9 Of The Most Haunted Places To Visit In Australia

Here are the most haunted places in Australia to spook yourself silly (or avoid, if you’d rather not).

Eerie noises, unexplained breezes, doors that open without reason. There are many haunted places in Australia where a dark past seemingly carries into the present. From sites of tragic accidents to places that lay witness to mass killings, there are plenty of ghost towns and locations where you can do ghost tours in Australia, or simply visit to see if your hairs stand on end.

1. Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria

Melbourne’s Princess Theatre’s ghost is so prolific a seat is reserved for him on the opening night of performances. In 1887, Frederick Baker, known as ‘Federici’, took a leading role in the opera Faust. In his final scene, Federici fell through an on-stage trapdoor after suffering a heart attack and soon died backstage. Onlookers were none the wiser, assuming it was part of the show. Some even say he came out to take a final bow when the performance ended.

Over subsequent years, there were many reports of strange light flickering in the theatre and a number of people have said they felt something brush past them in an empty corridor. Strangest of all are the reported sightings of Federici himself in the theatre, often at night, where he is reportedly seen to be watching shows and critiquing performances.

the Princess Theatre in Melbourne, Victoria — Princess Theatre is reportedly haunted by its own phantom of the opera named Frederick Baker.

2. Port Arthur, Tasmania

World Heritage-listed Port Arthur served as a convict settlement for almost 50 years, and more than 1000 people died at Port Arthur during this time.

people touring around Port Arthur with lit lanterns — Lanterns brighten up Port Arthur as darkness falls. (Image: Tourism Tasmania & Simon Birch)

A series of unexplained events at the site have been reported since the arrival of free settlers and have been noted by soldiers and other visitors in more recent times. The old punishment cell in particular is known to be a hotspot for unusual activity.

Take a lantern-lit ghost tour at Port Arthur after dark and read about the experience here.

people holding lanterns on a guided ghost tour in Port Arthur — Join the lantern-lit ghost tour at Port Arthur after dark. (Image: Alastair Bett)

3. Aradale Lunatic Asylum, Ararat, Vic

This abandoned lunatic asylum (which we would now more appropriately call a psychiatric unit or mental health hospital) in Ararat is believed to be haunted, with many deaths occurring in the facility during its 126 years of use.

People have reported being pushed and tickled and have heard strange banging noises. Along with patients who died in the facility, the site is also said to be haunted by a former nurse. Ghost tours are offered at Aradale.

4. North Kapunda Hotel, South Australia

The North Kapunda Hotel has a solid reputation for being haunted. Kapunda, a one-hour drive north of Adelaide, was a busy mining town in the early 1800s and the pub opened in 1849 to service the region.

Many stories of crime are linked to the hotel, including a few murders. A ghostly woman, thought to be a sex worker killed in the pub, and a little girl, thought to be her daughter, are said to haunt the halls. Apparently, the ghost of a miner who died after having his leg amputated in the hotel can sometimes be seen cycling along nearby streets.

Ghost Crime Tours offer a ‘paranormal lockin ’ at the hotel, where you’ll be kitted with equipment to try to get a reading on paranormal activity in the building.

the property exterior of North Kapunda Hotel, South Australia — North Kapunda Hotel is one of the most haunted pubs in Australia.

5. Monte Cristo Homestead, Junee, NSW

The Monte Cristo Homestead was constructed by Christopher William Crawley, a farmer whose fortunes changed when he built a hotel near a new railway line in the 1800s. Crawley and his family members lived in the homestead… and some of them also died there. This includes Crawley himself and his wife, both from illness. Apparently neither of them have left the building since.

an old fountain fronting the Monte Cristo Homestead, Junee, NSW — The historic Monte Cristo Homestead is a two-storey late-Victorian-style manor. (Image: Destination NSW)

More tragically, it’s said one of Crawley’s maids threw herself off the balcony (or, was pushed) when she discovered she was pregnant with Crawley’s child. Another of Crawley’s illegitimate children, also born to a maid, is thought to haunt the property too. He’s supposedly joined by a stable boy who burned to death in an arson attack.

cobwebs covering old objects inside Monte Cristo Homestead, Junee, NSW — Creepy cobwebs cover the antiquities of the late Crawley family. (Image: Destination NSW)

These are just a few of the ghosts said to roam the property and you can try to feel their icy presence for yourself on a ghost tour at Monte Cristo.

an elegant but haunted manor at Monte Cristo Homestead, Junee, NSW — Step inside the spooky elegant manor at Monte Cristo Homestead. (Image: Destination NSW)

6. Fremantle Arts Centre, Perth, Western Australia

The building now known as the Fremantle Arts Centre was built by convicts in the 1860s as an asylum for those suffering from mental illness and ‘poor’ women. Patients were treated more like prisoners and the facility became overcrowded, as it was deemed a ‘solution’ to deal with people suffering from a range of conditions, including menopause and sunstroke.

the gothic heritage building exterior at Fremantle Arts Centre in Perth, Western Australia — Fremantle Arts Centre is housed in a gothic heritage building in Perth, Western Australia.

The death of a woman at the hand of a violent inmate sparked the closure of the facility, and it was then used to house soldiers during WWII. This is when reports started of strange banging, whispering and crying at night. Staff who later came to work in the arts centre have reported sudden changes in temperature, thought to be the work of ghosts.

the exterior of Fremantle Arts Centre — Step back in time to the dark history of Fremantle Arts Centre.

7. National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra, ACT

Today, the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) celebrates and protects Australia’s audiovisual heritage, but, in a previous life, it was an anatomical institute. The building has housed many skeletons and other human and animal specimens, including Phar Lap’s heart and Ned Kelly’s skull.

the entrance of National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra, ACT — NFSA preserves Australia’s vibrant audiovisual culture. (Image: National Film and Sound Archive)

As a result, many ghost hunters say it’s one of the most haunted places in Australia. In particular, the ghost of the founder and first director of the former Australian Institute of Anatomy, Sir Colin MacKenzie, is known to loiter in the halls on occasion. His ashes are housed in a wall behind a plaque that recognises him, so, whether in ghost form or not, he’s literally in the building.

The NFSA sometimes runs ghost tours, check the events page for details.

a ghost tour with cryptonaturalist Tim the Yowie Man — Experience an unnerving ghost tour with Tim the Yowie Man at NFSA. (Image: National Film and Sound Archive Ghost Tour)

8. Devil’s Pool, Babinda Boulders, Queensland

Devil’s Pool near Babinda in North Queensland is a stunningly beautiful place, but not all those who have been lured into its rainforest fringed, turquoise waters have come out alive. A notoriously dangerous swimming hole, 17 people have died here, mostly young men.

According to Aboriginal legend, a lovestruck woman named Oolana threw herself into the waters after being separated from her lover, Dyga, who, in a Romeo and Juliet-style tale, was from a different tribe.

Her spirit is believed to have never left the pool, and it’s said she now coaxes men in to join her in death. Some people have also reported unexplained crying in the area, thought to be Oolana crying out for Dyga.

the Devil's Pool in Babinda Boulders, Queensland — Devil’s Pool is the said culprit behind tragic deaths in Babinda Creek.

9. Mushroom Tunnel, Picton, NSW

Picton, 90 minutes southwest of Sydney, is sometimes described as the most haunted town in Australia. When it was founded in 1821, the town was named Stonequarry, and its best-known landmark is the Mushroom Tunnel, formally known as the Redbank Range Railway Tunnel. It’s in this tunnel that a number of people have died – either accidentally or by suicide.

the dark entrance of Picton Mushroom Tunnel — Many visitors hear the eerie sounds of a steam train coming from the Picton Mushroom Tunnel.

The ghost of Emily Bollard, who was killed by a train in 1916, is perhaps the most famous. She is thought to be the white flowing figure of a woman with no face, who has reportedly been sighted on a number of occasions.

Elsewhere around Picton, a matron is said to haunt the old maternity ward; a young boy and girl and a bearded man are said to haunt the Wollondilly Shire Hall; and the jukebox at the Imperial Hotel has been known to fire up on its own, even when unplugged.

Organised ghost tours no longer run in Picton, but you can show up and try to see or feel the departed for yourself.

a woman standing at Mushroom Tunnel, Picton, NSW — Rumour has it that Mushroom Tunnel is cursed by a young woman.

Winding down in the Yarra Valley, where ‘work from home’ becomes ‘work from wine country’.

Steam from my morning coffee curls gently into the cool valley air, mist-veiled vineyards stretch out in neat rows below me. Magpies warble from trees, and the morning’s quiet carries the soft bleating of lambs from a nearby paddock. Midweek in the Yarra Valley has its own rhythm. It’s slower, quieter, with more empty tables at cafes and cellar doors, and walking trails I can claim all to myself. It’s as if the entire region takes a deep breath once the weekend crowd leaves.

walking trails in the Yarra Valley — You’ll find walking trails are less crowded during the week. (Image: Visit Victoria)

I haven’t come here for a holiday, but to do a little work somewhere other than my home office, where I spend too much time hunched over my desk. Deadlines still loom, meetings still happen, but with flexible work evolving from ‘work from home’ to ‘work from anywhere’, I’m swapping the view of my front yard to the vineyards.

A quiet afternoon at Yarra Valley Dairy

holding a glass of wine at Yarra Valley Dairy — Wine time at Yarra Valley Dairy, where you can enjoy a toastie or bagel in the cafe. (Image: Visit Victoria)

With the Yarra Valley just over an hour from the CBD, many Melburnians could drive here in their lunch break. I arrive late in the afternoon and am delighted to discover the Yarra Valley Dairy still open. On weekends, I’ve seen queues spilling out the door, but today there’s only one other couple inside. There’s no need to rush to secure a table; instead I browse the little store, shelves stacked with chutneys, spices, artisan biscuits and gorgeous crockery that would look right at home in my kitchen. It’s hard not to buy the lot.

a cheese tasting plate atYarra Valley Dairy — A cheese tasting plate at Yarra Valley Dairy.

I order a coffee and a small cheese platter, though the dairy has a full menu, and choose a wooden table with bentwood chairs by a wide window. The space feels part farm shed, part cosy café: corrugated iron ceiling, walls painted in muted tones and rustic furniture.

Outside, cows meander toward milking sheds. If pressed for time, there’s the option of quick cheese tastings – four samples for five dollars in five minutes – but today, I’m in no rush. I sip slowly, watching a grey sky settle over the paddock. Less than an hour ago I was hunched over my home-office desk, and now my racing mind has slowed to match the valley’s pace.

Checking in for vineyard views at Balgownie Estate

Restaurant 1309 at Balgownie Estate has views across the vines.

As my car rolls to a stop at Balgownie Estate , I’m quietly excited, and curious to see if my plan to work and play comes off. I’ve chosen a suite with a spacious living area and a separate bedroom so I can keep work away from a good night’s sleep. I could have booked a cosy cottage, complete with open fireplace, a comfy couch and a kettle for endless cups of tea, but as I am still here to get some work done, I opt for a place that takes care of everything. Dinner is served in Restaurant 1309, as is breakfast.

oysters at Restaurant 1309, Balgownie Estate — Oysters pair perfectly with a crisp white at Restaurant 1309.

On my first evening, instead of the usual walk about my neighbourhood, I stroll through the estate at an unhurried pace. There’s no need to rush – someone else is preparing my dinner after all. The walking trails offer beautiful sunsets, and it seems mobs of kangaroos enjoy the view, too. Many appear, grazing lazily on the hillside.

I wake to the call of birds and, after breakfast, with the mist still lingering over the vineyards, I watch two hot-air balloons silently drift above clouds. Perched on a hill, Balgownie Estate sits above the mist, leaving the valley below veiled white.

kangaroos in Yarra Valley — Spotting the locals on an evening walk. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Exploring the Yarra Valley on two wheels

the Yarra Valley vineyards — Swap your home office for a view of the vineyards. (Image: Visit Victoria/Cormac Hanrahan)

Perhaps because the Yarra Valley is relatively close to where I live, I’ve never considered exploring the area any way other than by car or on foot. And with a fear of heights, a hot-air balloon is firmly off the table. But when I discover I can hop on two wheels from the estate and cycle into Yarra Glen, I quickly realise it’s the perfect way to step away from my laptop and experience a different side of the region.

COG Bike offers pedal-assist e-bikes, and while the bike trail and paths into town aren’t particularly hilly, having an extra bit of ‘oomph’ means I can soak up the surroundings. Those lambs I heard calling early in the morning? I now find them at the paddock fence, sniffing my hands, perhaps hoping for food. Cows idle nearby, and at a fork in the bike path I turn left toward town.

It’s still morning, and the perfect time for a coffee break at The Vallie Store. If it were the afternoon, I’d likely turn right, in the direction of four wineries with cellar doors. The ride is about 15 kilometres return, but don’t let that put you off. Staying off the highway, the route takes you along quiet backroads where you catch glimpses of local life – farmers on tractors, weathered sheds, rows of vines and the kind of peaceful countryside you don’t see from the main road.

A detour to the Dandenong Ranges

legs hanging over the sides of the train, Puffing Billy Railway — The iconic Puffing Billy runs every day except Christmas Day.

The beauty of basing myself in the Yarra Valley is how close everything feels. In barely half an hour I’m in the Dandenong Ranges, swapping vineyards for towering mountain ash and fern-filled gullies. The small villages of Olinda and Sassafras burst with cosy teahouses, antique stores and boutiques selling clothing and handmade body care items.

I’m drawn to RJ Hamer Arboretum – Latin for ‘a place for trees’. Having grown up among tall trees, I’ve always taken comfort in their presence, so this visit feels like a return of sorts. A stroll along the trails offers a choice: wide open views across patchwork paddocks below, or shaded paths that lead you deeper into the quiet hush of the peaceful forest.

The following day, I settle into a quiet corner on the balcony of Paradise Valley Hotel in Clematis and soon hear Puffing Billy’s whistle and steady chuff as the steam train climbs towards town. Puffing Billy is one of Australia’s most beloved steam trains, running through the Dandenong Ranges on a narrow-gauge track. It’s famous for its open carriages where passengers can sit with their legs hanging over the sides as the train chugs through the forest. This is the perfect spot to wave to those on the train.

After my midweek break, I find my inbox still full and my to-do list not in the least shrunken, just shifted from one task to another. But I return to my home office feeling lighter, clearer and with a smug satisfaction I’d stolen back a little time for myself. A midweek wind-down made all the difference.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Balgownie Estate offers everything from cellar door tastings to spa treatments and fine dining – all without leaving the property.

Playing there

the TarraWarra Museum of Art, Yarra Valley — Visit the TarraWarra Museum of Art. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Wander through Alowyn Gardens, including a stunning wisteria tunnel, then explore the collection of contemporary artworks at TarraWarra Museum of Art . Cycle the Yarra Valley with COG Bike to visit local wineries and cellar doors.

Eating and drinking there

Olinda Tea House offers an Asian-inspired high tea. Paradise Valley Hotel, Clematis has classic pub fare, while the iconic Yering Station offers wine tastings and a restaurant with seasonal dishes.

seasonal dishes at the restaurant inside Yering Station — The restaurant at Yering Station showcases the best produce of the Yarra Valley. (Image: Visit Victoria)

9 of the most haunted places to visit in Australia