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Paranormal and Supernatural => Supernatural Portal => Topic started by: Christine on March 24, 2009, 06:01:18 PM

Title: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 24, 2009, 06:01:18 PM
What do you think?

Based on where you have been and what you know.

Team members, if you think including our investigations, if the place is not for public release, give me another clue as to what place it is, the name of a ghost or something similar.

Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: catseyes on March 24, 2009, 06:02:29 PM
The whole town of Walhalla would have to be top of my list.

Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: FAIRUZ on March 24, 2009, 06:03:51 PM
Well a well known location in Ararat was very popular and is now strictly closed to the public, due to a recent incident.

Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 24, 2009, 06:04:40 PM
I think Walhalla would need to be in there. I was going to say that too.

Fairuz, a certain hospital perhaps?



Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: catseyes on March 24, 2009, 06:05:28 PM
Fairuz that was on my list too.

Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: FAIRUZ on March 24, 2009, 06:07:12 PM
Yep, that's the one.

We were there in November last year and there was already complaints of other paranormal groups not doing as they were told and leaving doors unlocked, losing keys etc.

There was an incident recently and the person who was kind enough to let us all in had also be let go from his position.

Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 24, 2009, 06:08:21 PM
Tasmania,
Old Hobart Gaol and Port Arthur as well.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: FAIRUZ on March 24, 2009, 06:10:45 PM
Richmond Gaol in Tas, actually the town itself is reputed to be quite haunted.

I love port Authur and am lucky to as a group I know now has exclusive rights to it but we can go in as part of it :)

Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 24, 2009, 06:10:57 PM
Oh no! That sucks. I detest paranormal groups who make things harder for genuine groups by not treating the whole thing with respect and seriousness.

I have been asked to compile a list of Top 10 Haunted Places. I am not sure I can add that one to the list without making it obvious about how we got in there to discover it was so haunted if you get my meaning. We had permission but it was a different type of permission to the generally known one.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 24, 2009, 06:11:31 PM
Richmond, yes I have been there a few times.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: FAIRUZ on March 24, 2009, 06:16:10 PM
you may have to leave it out ;)

But anybody with the "know" will know where we are talking about :)
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 24, 2009, 06:19:03 PM
I thought I may have to leave it out as well.

CE, I think the place with the museum would have to be on the list?

What about Como?

Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: lotsakids on March 24, 2009, 06:20:41 PM
i think como should be there...
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: catseyes on March 24, 2009, 06:21:30 PM
Yes and definately Como
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: catseyes on March 24, 2009, 06:21:53 PM
We shou;d add my house!  ROFL
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: lotsakids on March 24, 2009, 06:22:58 PM
lolol
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 24, 2009, 06:23:41 PM
rofl.....

I think Parramatta is also one of th emost haunted places I have been to as well. Old Govt House, James Ruse Experiment Cottage, my old house, Old Female Factory (by reputation, I have never been there)
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: catseyes on March 24, 2009, 06:25:10 PM
What about Ottway?  That whole area was very weird!   Lets go back again guys
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: lotsakids on March 24, 2009, 06:26:19 PM
riki is going down there for a school camp next term..i told her to keep her eyes open..lol
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: catseyes on March 24, 2009, 06:28:19 PM
It has a real aboriginal feel about the place, apart from the house we stayed in being quite active.  Then add to that the fact that old Freddie was abducted by something over the Strait....Christine saw a UFO there too.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: lotsakids on March 24, 2009, 06:29:34 PM
there are the places like monte christo and the kapunda cemetery that have the reputation of being very haunted...but i think there are places more interesting...
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: catseyes on March 24, 2009, 06:32:12 PM
I didn't feel Kapunda was all that eeirie whren we were there, though it was daytime.  I have been to other cemetarys during the day and felt like I was being watched the whole time
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: FAIRUZ on March 24, 2009, 07:11:51 PM
Otway, I loved it !!! Certainly something going on there. I had extreme visions there in a certain area ( which I do not normally get ) and had the feeling not to leave the area when everybody else gave up. I got the best EVP I have ever recorded with a direct response to my question.

Certainly worth the trip down there :)
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 24, 2009, 08:08:11 PM
Otway was good. We could go back there for a weekend. I'll look at the schedule. Perhaps after our Walhalla weekend?

Kapunda was a non event lol...

Monte Cristo isn't the most haunted house in Australia although it is haunted. I believe they say that to sell tickets. lol

Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: lotsakids on March 24, 2009, 08:16:03 PM
yeah thats what i meant about monte and kapunda..you hear a lot of people saying how haunted they are...but they are almost old news and there have since been lots more places of interest brought to the fore...
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: chaney on March 24, 2009, 08:46:04 PM
Q.Station Manly, Monte Cristo Junee
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 24, 2009, 10:59:08 PM
Q station is definately haunted. Not sure if I would put in in the top 10 but good suggestion.

Monte Cristo I couldn't put in the top 10. It's haunted but overated. I have been in many places far more haunted.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: chaney on March 25, 2009, 08:50:17 PM
Here are a few more I hope this helps, have been to most places in ACT & NSW.  Film and Sound Archive is most definately haunted.

New South Wales & Sydney   
St Stephen's Anglican Church & Cemetery, 187-189 Church St, Newtown
Sydney Institute of Technology (formerly Darlinghurst Gaol), Darlinghurst
Tusculum House, 1-3 Manning Rd, Potts Point
Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney CBD
Victoria Barracks, Paddington
Prince Henry Hospital, Malabar
Central Station
Mortuary Station
Sydney Harbour Bridge   
Rose Bay Police Station   
George Street No. 4 Police Station, 127-129 George Street , The Rocks
Fort Denison, Sydney Harbour   
The Observer Tavern, 69 George Street, The Rocks   
The old City Coroner's Court, 102-104 George Street North, The Rocks
Garden Island   
Goat Island   
Roselle Psychiatric Hospital   
Penrith - Quarantine station , and the Old boys home in Woodford.   
Kinsela's, Taylor Square   
Old stone settler's cottage - Natural Arch   
Kilmory Estate in Point Piper   
Tanilba House - Port Stephens   
Green Cape Lighthouse
Maitland Gaol   
Cathedral Park, Newcastle   
Joadja Complex, Joadja Rd, Joadja via Mittagong, NSW   
Tumbulgum Cemetery   
Chinderah Cemetery - Cudgen Road, Kingscliff   
Cudgen Cemetery, Cudgen Rd. South Sea Islander Memorial.
Sydney Quarantine Station   
Our Girls Memorial, Bulahdelah   
Pilliga - Newell Highway
Bogo quarry, Burrunjuck

Western Australia   
the Old Pinjarrah Bridge   
The Alkimos
The Old Gaol of Albany   
Patrick Taylor Cottage   
Fairbridge      
Round House, Fremantle   

Tasmania   
Richmond Bridge   
Theatre Royal   
Hobart - Kodak house   
New Norfolk - Willow Court   
Port Arthur   
The Old Hobart Goal   

Victoria   
May Day Hills Hospital - Beechworth Lunatic Asylum   
Beechworth Cemetery   
Melbourne Gaol   
Split Point Lighthouse   
Werribee manor   
the Cosmopolitan Hotel at Trentham
Red Hill Hotel, Chewton   
Scofields Hotel, Castlemaine   
Royal Hotel, Daylesford   
Coach and Horses Inn, Clarkefield Hotel – Sunbury VIC   
Aireys Inlet / Fairhaven

Queensland & Gold Coast   
Lahey's Canungra Tramway Tunnel   
Slaughter and Simpsons falls   
St Helenas island   
Suncorp Stadium (Lang Pk)    
Treasury casino - Conrad treasury   

Stradbroke Island   

Wollongong   
Windy Gully Cemetery   
West Dapto Cemetery   

Norfolk Island   
Civic Hospital   
Flagstaff Hill   
Government House   
Kingston Jetty   
New Military Barracks   
Royal Engineer Office   
Quality Row   

Australian Capital Territory & Surrounds   
Lake George   
Film and Sound Archive   
Hyatt Canberra   
Kambah Woolshed   
Ginninderra   
Royal Military Academy, Duntroon   
General Bridges Grave, General Bridges Drive, Duntroon Campbell   
Duntroon House   
Telopea Park School   
The Hotel Kurrajong, Barton   
Blundells Cottage   
National Library   
Australian War Memorial   
Government Printing Office   
RAAF Hudson crash site near Fairbairn   
St John's graveyard   
The Bushrangers Inn, Collector   
The Bungendore Hotel    
National Museum of Australia
Old Parliament House   
Cotter Road
The Cotter (different place to cotter rd above)
Cooma Cottage (near yass)   
the Royal Hotel “Grazing” at Gundaroo   
Rose Cottege (southern canberra)
Lanyon Station   
Lake Burley Griffin   
   

South Australia   
Gladstone Gaol   
'Graham's Castle' - Adelaide
Adelaide prison
Norwood   
Barossa Valley - Seppeltsfield Winery
Kapunda
Angaston Tourist Bureau, Angaston
Barossa Valley Hwy, Rowland Flat
Dead Man's Pass Reserve, Gawler
Greenoch Hotel, Greenoch
Kapunda Girls Reformatory Cemetery, Kapunda
Lyndoch Hotel, Lyndoch
The Grand Hotel, Millicent
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 25, 2009, 10:20:58 PM
It's so hard to make a list when I haven't been to all of these laces. But I look at some I have been to on the list Chaney posted and some are just not that haunted.

EG Melbourne Gaol
Kapunda Cemetery
Norwood (the whole suburb??)

Film and sound archive...haunted yes but most haunted? nope.

Royal hotel Daylesford...haunted yes but there are many more haunted places in Daylesford.

There are no Parramatta places on the list. There are also plenty of haunts in the Blue Mountains.

So I can see all lists are biased lol

I also note Monte Cristo doesn't get a mention nor does Junee Cemetery.


Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Salt Breeze on March 25, 2009, 10:58:50 PM
Cool places lots of activity:

NSW:
Chinderah Cemetery - Cudgen Road, Kingscliff   
Cudgen Cemetery, Cudgen Rd. South Sea Islander Memorial.
Fort Denison
Victoria Barracks
Penrith QS and Woodford Boys Home

Tasmania
Port Arthur
Saltwater River Underground Cells & Ruins

Norfolk Island:
Especially the Civic Hospital and Kingston Jetty
and Bloody Bridge

Queensland and Gold Coast:
Laheys Canungra Tramway Tunnel
St. Helena Island
Toowong Cemetery
Tower Mill
Boggo Road Jail

I think Slaughter Falls Qld is highly over rated because people confuse its name with slaughter - as in killing.  A slaughter is also a series of natural water catchments, or some such thing.  Can't quite think of the correct explanation.  They have one of Norfolk Island as well, called Slaughter Bay - the watery area. 




Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 25, 2009, 11:04:36 PM
I have been to Norfolk. There are some rather haunted places there. Mostly indoor places though.

But look at Cape Otway. It's very active outdoors.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: catseyes on March 26, 2009, 12:24:58 AM
Every where you go there your watched.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 26, 2009, 12:25:55 AM
Yes.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Rookie on March 26, 2009, 09:18:05 AM
Has anyone ever been to Parramatta Gaol? If so what do think of its hauntedness????
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 26, 2009, 12:37:47 PM
I went there once as a child. AS they don't do tours etc being a working gaol, who really knows. I don't recall that the bit I went to as a visitor was haunted.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: phil52 on March 26, 2009, 07:36:30 PM
i have been to parramatta gaol lots.....in my professional capacity the only feeling of being watched was by the prison officers and the inmates
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: catseyes on March 26, 2009, 08:11:30 PM
By the very nature of the place I would put my money on something being there,
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 26, 2009, 10:45:23 PM
I also think they feel different in the night versus the day.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Rookie on March 27, 2009, 12:44:11 PM
Parra Gaol has a few stories from people working there. It is nearly 170 years old and had many deaths from suicide and natural deaths. It used to be very eerie to work at you get used to it!
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 27, 2009, 12:47:01 PM
True but all gaols have deaths. Not are all terribly haunted though. Look at Old Geelong Gaol, it's rather peaceful generally speaking. As is Old Melbourne Gaol which is rather overrated.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Rookie on March 27, 2009, 01:16:09 PM
I will keep looking when working at night and report anything I see!
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 27, 2009, 03:39:50 PM
Do you work in a Gaol?
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Rookie on March 27, 2009, 10:07:01 PM
Yes
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 27, 2009, 11:56:36 PM
Very cool.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: FAIRUZ on March 31, 2009, 01:27:10 PM
LOL, We go to the Royal Hotel in Daylesford all the time.

The Cosmopolitan in Trentham has been closed for some time due to a fire, but there is another place there that is reputed to be haunted with everything from moving objects, slamming doors, people talking and saying hello when nobody is around, shadows and figures seen etc...

I only found out about this place two weeks ago so until we go in I will not mention the exact location. :)
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Salt Breeze on April 05, 2009, 10:24:48 AM
The old part of the cemetery on Norfolk Island is very eerie, and also very interesting.  The epitaphs on the headstones are remarkable.  I took some photos of outstanding ones.  Must post them sometime, but I don't have them on disc at the moment.   The headstones often give the story of how people died.  Like..'so and so drowned in the bay while fishing for the commandant's dinner'  .... and so on. 

The mutineers from the Bounty are buried in the old section, except that its a contentious issue as to whether Fletcher Christian's actual remains are in fact in the cemetery.   (The wife of my close cousin is directly descended from the Christian's.  Lucky her.  Any direct descentants of the original folk are able to buy land or property there.  No one else.  Very strict rules.)

Bloody Bridge out on the point past the cemetery is also quite active.  It was built by convicts, and one of the guards was 'accidently' walled up inside the rockwork.  Apparently they only realised where he'd gone missing to, when his blood started to seep through the sandstone.   (The night tour there is fun.  It goes right along to Bloody Bridge.

I could easily go and live on Norfolk.  Great climate, great people, great surroundings and scenery.  Peace.   

Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on April 05, 2009, 08:01:38 PM
I love Norfolk too SB.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: catseyes on April 06, 2009, 01:35:26 AM
I hope to see it one day.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Salt Breeze on April 06, 2009, 08:23:15 AM
You'd enjoy it CE.  Their restored Georgean buildings are known as the best examples in the world.  The spirits don't mind the restoration either.   Aside from the well-known legends, there's a lot of other paranormal activity worth investigating, in places you might least expect.   

A good time to go is for Bounty Day, 8th June every year.   http://www.jasons.com/Norfolk-Island/bounty-day-on-norfolk-island

On Bounty Day, also called Anniversary Day, they have a wonderful celebration.  All the islanders dress in olden day costume.  It begins at the jetty, where people re-inact the landing on Norfolk.  Then it proceeds along, with all the people in costume in a huge parade.  At one point they gather at the gates cemetery and sing special songs for their ancestors.   Truly a sight to see.  Then they put flowers at ancestors graves and so forth.   You should see the little children, dressed in long frilly dresses, flowers in the hair, and the little boys in britches and big hats.  Its so gorgeous.   There's much more to the celebration of course, these were just a few examples.

The thing I love most is that there's a limited number of local islanders, and they limit the number of tourists at any given time.  So there's never chaos or touristy crap going on.  Its peaceful and wherever you go to look around, there are never many people there.   

Christine, this would be a hoot to do as an investigation!!   
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Salt Breeze on April 06, 2009, 08:26:35 AM
correction to my last post above:
I meant it would be good to investigate Norfolk Island..... not Bounty Day.  Rofl.   Just thought I'd clear that up.   
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: rainman on September 30, 2009, 02:03:48 AM
Is Blundell's Cottage in the ACT haunted?

I am working with the grandson (Adam Blundell) at my new job and he was asking me about it tonight and if I knew of it.

Anyone have any knowledge of it?
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: catseyes on September 30, 2009, 11:31:17 AM
Sorry, I don't know of it.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: rainman on September 30, 2009, 11:35:14 AM
That's ok.

It was mentioned on here in an earlier post, but that is all. Just curious.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: catseyes on September 30, 2009, 12:23:08 PM
C might know.  I have never been to Canbera
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: rainman on September 30, 2009, 12:24:36 PM
C might. I will wait for her to see this post and respond.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: chaney on September 30, 2009, 03:31:54 PM
I'm from Canberra - Is Blundell's Cottage in the ACT haunted? Apparently it is by Florrie, the haunting is in the form of the smell of burning flesh. The cottage is included in Tim The Yowie Man's tour.

This six room sandstone cottage was built before Canberra existed in 1860. It was moved to a site near Lake Burly Griffin and restored in 1964. Originally part of the 32,000 acre Duntroon Estate, a successful and thriving agriculture business owned by Robert Campbell, the cottage gained it's name from farmer George Blundell and his wife Flora, who lived in the cottage from 1874 until his death in 1933.  The first family to live in the cottage were the Ginns who lived there until 1874, when they acquired their own land.

In 1874 the Blundell’s, George and Flora moved in as newlyweds and raised 8 children in the cottage. Flora died in 1917 of breast cancer and George in 1933. After the tenancy of the Blundell’s the cottage was habited by the Oldfields, during which time there were many short term tenant families and single men. In 1964 the cottage was turned into a pioneer museum and is now under management of the National Capital Authority.

Blundell's Cottage is reportedly haunted by Flora Blundell Jr. known as Florrie who at the age of 16 died of horrific burns when her dress caught on fire.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blundell's_Cottage
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: rainman on September 30, 2009, 03:37:25 PM
Cool. Thank you
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: catseyes on September 30, 2009, 03:43:13 PM
  Poor girl, to die like that.  Very Interesting.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on September 30, 2009, 08:03:25 PM
I have heard of it.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: rainman on September 30, 2009, 11:35:24 PM
It would be a shocking way to die CE.

Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: catseyes on October 01, 2009, 01:42:56 AM
I used to know a guy whos mother died that way.  they had an old laundry with the wooden copper.  The laundry went up trapping her.  He tried to help her but he was only 12.  His hands were scared from the burns he got trying.  He said he still had nightmares.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: lotsakids on October 01, 2009, 06:23:39 AM
that would have been horrendous
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Roma on May 14, 2010, 05:43:00 PM
Here's my vote for Maria Island near Port Arthur. I visited it with family as a child. Strange place. Despite there being only a handful of tourists on the island it felt crowded and downright creepy. I was about 7 so didn't know the history of the island - but it made an impression.

Thought it was interesting that someone mentioned Stradbroke Island. Didn't notice anything supernatural on my visit with friends but thought the island has a weird feel to it.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on May 14, 2010, 11:41:25 PM
I have been there as well. Not sure if it's in the top 10 or not though... Port Arthur possibly would be though.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Roma on May 15, 2010, 07:35:15 AM
Would trust your judgement on that one Christine. I've not been to enough 'interesting' landmarks to make a proper comparison.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Roma on May 15, 2010, 10:54:10 AM
Question for Christine Please:

Hi again

Just curious - what level would you place Maria Island at in regards to below-average, average, above-average etc...in regards to the paranormal. Just trying to get establish a baseline.

Thanks
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Roma on May 15, 2010, 12:33:17 PM
BTW are the Isle of the Dead and Maria Island the same?
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on May 15, 2010, 07:20:27 PM
No they aren't the same. Maria Island is over near Strahan. Isle of the Dead is near Port Arthur.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Roma on May 16, 2010, 07:24:03 AM
Thanks for that...as I was 7 my parents did not refer to it as 'The Isle of the Dead'. But I just googled some pics...and it was the Isle of the Dead. Very barren with all the headstones. I remember it felt opressive and crowded. Being a fan of the Addams Family as a child the headstones didn't bother me - but the mood of the place did. BTW is there something 'iffy' in the paranormal sense with the Chapel at Port Arthur. Its the only other strong memory I have from my visit - I remember I was seriously happy to leave both places.

Thanks again
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Salt Breeze on May 16, 2010, 11:02:18 AM
Gosh, the Isle of the Dead (Port Arthur) was covered with lush vegetation when I was there, a few years back in Spring.  Lovely flowering vines, shrubs and so on.  Plenty of very old trees too, that had been there for decades.  In fact a lot of the trees and secluded areas were used as gravesites, rather like private little areas. 

The only cleared are on the island was the location at the top where the larger collection of graves are situated in an open area. 

There might be another place also referred to (but not technically named) the Isle of the Dead.  If you've just googled it and see it as barren, I'd say its a different place to the one at Port Arthur, because they've gone to great lengths to make the paths and gardens etc there, so I can't see them destroying all the foliage on the one at Port Arthur.  The tour guide actually mentioned how proud they were of the landscaping and gardens, when we were there.  This was probably about 2000 or 2001.  Not many years after the massacre, actually. 

(I have some photos somewhere, but not on my computer.  The trees, shrubs and flowers were one thing that impressed me about the place.)

I didn't find the Isle of the Dead, Port Arthur, particularly 'creepy'.  There's definitely an atmosphere there, but that could be the collective 'aura' - if you will, of all the people who visit there and who hear the horror stories about it.... such as the one time caretaker who claims he saw Satan one night, and built a signal fire for someone to come and collect him - and never went back. 

The Chapel is allegedly haunted by several spirits.   A couple of young convicts made a pact (some kind of competition between themselves) to get away from the hell of Port Arthur. The 'winner' was to be killed by the other friend.  The loser faced the justice system of Port Arthur and would be hanged.  I seem to recall something about the loser being hanged in or near the Chapel, or the loser had to kill his friend in the Chapel.  Something like that.  True or false, who knows, but it makes for a good story on the nightly ghost tour.   (If true, it must have been a horrible place, if the 'winner' won the privilege of being killed by his friend to put him out of his misery and the loser lived on, to face the justice system). 

I quite like Port Arthur.  I love historical old places, haunted or not. 
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Roma on May 16, 2010, 11:52:56 AM
Hi Salt Breeze

I haven't been there as an adult so its been a looong time. I only have a couple of memories of it...but I do remember old trees. The feeling of it being a barren place is from my memory. I recognized the way the gravestones were laid out on the photos. The photos of Maria Island didn't match my memory at all. Sounds like the have done a lot of good work on the landscaping. 

Re "could be the collective 'aura": Thanks for that suggestion it's something I have never considered before. I've always been sensitive to other people's moods so that's certainly a possibility. I'll have to think about this some more I think!!

That's an interesting story about the Chapel. I found it was one place that really 'stuck' with me.

I generally like historical places too although I find the mood of some a bit much (although these are not always 'old' places). And funnily enough some that are said to be haunted I actually have a strong attraction to.

Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: deka on May 16, 2010, 12:01:19 PM
The Chapel is allegedly haunted by several spirits.   A couple of young convicts made a pact (some kind of competition between themselves) to get away from the hell of Port Arthur. The 'winner' was to be killed by the other friend.  The loser faced the justice system of Port Arthur and would be hanged.  I seem to recall something about the loser being hanged in or near the Chapel, or the loser had to kill his friend in the Chapel.  Something like that.  True or false, who knows, but it makes for a good story on the nightly ghost tour.   (If true, it must have been a horrible place, if the 'winner' won the privilege of being killed by his friend to put him out of his misery and the loser lived on, to face the justice system). 

I quite like Port Arthur.  I love historical old places, haunted or not. 

That's the story as I remember it too SB. If the convicts committed suicide they had no chance of passing over and being forgiven for their sins, and therefore accepted into heaven - so they had to either die naturally or be killed.

Was a win/win situation (looking at it from the angle of a pact) as the 'winner' was killed at the hands of another, who then went on to trial and be put to death themselves, also at the hands of another. Thus as neither had taken their own lives, they could be accepted into heaven.

The only area that really disturbed me was the solitary confinement cell in the silent prison, I felt that someone was in there, just watching. I don't have any psychic talent (that I'm aware of anyway) so when I do get that weird creeped out feeling I do tend to sit up and take notice.  :D

With the Isle of the Dead, we were too late to be dropped off, so we just got to pick up the previous visitors and take them back to shore. I would have loved to have explored, I remember it as looking very lush too. Having said that, maybe the pics that Roma googled were old pics? I've got a book that was published in the 70's about the Isle of the Dead which has lots of old black and white photo's, some dating back to the 1890's and in some of the photo's the island looks quite bare.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: deka on May 16, 2010, 12:09:01 PM
Sorry, just to clarify the photo's - the 1890's ones taken of the island show it literally covered in tree's. There's a later one taken in 1939 after the island had been cleared for a memorial garden - there's only around a dozen mature tree's remaining.
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Salt Breeze on May 16, 2010, 03:21:20 PM
Ah, that's right - the story.  I forgot the bit about them not getting into Heaven if they committed suicide.  Thanks deka. 

My guess would be that at some stage they did actually clear the Isle of the Dead, in order to do the landscaping.  Makes sense.  Perhaps they published pictures of it in its cleared state, before they re-greened it. 

I recall one paranormal experience at Port Arthur during the night ghost tour.  This experience was shared with a number of other people, and relates to the old spiral stone staircase that climbs up in side the tower.  I don't recall what it was exactly, perhaps some kind of a gate with a lookout tower at the side.  It's located in the general area down in front of the old houses, not on the penitentiary site.  I remember we'd walked around through the chapel and around the old houses, and down a pathway towards the bay.   

I was standing at the back of the group - as I always do because I like to hang around and take photos after the crowd has moved on a bit.  I then heard clear footsteps on the old spiral stone staircase in the tower.  They seemed to echo a bit, as footfalls do on stone.  A hollow 'plop plop' sound. It was like someone running down, and they became louder as the person seemed to be approaching the bottom. 

I turned around, thinking someone had managed to sneak up inside the tower - even though we were told to stay out of it.  (Okay, you got me!  I confess the idea crossed my mind that I might sneak up there myself for some photos.)   Anyway, a couple of other people turned around too, when we all heard the footsteps, and we expected some sneaky tourist like ourselves to emerge from the stairs. 

But, no.  No one.  Not a living soul appeared and no one was in the tower or on the stairs because one of the guys went and looked, and also called out - just in case someone was wandering up there and was going to fall behind the rest of the tour group. 

I would guess those footsteps on the stone stairs were a residual haunting that is repeated over and over again, and we just happened to be there at the right time.         
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Roma on May 16, 2010, 05:40:01 PM
"some kind of a gate with a lookout tower at the side" Gosh I actually remember seeing that. Amazing what gets stored in long term memory.

BTW we must have visited The Isle of the Dead just before the landscaping started perhaps????
Title: Re: Top 10 Haunted Sites in Australia
Post by: Christine on March 06, 2013, 01:40:02 AM
I would have to add The Convent at Daylesford as well to be in at least the top 10 to 20 I have been to in Australia which is most of them.
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