Top 10 Haunted Places in Australia
Horror Locations in Australia
If you’re looking for some spooky destinations to visit in Australia, you might want to check out these top ten haunted places that are sure to give you the chills. From haunted houses to cursed pools, these places have stories of ghosts, tragedies and mysteries that will make your hair stand on end. Here are the top ten haunted places in Australia, according to various sources.
1. Monte Cristo Homestead – Haunted Places in Australia
This Victorian manor in Junee, New South Wales, was built by pioneer Christopher William Crawley in 1885. It became the scene of many deaths, including a stable boy who burned to death, a baby girl who was thrown down the stairs, a maid who fell off a balcony, and a caretaker who was shot dead. The pictures of the Crawley family still hang on the walls, and some say they can feel their presence in the house. The current owners offer candlelit tours of the property, which claims to be the most haunted house in Australia .
2. Aradale Mental Hospital – Haunted Places in Australia
This psychiatric institution in Ararat, Victoria, opened its doors in 1867 and housed thousands of patients with mental illnesses until 1998. It is estimated that 13,000 people died within its walls, many of whom were subjected to harsh treatments such as electroshock therapy and lobotomies. The abandoned hospital is now a popular destination for ghost hunters, who report hearing screams, footsteps and voices in the dark corridors.
3. Port Arthur – Haunted Places in Australia
This former convict settlement in Tasmania is one of Australia’s most significant heritage sites, but also one of its most haunted. Between 1830 and 1877, more than 12,000 convicts were imprisoned here, many of whom suffered brutal punishments and harsh conditions. Some of the most notorious buildings include the Separate Prison, where inmates were kept in solitary confinement and silence, and the Isle of the Dead, where more than 1,000 people were buried. Many visitors and staff have reported seeing apparitions, feeling cold spots and hearing strange noises at Port Arthur.
4. Fremantle Prison – Haunted Places in Australia
This World Heritage listed site in Western Australia was built by convicts in the 1850s and operated as a prison until 1991. It housed some of the state’s most dangerous criminals, including serial killers, rapists and murderers. Some of the resident ghosts include Martha Rendell, who was hanged for poisoning her stepchildren and whose face can be seen in the Catholic chapel window, and Jack, who likes to read books in the library. The prison offers ghost tours of its cells, tunnels and gallows.
5. National Film and Sound Archive – Haunted Places in Australia
This Canberra building may not seem like a haunted place at first glance, but it has a dark history behind it. Before it became Australia’s audiovisual archive in 1984, it was the Australian Institute of Anatomy, where thousands of body parts were collected and stored. One of the most eerie areas is the basement, where human skulls were kept in cabinets and where paranormal activity is said to be high. Some staff and visitors have reported seeing shadows, hearing voices and feeling uneasy in the building.
6. Devil’s Pool – Haunted Places in Australia
This natural pool near Babinda in Queensland is known for its beauty but also for its curse. According to an Aboriginal legend, a young woman named Oolana drowned herself here after being separated from her lover by her tribe. Her spirit is said to haunt the pool and lure young men to their deaths. Since 1959, at least 17 people have died here under mysterious circumstances.
7. Beechworth Lunatic Asylum – Haunted Places in Australia
This mental hospital in Beechworth, Victoria, was opened in 1867 and closed in 1995. It was one of the largest asylums in Australia, with a capacity for 1,200 patients. Many of them died here from diseases, neglect or suicide. Some of the ghostly residents include Matron Sharpe, who walks around the wards with a bunch of keys, Tommy Kennedy, who plays his harmonica in the kitchen, and a young girl who likes to hold hands with visitors. The asylum offers ghost tours of its buildings and grounds.
8. Princess Theatre – Haunted Places in Australia
This elegant theatre in Melbourne was built in 1854 and has hosted many famous performers over the years. It is also home to one of Australia’s most famous ghosts, Frederick Federici, who was an Italian opera singer. He died of a heart attack on stage in 1888, after performing the role of Mephistopheles in Faust. His ghost is said to appear in the dress circle or backstage, and is considered a good luck charm by the theatre staff and performers.
9. St John’s Orphanage – Haunted Places in Australia
This orphanage in Goulburn, New South Wales, was run by the Sisters of Mercy from 1912 to 1978. It housed more than 2,500 boys who were orphaned, abandoned or neglected. Many of them suffered abuse and mistreatment at the hands of the nuns and other staff. The orphanage is now a derelict building, covered in graffiti and vandalism. Some of the paranormal phenomena reported here include children’s voices, footsteps, banging doors and apparitions.
10. Blundell’s Cottage – Haunted Places in Australia
This stone cottage in Canberra was built in 1860 and was home to several families who worked on the nearby Duntroon estate. It is now a museum that showcases the lives of the early settlers in the area. It is also said to be haunted by the ghost of a young girl named Florrie Blundell, who died of diphtheria in 1892. She is often seen playing in the garden or looking out of the windows. Some visitors have also reported feeling cold spots, hearing giggles and smelling flowers in the cottage .
These are some of the most haunted places in Australia that you can visit if you dare. But be warned, you might not be alone…
