The Drowned Phantom of Talia Caves

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Along South Australia's spectacularly rugged Eyre Peninsula is the location of one of Australia's most captivating ghost photos. In 1923, a young nurse from a nearby settlement became pregnant to a respected local married man. Fearing the affair might be made public, the man threw his lover off a sea cliff near Talia Caves. She drowned in the pounding swell.

Here’s the site of the tragic incident.

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To be continued…..

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The site of this dastardly deed fell back into obscurity, until 40 years later when a couple of sightseers were photographing the exact same seascape. Michael Leyson, who is the current custodian of the photo, recalls, 'The couple who were unaware of the history of the site, but were stunned when their photos were developed to find the image in one photo of a woman walking through the pounding swell.'

In the 1960s the photos were widely publicised and several locals who recalled the terrible death of the nurse suggested the apparition in the photo may well have been her ghost.

'If you closely inspect the photo, it appears as if a clothed woman is walking straight through, bolt upright, as if unconcerned about the dangerous swell around her,' explains Michael.



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The photos have been analysed by several paranormal researchers, and the theories of double exposure or optical illusion have been dismissed as unlikely. Michael remains unsure of whether or not it is the ghost of the nurse but says, 'Several paranormal investigators have told me that a dying person's feelings can sometimes imprint themselves in the air in the form of an apparition, which sometimes is photographed - this could be one such example.'

Here’s the photo.

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Who’s the alleged nurse in the photograph?



To be continued……

[Headless2]

Here’s what I found.

NURSE DROWNED.

Sat 30 Jun 1928 — Sister Millard, who had just resigned from Streaky Bay (S.A.) Hospital, while visiting Talia Caves fell into the sea, Mr Brownrigg tried vainly to save her as she swam and struggled against the undertow among the rocks, but she perished before his eyes.

Was Sister Millard pregnant and pushed to her death, what’s the truth behind the story?



To be continued….

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TERRIBLE DROWNING OF SISTER MILLARD.

Fri 29 Jun 1928 —  On Saturday afternoon a motoring party set out from Streaky Bay to visit the caves at Talia. They were Mr and Mrs J P Hastings, Mr and Mrs W H Brownrigg and Sister Doris Millard, they were a happy party and little thought of the tragic happenings which was to plunge them all into sorrow and suffering. They arrived at Talia and stayed there the night.

The Sunday morning was bright and beautiful. Mrs Brownrigg and Sister Millard went for a walk before breakfast and after that Sister Millard, full of health and good spirits, suggested a walk towards the seacliff to take some photographs. Accompanied by Mr Brownirigg, they reached narrow edge skirting the cliff overhanging a deep fissure or narrow knel-like arm of the sea. Mr Brownrigg on going around the ledge advised Sister Millard not to attempt the ledge, but she said " if you can go there, I can," Brownrigg went a few steps when he heard a noise behind him.

Turning around was horrified to see Sister Millard had fallen some 30 feet into the raging waters in the fissure. He did not see the actual fall; he only saw the poor sister struggling in the turbid waters. How he got down he does not know, but he found himself astride the flume. He could see Sister Millard fighting for her life, the sea rushing her relentlessly backwards and forwards. She was at times only a few feet away from him and called directions to her, which she, poor woman, with almost unnatual calmness and bavery tried to obey.

Sometimes she was swept by the waves in their narrow confines up out of reach as they came into the cleft and on their receding she would be dashed along at a lower level. Mr Brownrigg did all that was humanly possible to be done, but Sister Millard, having heroically and fearfully fought for fifteen minutes was at last compelled to succumb and sunk to rise no more.

The agony of mind of her would be rescuer may be imagined when he saw the lady's sad end which he was powerless to prevent. He could see the poor dead body carried out to sea to that bourne whence no traveller returns. So ended the life of a good woman, beloved by all, who even in the presence of death retained that calm which was one of her much loved characteristics when living. Words cannot tell of the grief and sufferings of the dead lady's friends, and the effect and shock to one who so gallantly tried to save, will take long to forget and will scarce ever be healed.

The kindness, thoughtfulness and solicitude of those living in the vicinity, to the grief stricken friends of the drowned lady will not readily be forgotten. The Elliston police told Mr Brownrigg that "had he attempted to go into the water or had Mr Hastings tried to assist by venturing too far, a triple tragedy would have been recorded."

The beach is being patrolled, but up to the time of writing the body had not been recovered. Sister Doris Belle Millard was born in Broken Hill and had been charge nurse at the Streaky Bay Hospital since early in November last. She was a general favorite. Friends got into communication with her mother at Prahran, Melbourne, and the sad news was broken. We extend to her, and all that knew Sister Millard our heartfelt sympathy.

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Here’s photos of Sister Doris Belle Millard.

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[KANACKI]

Hello Headless brilliant story. Wow! I am impressed!



Kanacki