2SER Breakfast

Boo! It’s Halloween and this time we’ve put together a list of spooky spots in Sydney you can visit, if you dare…

Disclaimer: It’s not dark tourism, it’s just spooky places to visit in Sydney with a quetsionable or disturbing past. There’s also a nice walk nearby so you can walk off the heebee geebees.

• The Street With No Name – Annandale 

There’s a street that runs along a railway viaduct near Jubilee Park. This is one of two viaducts structures in what they call the Glebe Viaducts, the other is near Wentworth Park – both built between 1892 and 1922 to facilitate the transport of goods via railway. It’s a set of pretty impressive arches. What’s not impressive – is the history in the vicinity.

They say it’s haunted because of 6 horrific deaths that happened nearby there. 3 of the deaths actually happened in 1968, 1976 and in 1977 (all pretty gruesome), while the other 3 could just be an urban legend. 

It’s part of the Glebe Foreshore walk, a scenic short walk that takes you from Glebe Foreshore Park to the Pyrmont Fish Markets. You can extend that walk south to the Smith Hogan & Spindlers Park in Leichhardt. It’s a nice scenic walk along Rozelle Bay with a view of the Anzac Bridge.  

Image: NSWrail.net

• Picton Tunnel, in Picton

It’s an unused, old main railway tunnel, 180 metres long that goes through Picton Junction and Thirlmere. It was opened in February 1867 and was the first railway tunnel to be used by the NSW Railways.

It was shut down to rail traffic in 1919 when a new line opened, and put to use in other ways. In WW2 it was an ammo and military supply shed, then after the 1950s it was used for mushroom growing. Now, it’s known for paranormal activity.

One railway accident has been confirmed and people say that she is the resident ghost of the tunnel. 50 year old Emily Bollard was struck by a Thirlmere train in the tunnel in 1916. People have reported seeing supernatural things in the tunnel.

Once you’re done with the dark tunnel, and getting touched by Emily’s ghost (apparently she’s a bit handsy), you can head to the Picton Botanic Gardens which is close by. It has a nice and easy 6km walking track and cycling trail. 

Image: Booderee National Parks by Parks Australia

• Cape St George Lighthouse – Jervis Bay

On the east side of Booderee National Park – an awesome national park to visit for walking trails, camping and surfing – it also has the ruins of the Cape St George Lighthouse. 

Designed and built in 1860, it was a 3 storey lighthouse with 8 rooms on the ground level to house the workers and their families. From 1860 – 1877 up to 15 people would live in this super remote location. 7 deaths happened to the residents caused by illnesses and unfortunate accidents.

• 1867, Isabella Jane Lee, the daughter of the principal lightkeeper from 1863 to 1873, died of typhus fever.
• 1882, another resident, 13-year-old George Gibson, died from pleurisy.
• 1885 Typhoid struck again killing Florence Bailey, the 11-year-old daughter of the third assistant lightkeeper.
• 1895 Florence Bailey’s father, Edward Bailey, supplemented his income by fishing for sharks on the rocks below the lighthouse. He was washed from the rocks. Entangled in his lines in heavy seas, he was taken by sharks as his son watched in horror.
• Francis Henry Hammer, the son of Mary Hammer (a single woman who lived at the lighthouse) had a habit of pushing large rocks over the cliff edge to amuse himself. However, he tragically met his end when he either toppled over or lost his footing when part of the cliff collapsed. He was only nine or ten years old.
• William Markham, the assistant lightkeeper from about 1878-1883, was kicked in the head by a horse and died before he reached Nowra Hospital.
• 1887, Kate Gibson (the principal lightkeeper’s teenage daughter), tripped while skylarking with a loaded firearm. The gun discharged, striking her friend Harriet Parker (the assistant lightkeeper’s daughter) in the back of the skull, killing her instantly. Her gravesite can be found in the Green Patch camping area.

To get to the lighthouse ruins it’s a moderate to challenging short walk. Pay the entry fee into Booderee NP then drive and park at Old Lighthouse Rd, before walking the Ruined Lighthouse Walking Trail. It’s a nice walk, great views at the end, and the ruins is a pretty cool site to check out. 

Image: nationaltrust.org.au

• Old Government House, Parramatta Park 

A beautiful old homestead first built by Governors Hunter and Macquarie between 1799 and 1816. The centre of all ghostly activity seems to revolve around the “Blue Room” at the top of the originally wooden staircase.

Image: Sydney.com.au

• North Head Quarantine Station, Manly

Quarantine station for those that arrived on diseased ridden ships. In 1837 the typhus ridden Lady McNaughton arrive in Sydney Harbour after losing 54 passengers enroute, once arrived at the station, 13 more died after.

Image: NSW Government

• Darlinghurst Gaol, Darlinghurst

In 1885 the jail hosted public executions on a makeshift gallows outside the main gate in Forbes St. Regular “private” executions were held at the permanent gallows outside the main walls near the Darlinghurst Rd and Burton St intersection. Over 70 people were executed here during its time. In 1912 a “model prison” at Long Bay was completed so the Darlinghurst gaol was emptied. During WW1 this building was used as an internment camp, and in 1921 the site was given to the department of Education. Some classrooms which used to be significant gaol areas are said to be haunted. It now stands as the National Art School – as if school wasn’t bad enough.