heard nothing. On Saturday night the noises were heard again as usual, and also on Sunday night, when sounds similar to the moving of furniture in the shop was distinctly heard by a constable on duty in the street, who had been informed of the circumstances, and who called another constable to hear them ; before the arrival of the latter, however, they had ceased.

On Monday night both Mr Rogers and his assistant heard footsteps ascending the stairs, and the assistant says he heard a voice addressing him ; he tried to speak, but was speechless, as if from lock-jaw. The same night Constables Walker and M 'Carthy, who were on the look out, distinctly heard footsteps inside the shop, and also in the unoccupied premises adjoining ; they ran round to the back of the latter, and forcing open the door, rushed in, made a thorough search, but could find nothing.

We may state that similar noises were heard as far back as fifteen years ago, and when the house was occupied by the late Mr Noonan as a public house, and also subsequently by Mr Joseph Carroll. These is a cellar underneath the shop, and this Mr Rogers had partially excavated last Thursday morning, in the expectation that perhaps something might be discovered to elucidate the mystery ; all however, that was discovered were a couple of spoons and a small mallet bespattered with what looked like blood; on being examined by Dr Waugh, however, he pronounced the stains to be spirit stains.

The house in question was built by a butcher named Harrison, and there is a curious tale in reference to the circumstances under which he disposed of it. He has been dead seventeen years.
A man named (sorry we don't allow swearing on the forum) the sailor was murdered on the premises about six years ago.

Published by Mount Alexander Mail Vic Mon 27 Aug 1866

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Re: Unexplained Experiences
« Reply #67 on: June 25, 2022, 03:11:24 AM »
A TRITE SYDNEY GHOST STORY

About 25 years ago, being in want of a house in Sydney, my parents became tenants of an old one called Grange, situated across the harbour, in the suburb of North Shore. Grange was a large one storey place, built in the early days of the colony by an English officer, who was in charge of convicts. In the quadrangle, which during our time was a yard surrounded by domestic offices, was still to be seen a triangle, formerly used for flogging.

Beneath the basement were three large cellars, with vaulted roofs, two of them communicating with each other by heavy iron studded doors. The furthest and smallest, used by us as a dairy, had been a prison, and between it and the largest was our dining-room, once the guard-room, the door of which, consisted of a strong grating. Similar gratings barred the windows, the tops of which were about a foot above the level of the ground outside. The further cellar was used by us as a kitchen.

In the grounds, which were very extensive, was an old well, down which tradition stated a prisoner had been pushed by a female convict. The dining-room, too, had been the scene of a tragedy. An officer had been found there one morning, sitting at the table with an open book, dead, shot through the back.

My father, grandfather, and great-grand-father had all been soldiers, the first-mentioned having come out with Governor Bligh. My mother and grandmother, the latter of whom lived with us, had seen strange things in the old convict times, and I can truthfully affirm that the ghastly stories connected with the old house affected us not a whit. For about three months after our taking the house, nothing unusual occurred.

Then a housemaid told my mother that some of the servants, sitting up till a late hour after the family had gone to bed, had been surprised to hear a low muttering conversation in the dining room, which at length sounded as if several people were talking together with occasional laughter. Looking into the room, however, they said that it was tenantless, while, undisturbed by their presence, the sounds went on, seemingly in angry altercation, until a sharp shriek was heard, and all was silent.

This was a strange story, but on questioning the other servants, they all declared that they had heard the noises just as the girl described. For many nights the same thing went on. We all (my father included) heard the sounds, which, usually began towards midnight, and lasted for over an hour. Strict investigation was made, but without result.

Two of the servants gave notice to leave, declaring the place was haunted. Some months passed, and we became quite accustomed to the noises. My father, finding he could buy the house for a moderate sum, became its purchaser. The noises were still heard at intervals, but though unable to explain, we paid but little attention to them.

One night, during the winter season, my mother gave a dinner party. It was a dark night, and the rain, which had fallen during the day, had made the ground soft. All the expected guests duly arrived by boat, with the exception of one, and the dinner passed off as usual. Afterwards, as we were in the drawing-room, a carriage was heard to drive into the yard, the brake was put on at the gate, where the ground sloped, the harness jangled, and the vehicle stopped.

‘Mr B’ said my father. 'I wonder what has made him so late?'

Time passed, and as the expected guest did not appear, my father went out to inquire as to the late arrival, and was surprised to hear that no one had come. The servants, like ourselves, had heard the sound of wheels, and the man had gone out to render assistance ; but on entering the yard had found it empty, and the gate shut, so certain was everybody of the arrival of a vehicle that, to solve the mystery, lights were taken out, and the yard examined. All the guests had come in by the front entrance, and the soft ground in the yard bore no trace of wheel marks. This was by no means the only time the strange carriage was heard to roll in and stop.

On various occasions, ourselves, guests, and servants heard it distinctly, but no trace of it was ever seen by anyone. On Christmas vacation we had staying with us a young fellow, a friend of ours. The weather was hot, and we were all in the garden.

Our visitor, however, had occasion to go down for something to the dining-room, and coming back surprised us by asking, 'Who is the man in the dairy?'

'In the dairy?' said my mother. 'There can be no one there; it is locked, and I have the key in my pocket.'

'Well, at any rate, there's a fellow in there, a man in a blue jersey.'

My brother went at once to investigate; but soon returned, saying the place was locked as usual, and there was no one there. Our guest, however, persisted in saying he had certainly seen a man in a blue knitted jersey standing with his back to the grated door, looking through the barred window.

A few days after the same visitor, coming from the dining-room, called out to me, ‘I say Bob, there's that fellow in the dairy again!'

Going to the room with him, we both saw a man dressed in an odd kind of blue jacket, standing in the dairy. His back was towards us, and his face turned to the window. I called out to him, asking what he was doing there, but he neither spoke nor stirred. I tried the door; it was locked, but wishing to come to conclusions with the fellow, whom I believed to be there for a dishonest purpose, I hurried off for the key. My friend met me as I returned, looking pale and frightened. 'He's gone,' he said. 'I looked after you for a moment, and when I turned my head there was nothing.'

We searched the place thoroughly. There was no possible hiding-place or mode of egress, save through the grated door. Walls and floor were of strongly cemented stone, and the only window was protected by solid bars of iron. Shortly after this incident my father sold the place, and we moved to a distant part of the country. Time passed, and I became acquainted with a young lady, a Miss C , who, in course of conversation, mentioned that she had formerly lived near Sydney, at a place called Grange. I then remembered that it had been purchased by a Mr C, and asked a few questions about the old place.

‘We did not live there long,' said Miss C. We heard the strangest noises in the basement, people laughing, quarrelling, and screaming. Sometimes a carriage seemed to drive into the yard. The neighbors all said the place was haunted. The servants would not stay, and all of us became so nervous that we had to leave.'

Published by Evening News Sydney, NSW Sat 16 Dec 1899

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Re: Unexplained Experiences
« Reply #68 on: June 28, 2022, 12:53:54 AM »
WARRNAMBOOL GHOST

There is a house in Henna street in which a young woman died some time since, under circumstances which gave rise to unpleasant rumors at the time. The house is now inhabited by Mr J. Manning, who is about to carry on the business of a hay and corn merchant.

The apparition which is said to haunt the premises appeared first to two sons of the tenant, aged respectively 19 and 25 years of age. They were sleeping in a small room of the house, to the window of which on the night in question, there was no blind. The elder brother states that about two o'clock in the morning he was awakened by feeling something like a rash of cold air over his face. Thinking that the door or window of the apartment was open, he cast his eyes towards each, but observed that they were closed.

On settling down again he was considerably startled at seeing the figure of a woman standing by the fire place a few feet from him. The figure was clad in dark clothes, with a kind of cowl over the head. The pale glimpses of the moon which found their way into the chamber were not sufficient to define the figure accurately, so that its features could not be discerned. With considerable trepidation Manning turned to awaken his brother, and for a moment took his eyes off the figure. In that moment it vanished.

Manning asked his brother to get a light, without saying a word of the spectral appearance. The younger man rose up in bed to get a match from his garment, and he was immediately rendered speechless by an appearance in the corner of the room. When he recovered his speech, he said that there was a figure in the corner, and retreated under the bed clothes. Calling their manhood to the rescue, the two men-stalwart specimens of the geuis homo-made up their minds to solve the mystery.

It may here be said that the one who first saw the sceptre did not see it again after losing sight of it at the
fireplace. They both rose together to "lay the ghost," but on going to the corner they saw nothing. The door of the room was closed and so was the window, both being as they had left them when they had retired to rest. Such is their story , and so thoroughly impressed are they that they saw an apparition, that neither have slept in the room since, but have taken up their quarters in the front room of the house. Every night the sleeping rooms of the family are now illuminated, and lights are kept burning till morning, in dread of the visitation.

It is probably because the family were expecting a re-appearance of the apparition, that it was again seen a few nights after its first visit, and this time by the father. Manning was lying awake and looking through the open door of his bedroom into the room where his sons were sleeping beyond, when a grey figure with a cowl over its head, such as described by the younger son passed slowly across the room. It appeared as if it had gained entrance by the front door, but both front and back doors were found locked after the disappearance of the figure.

There is no doubt that the inmates of the house have had a great fright from some cause or other, and there is a disposition to connect the disturbing element with the manes of the poor girl who breathed her last in the house under such circumstances that an investigation into the cause of her death was rendered necessary

Published by Geelong Advertiser Vic Sat 12 Jun 1880

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Re: Unexplained Experiences
« Reply #69 on: June 28, 2022, 01:01:10 AM »
MONARO GHOST

Records of the Monaro district abound in stories of wayside ghosts, shades of bushrangers who have returned to the scenes of their crimes, sudden apparitions of the long since dead.

One such spook is known as the Martinet Major. A bachelor, he was a martinet of the worst kind. He had a number of convicts working for him, including an unruly member who had been sent out as a political rebel. The latter resented the fact that he was a "lag" along with the riff-raff working on the station, and his attitude exasperated the pompous major.

One day the major abused this convict, who picked up a stone and threw it at him. The major, who was also a magistrate, immediately sentenced the man to death, and the hanging took place on the property the same evening.

But, so the story goes, the convict had his revenge. He haunted the place in a disgraceful fashion, singing ribald songs at the foot of the major's four posted bedstead, hunting the cattle out of the barns at night, kicking over buckets of milk left on the dairy floor by the milkmaids, rattling tins and tolling bells at midnight until the major could no longer stand it. Thoroughly annoyed, though he never admitted being scared, he sold his property and returned to England. The present owner of the property has never seen the ghost.



BLACK HORSE OF SUTTON

Another famous Monaro spectre was known as the "Black Horse of Sutton." This apparition was allegedly seen by a certain family, but only when disaster befell their house. The first visitation was soon after the father of the house had gone to Goulburn to arrange a land deal to extend his large property. As he was returning home he was thrown from his horse and killed.

The tragedy occurred on a mild summer night; the man's wife was seated on the broad flagged verandah of the homestead when she heard the faint echo of galloping hoofs along the dusty home road. There was a pause, then the sound of a gate being opened, the wheeling of a horse as though a man had turned to close the gate, the clanging sound as if it had shut again; then, once more, the sound of galloping hoofs.

The woman stood up and walked to the top of the verandah steps to welcome her husband.
"It must be John," she said to herself. "Strange, I wonder why he didn't cooee as he always does?
Why-I'm trembling! Perhaps it's just-oh!-his horse! John! John! Where are you?"

A riderless horse had come into view, its hoofs pounding on the drive. It crossed the lawn at breakneck speed straight towards the house. The sound was muffled a moment, then was taken up again at the back of the house. The riderless horse had apparently passed through the house and disappeared into the ranges beyond. When a search was made, the man was found dead, his horse grazing nearby.

Old identities in the district will tell you that when disaster came again to that family the riderless horse was seen galloping once more. It allegedly made its appearance when the woman's eldest son was killed at the Boer War, and again when the youngest son met his death in an accident. The house was demolished long ago and today sheep graze across the country where the riderless horse comes no more.

Published by The Sydney Morning Herald NSW Sat 20 Sep 1952



STRATHALBYN GHOST

A ghost story has been exciting some attention at Strathalbyn (South Australia), concerning which a well known resident writes to the local Press as follows : —

Whilst taking a walk very early one morning, through some motive which I cannot account for, I was induced to walk through a certain burying ground, and coming to a grave surrounded by a wall and covered with a slab of slate, I noticed on the slate something strange. It was scarcely light enough to see distinctly at first, but after waiting some few minutes I could see it plainly, and it appeared to be a side view of a female. I could distinctly trace the head and body and the skirts, apparently full size.

Not being satisfied with the sight I rubbed my hand on the form, and found that portion of the slate was perfectly dry, whilst the parts outside the form were very wet with the dew which had fallen, and still not being satisfied I walked away, and came back in about fifteen or twenty minutes afterwards, and still the form was there, so I determined upon visiting it again next morning, which I did and continued doing so for a week or more. During this time I only saw the form once after the first morning ; but not being a believer in supernatural appearances I tried to define the cause, but failed.

In the course of conversation I told Mr Morton what I had seen, and he visited the place and saw the form, although not so plain as it was when I saw it. The form was to be seen, and it has been seen since by others. Now, I believe there is some natural cause which produces this strange appearance, and perhaps some person upon reading this will be able to satisfy the minds of those who saw it, although many things have been advanced by people as the probable cause, but none that seems satisfactory to my mind and those who have been eye-witnesses of the sight.

Published by Ovens and Murray Advertiser Beechworth, Vic Sat 26 Aug 1871

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Re: Unexplained Experiences
« Reply #70 on: June 28, 2022, 01:11:00 AM »
THE HAUNTED SKELETON WARDROBE

On the evening of September 29, in the front drawing room of a house in the immediate neighbourhood of Portland place, a select number of persons were invited to witness some strange manifestations which took place in the presence, if not by the agency, of three gentlemen lately arrived from America, and who have passed in their own country as spiritualists of the most gifted order.

The party consists of two brothers, named Davenport, 24 and 25 years of age, and a Mr. Fay, accompanied by Mr. H. D. Palmer, and a Dr. Ferguson, who explains the nature of the manifestations.

The party invited to witness the manifestation consisted of some fourteen or fifteen individuals, all of whom are admitted to be of considerable distinction in the various professions in which they are connected. The majority had never previously witnessed anything of the kind ; and all were determined to detect, and, if possible, expose any attempt at deception.

At the upper end of the department was placed what might be called a skeleton wardrobe, composed of walnut wood less than an inch in thickness. The portion in which the drawers of a similar piece of furniture are usually to be found was empty, but a seat or bench, perforated here and there with holes was fitted to the back and ends. The door consists of three panels, which shut inside with a brass bolt, thus when the middle door is open, any person can put his hand in and bolt the side doors. The bolt of the middle door was shut by some invisible agency from the inside.

The Brothers Davenport having seated themselves vis a vis on the end bench, their hands and feet were securely tied by those present so as to prevent the possibility of their using those members. A guitar, a tambourine, a violin and bow, a brass horn, and a couple of bells were placed on the seat inside, and the doors were shut. At the top of the panel of the centre door was a diamond shaped opening about a foot square with a curtain secured on the inside.

Instantly on the centre door being closed the bolt was secured on the inside, and hands were clearly observed through the opening. A gentleman present was invited to pass his hand through the opening, and it was touched by the hands several times. The musical instruments and the bells then commenced making all sorts of noises and knocking, snatches of airs were distinctly heard, and suddenly the centre door was burst open, and the trumpet was thrown out into the room, fell heavily upon the carpet. The doors were subsequently closed by persons, who, when doing so, were touched by invisible hands, and the noise of undoing the cords was distinctly heard.
A moment or two afterwards the brothers we found sitting unbound, with the ropes at their feet.

The next illustration was more curious still, for, after an interval of perhaps two minutes the brothers were found to be securely bound with the same cords, the ends of the ropes being some distance from their hands. One of the company present was then invited to take a seat in the cabinet as to assure himself that whatever might be done, could not be accomplished by the brothers. A gentleman having volunteered to be imprisoned in such mysterious company, his hands were securely tied to the hands of the Davenports, who’s hands were fastened behind their backs by cords passed through the holes in the bench, their feet were also tied together with a sailor's knot.

A tambourine was then laid in the gentleman's lap, upon which a guitar and violin were placed, as also a trumpet and couple of handbells. Any interference with these articles by the gentleman in whose lap they were deposited was rendered impossible, by reason of his hands being tied. He states that the instant the door was closed, hands were passed over his face and head, his hair was gently pulled, and the whole of the musical instruments were played upon, the bells were also violently rung close to his face. Eventually, the musical instruments were flung behind him and rested between his shoulders and the back of the cabinet. During these manifestations one of the gas burners of the chandelier was lighted and two wax candles were burning in different parts of the room.

Several other manifestations having taken place in connection with the cabinet, Dr. Ferguson explained that it would be desirable that the company should clasp hands and that the lights should be altogether extinguished. A small writing table had been previously placed in the centre of the room, with a chair at either side. The musical instruments were placed on the table. The Brothers Davenport were then menacled by the hands and feet, and securely bound to the chairs by ropes. A chain of communication (though not a circular one) was formed, and the instant the lights were extinguished the musical instruments appeared to be carried all about the room. The current of air which they occasioned in their rapid transit was felt upon the faces of all present.

The bells wore loudly rung ; the trumpet made knocks on the floor, and the tambourine appeared running round the room, jingling with all its might. At the same time tiny sparks were observed as if passing from south to west. Several persons exclaimed that they were touched by the instruments, which on one occasion became so demonstrative that one gentleman received a knock on the nasal organ, which broke the skin and caused a few drops of blood to flow. These manifestations having been repeated two or three times with nearly similar results.

The brothers Davenport joined the chain of communication, and Mr. Fay was bound in the chair. His hands were bound tightly behind his back, and his feet were firmly secured, as in the cabinet.

Astonishing although this appeared to be, what followed was more extraordinary still. Dr. Ferguson requested a gentleman present to take off his coat and place it on the table. This was done, the light was extinguished, a repetition of the whizzing noise was heard and the strange coat was found upon Mr. Fay, whose hands and feet were still securely bound, and his body tied almost immovably to the chair. A gentleman present then enquired whether, if he were to place two finger rings on the table, they could be transferred to the hand of Mr. Fay.

Dr. Ferguson said he could not undertake that this feat would be accomplished, but that an essay would be made. The rings were deposited on the table, the candle extinguished, and Mr. Fay immediately exclaimed, 'They are on my finger;' and surely enough there they were. The owner of the rings then expressed a wish that they might be restored to his fingers. As soon as the room was darkened the musical instruments commenced their mysterious concert, and, after an interval of about 30 seconds, a gentleman (not the owner) exclaimed that the rings had been placed on his fingers. This was found to be the case.

A lady next expressed a desire that a gold watch which she held in her hand might be conveyed to some distant portion of the room. Immediately afterwards the conceit was resumed ; the bell, tambourine, and horn became excited, and the lady exclaimed that the watch was gone. On the candle being lighted, it was found on the carpet at the feet of Dr. Ferguson. One of the bells was also found in the lap of a gentleman sitting near him.

Some doubt having been expressed as to whether it was possible for the Brothers Davenport to have moved chair and all in the darkness, so as to elevate the musical instruments in the air, and make them play, another illustration was volunteered by Dr Ferguson. Mr. Fay took his place among the visitors, holding a hand of each as before.

A gentle man present then sat down between the Davenports, and placed his hand upon the head of each, while he rested either foot on the feet of the Davenports, which were placed close together in a parallel direction to each other. The Davenports then clasped the arms of the gentleman, and in this position it would have been absolutely impossible for one of the group to have moved without disturbing the others. This pose having been arranged to the satisfaction of all present, the light was extinguished and the instruments was again heard as if moving in the air close to the faces of all present. Mr. Fay, as before stated , was seated in a row, clasping hands with the persons right and left of him, while Dr. Ferguson was similarly placed in another portion of the room.

With this last named illustration the seance terminated. It had lasted rather more than two hours, during which time the cabinet was minutely inspected, the coats examined to ascertain whether they were fashioned so as to favour a trick, and every precaution taken to bind the hands and feet of the persons whose presence appeared to be essential to the development of the manifestations.

Published by The Tumut and Adelong Times NSW Mon 16 Jan 1865

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Re: Unexplained Experiences
« Reply #71 on: June 28, 2022, 01:15:43 AM »
THE KNOCKING GHOST

Great excitement prevails here, as well as at Carrieton and other places about, on account of a sensational ghost story that has been going the rounds for some time. On Monday night Trooper Mitchell and two residents of this place drove down to see or hear for themselves, and the following is their account of the ghostly visitant.

The scene of the wanderings of the spirit is the Boolcunda Creek, about 17 miles from here, and it appears to confine itself to the cottage of a Mr. Hamdorf, situated on the bank of the creek, about 30 yards from a large waterhole. Mr. Hamdorf and his family were away in Quron, having taken there a child of about 7 years of age, for whom the spirit seems to have had a partiality.

There were two boys of about 9 and 13 years of age stopping in the hut, and they seemed to take not the least notice of the disturbance. About 9 p.m., all being quiet, the light was extinguished, and all were on the qui vive. In a few minutes a great noise was heard as of someone splashing in water or walking in water. Immediately a knocking commenced at the north-east corner of the hut.

Two of the party went outside and heard the knocking as though inside, but could see nothing although they walked round the hut. Afterwards Trooper Mitchell went outside and heard the knocking just as the others had done. They thereupon asked questions and received replies by knocks, two knocks being regarded as signifying "No" and three knocks "Yes."

The information obtained that way was to the effect that the nocturnal visitor was dead, and had been buried 5 feet under the ground at the north-east corner of the hut. Mr. Hamdorf, it appears, elicited the same information, and dug a hole 6 feet deep at the place mentioned but found nothing. The knocks are of much the same character as those given by any ordinary person knocking at a door, but on being told to knock hard the "spirit" makes everything in the place rattle.

The cottage is built of upright pines with pug between. In about an hour the knocking ceased, and the investigators turned in, but not to sleep, that being out of the question. About 2 a.m. the ghost returned and started knocking again, Mr. Mitchell went out and walked round the hut, but could see nothing although the noise was kept up. This has been going on for the last six weeks, and Mr, Hamdorf has decided to abandon the place. Many residents of Carrieton have visited the place and have heard the same noises. Two or three shots have been fired in the direction of the sound, but nothing came of them. A party of six were there the night before. There is to be a large party from here next Sunday night to visit the place.

It may be mentioned that a shepherd was drowned in the waterhole some years ago. Whatever the cause of the disturbance, Trooper Mitchell is convinced that it is something very unnatural, and he is a man whose word is to be relied on. He intends to revisit the place next Sunday night and have another talk with the invisible being in order to try and fathom the mystery. The ghost, on being asked the distance from the hut to Cradock, knocked 17 times on the wall. The exact distance is 17 miles.

Published by The Express and Telegraph Adelaide, SA Fri 29 Apr 1887

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Re: Unexplained Experiences
« Reply #72 on: June 28, 2022, 01:20:16 AM »
THE DROWNING LADY

The 11th of last December, I spent picnicking at a place called Slade Point, and I came home so tired that I was in bed before 9 o’clock. About midnight I awoke, and lay for a long time wondering why sleep should forsake me after such a day's ‘toil’

The door, as usual in North Queensland, was wide open, and I could dimly discern the far wall and the curtain at the foot of my bed. Soon I became conscious of a figure standing before me, a figure of a lady or an angel (perhaps both), with the most beautiful face imaginable, a mass of luxuriant golden hair, and light blue eyes overflowing with tears.

She was robed in a kind of furry blue wrapper just low enough at the neck to reveal the risings bosom. Instead of being alarmed, as you might think likely, I gazed rapturously at such transcendent beauty ; until after a short time I noticed a sea of mist or water rising round her.

Higher, higher, and higher it rose, and as it seemed to cover the mouth and nose, the sad blue eyes gave me such an agonised look of pitiful appeal, that I leapt forward as if to save her, and found myself kneeling upright in bed with a river of perspiration running down my forehead, and my heart beating like a battery.

For a few moments I asked myself whether I was dying or going mad ; but before long my fears vanished, and although my heart was still giving audible notice of its action, I almost longed for my beautiful visitor to return. Sleep was out of the question unless a fitful doze towards morning; and at the breakfast table, when, after a strong glass of whisky and soda, I narrated my story, they only joked about it.

That day, Monday, was a public holiday here, and about 4 o'clock two young ladies, aged 19 and 14, were accidentally drowned at Foulden Crossing, three miles above the town of Mackay. I knew neither of them, and therefore soon forgot, to a certain extent, about the sad occurrence.

On the following Saturday, whilst passing a photographer's studio in the main street, I caught a glimpse of a face in the window, which immediately nailed me to the spot, and held me as if spellbound. There, looking straight into my eyes, was the likeness of a young lady in whose face I distinctly and unmistakably recognised almost every feature of my nocturnal visitor.

After gazing at her as I did in my dream for a long time, I interviewed the shopman and asked,
' Please who's that young lady in the middle of the top row?'

' Ah,' he said, when he found it, ' that's poor Bella W—— , one of the girls drowned on the holiday.'

' Thank you,' I replied, in a voice which trembled in spite of myself, and, needless to say, I went home in deep thought.

Now, considering that I had never seen or heard of that unfortunate girl, don't you think that my experience partakes or the nature of the miraculous?
Can you or any of your readers offer an explanation of such a mystery ?

I might add that since the occurrence above narrated I have visited the grave of Miss W ——, and I'm not ashamed to confess that on that occasion I cried the bitterest tears of my life.

Published by Sunday Times Sydney, NSW Sun 22 Dec 1895

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Re: Unexplained Experiences
« Reply #73 on: July 02, 2022, 01:53:46 AM »
SOUNDS  OF  THE  PAST

I worked at an old winery in the Rutherglen wine region for 18 months. During that time I experienced first-hand, as well as heard a number of stories from others, the real spirits of the place. Dating from the 1800s, the buildings resonate with history to this very day and with a long line of family involvement, plus the development of the region historically, I was always interested if there would be any presence in the vicinity.

The first inkling of anything came from the cleaner her worked there. Rose was contracted to start at around 6:00am and have the cellar door, offices, staff room and public viewing areas spick and span by the time of opening. She usually worked with an assistant but after a while went solo. She was a salt-of-the-earth type individual, who always popped by to see when her invoice was going to be paid and when the next batch of cleaning supplies would be delivered.

One day when she called by my office she complained about how hard the work had become.  I asked her about her assistant and she said that she was now working solo. I guessed that maybe she was a crappy manager but sensing that, she opened up. “I just can’t keep them, due to the winery. It gives them the creeps,” she softly said. After I agreed that it probably would be quite a spooky place early in the morning she went further and admitted that the place was haunted.

Muffled conversations, coughs and even sneezes could be heard around the premises, particularly in the old cask and winery making areas. The sound of crackling fires, equipment being moved and bottles clinking had also been heard. She went through three staff in six months. “It’s just a bunch of old ghosts,” she bemoaned, mentioning that she believed in them and wasn’t really fussed, except for the impact the phenomenon had on her staff.

Once I confided in her that I was interested in the supernatural, Rose went further. On her own, she would often try and listen to the voices but they always just out of proper audible range. She even thought that some of it may have been in Chinese which connected to the presence of oriental labour utilized in the region during the 1920s.

“I got used to it as it just reminded me of how old this place really is!” she cackled.

Personally, the only weird noise in the winery that I ever heard was in broad daylight one Saturday afternoon when I was doing some month-end overtime. I was sure I heard the creaking of the old basket press in motion but on investigation, there was no one there. It sort of confirmed what Rose had been telling me. After being away for 20 years, this was just the beginning of what triggered by re-ignited interest in high strangeness in Australia.

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Re: Unexplained Experiences
« Reply #74 on: July 02, 2022, 02:00:44 AM »
KANCOONA GHOST

Nestled in the mountains between Myrtleford and Mt. Beauty is a locality known as Kancoona.
The 2006 census states that the area had a population of 210 and it is known for a winery, a modern day castle and a water factory. The latter was a company called Mountain H2o. The company moved from Kancoona to a more modern and larger factory in 2009 in Albury, New South Wales. It is now known as Asahi Beverages. Natural spring water is still drawn from the Kancoona site daily and trucked into Albury for bottling. The original house that was the administration block, and the factory, still stand but since the relocation, both have slowly become derelict.

A senior manager at the Albury factory was in need of temporary accommodation whilst his new house was being built and so to help him out, as well as maintaining the grounds of the still active water source, the company allowed he and his wife to move into the old house for almost 6 months, it seemed like a perfect arrangement.

Standing out at the truck-driver’s shelter one afternoon a few months back, I overheard two of the water tanker drivers talking about “the ghost”.  I asked them what they were talking about and they recounted the rumours of a female apparition that had been seen around the filling pumps and house. “We try not to get a fill out there near 5 o’clock,” one loud lad exclaimed. “It’s just a bit too freaky”. Then the other driver stated that one of the other tanker drivers actually had a photo of the apparition taken on his mobile phone.

I was surprised at this information as there were no reports of anything paranormal being experienced at Kancoona since it was first purchased by the company in 2001. Knowing that the manager who had moved in there had done a lot of work to get the house and grounds back in order, next time I bumped into him I asked him about his new digs. He was pleased with his temporary accommodation and then I jokingly asked him,
“How are the ghosts?”

His eyes grew large and his face went very serious. He whispered to me, as if he readily accepted that I knew about strange manifestations there, that they were pissing him off. After a hard morning in the garden on a recent Sunday, he had retired to the house for an afternoon nap when he was dragged off his bed by the leg, by an unknown force. Strange bangs and knocks had also been heard. He didn’t elaborate anymore and further questioning a few days later were brushed off, although he did say his wife was a bit scared.

That’s about it. I have heard nothing further about similar goings on at Kancoona and have been unable to find the truck driver with the photo. Either way, the Kancoona water facility is a remote backdrop in the Victorian vista. The slightly Harry Potter-esque design of the old house adds a particular atmosphere to the place and maybe a night needs to be spent there to really find out what is happening.

 


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