The history of ghostly sightings at Port Arthur goes back to
the late 1800’s when the writer George Gruncell wrote of a number of
strange events that occurred at the Parsonage in the 1870s.
“The Hayward family had been visiting Melbourne and the Reverend
Hayward had hurried back leaving his family to follow. One night after
his return, the doctor at the settlement, seeing lights from the
upstairs rooms of the Parsonage, thought that the parson's wife and
children had returned.
When he went to welcome them home, he found only the Reverend Hayward
and a servant. No one had been upstairs and when the rooms were
inspected they were found to be in darkness. But others in the
settlement had also seen the lights and assumed that the family had
returned.”
Today, the Port Arthur Historic Site is believed by many to be one
of the most haunted places in Australia, as the many thousands who have
experienced our Ghost Tour would probably agree.
Tour guides recount spine chilling stories of unexplained sightings and
occurrences that have been recorded at Port Arthur over the years.
The Experience
Our Paranormal Investigation Experience allows visitors to conduct
their own paranormal investigations with the assistance of the latest
ghost hunting equipment throughout various buildings at the Port Arthur
Historic Site.
Our experienced tour guide will brief participants on use the test
equipment prior to leading them out onto the Site to explore and take
readings. Buildings visited include the Commandants Cottage, Separate
Prison, Visiting Magistrates House, Parsonage (reputedly one of the most
haunted buildings in Australia) and our Church. The tour includes a
light supper and a memento of your experience.
The Paranormal Investigation Experience allows participants to take
readings and measurements and provides the opportunity to judge for
themselves whether the ghost stories are true. The tours will also
contribute valuable information to our extensive database of paranormal
activity.
Details
Each tour is limited to just 20 people and the investigation
experience starts late and lasts approximatly four hours, with start
times varying throughout the year. The tour finishes early in the
morning around 2am so it is advisable to book local accommodation. The
Port Arthur Historic Sites can arrange accommodation bookings on your
behalf.
When
The Paranormal Investigation Experience is conducted monthly on the
last Saturday of every month, or may be booked as an exclusive group
tour on request with advance notice.
Tour Cost
$125 per person. Group bookings for private tours have a minimum booking requirement of 12 people.
Duration
The tour commences at 10pm and lasts approximately 4 hours.
Warning 18+
This tour is not suitable for anyone under 18 years. Proof of age may be requested.
Reservations
Please contact our Visitor Services team for bookings or more
information - 1800 659 101 (a free call from within Australia) or +61 3
6251 2310 from overseas, or book online now via the links on this page.