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Tuesday 27 October 2015

Haunted Highercombe Hotel



Highercombe Hotel Museum





Recently Eidolon Paranormal had the pleasure of investigating the Highercombe Hotel Museum, with thanks to our friend Karina Eames. As far as we are aware, only (another friend) Icey Paranormal has previously investigated the building for spirit activity.
 History
In 1853 when the Highercombe Hotel was built, the town of Tea Tree Gully was known as “Steventon” and contained a reasonable population, but not one big enough to support the Highercombe Hotel and the Tea Tree Gully Inn which stands across the road. The Highercombe closed its doors as a hotel only 24 years after opening.
 The Tea Tree Gully Hotel became a major stopping point for stage coaches and horse riders after the main road in the area was diverted right past its front door.
 The northern side of the Hotel building served as the local post office and post masters residence from 1879 until 1963. From 1875 until 1934 the southern side of the building was lived in by the head teacher of the Tea Tree Gully Public School. After this, for 20 years from 1930, the southern side was rented to the Hughes family as a private residence.
 For a small period in the 1960’s the building served as the library and office for the Tea Tree Gully Council, until it was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1967, when it’s life as a museum was imagined.
In 2015 the site has been renamed The Tea Tree Gully Heritage Museum and is run entirely by volunteers
Whilst we have found no deaths in our research on the building that could lend credence to a possible haunting, the building contains a number of personal effects that could promote the theory of “attachment”. “Attachment” is the theory that some paranormal investigators subscribe too that some objects are so loved and adored by their owners, or had such importance in their lives, that, in death, they still cannot bare to part with it. This in turns leads to sightings of the spirit near its beloved object – as would appear to be the case here in this building.
 One sighting has been of a young girl sitting in front of the fire place in the large downstairs sitting room at the entrance side of the Hotel. This teenage girl has been seen briefly by volunteers, sitting quietly, as if enjoying, or warming herself in front of the fire.
 We had our own brief unexplained experience in an upstairs room when reading poetry that was bequeathed to the museum in an estate. Whilst Karina and Karen were reading the poetry aloud, another investigator witnessed a small white light pass between two investigators and then vanish – at the same time goosebumps and coldness was felt by the investigators.
 At this stage we are still reviewing our investigation data, and looking towards further investigations in the former hotel to uncover whom could possibly be haunting the building,.

Tuesday 20 October 2015

The Haunts of Adelaide Turns 3

THOA turns 3 on Oct 22



A very big thank you to each and every one of you who has read, shared or commented on a Haunts of Adelaide topic over the past three years.
 This week on Thursday the 22nd, the blog hits three years of weekly articles - that's 156 articles about the ghosts, hauntings, UFO sightings, Bushrangers, Crimes, people, politicians and paranormal investigations of Adelaide, and South Australia.
In that time we have seen the blog (very early on I might ad) get added to the National Library of Australia's PANDORA archives, which aims to protect writings the Government of Australia deems important to the history of our nation.
 It has also seen the birth of its first book " The Haunts of Adelaide - History, Mystery and the Paranormal" by Allen Tiller (me ) - which is a collection of 30 stories some previously published on the blog (but with more details added) and some exclusive to the book itself.
Currently as I write this, I am working on the follow up book " The Haunts of Kapunda"...and after that, maybe a follow for Adelaide, or Port Adelaide, or the Copper Coast..maybe the Riverland? Who knows, there are endless possibilities for locations and ghost stories to be discovered, researched and written ab out in our great state!

Again, thank you for your support
Allen Tiller

Tuesday 6 October 2015

Captain Johnstone’s Cottage – Murray Bridge



Captain Johnstones Cottage – Murray Bridge






  Owned and lived in by the family of Captain Adam Johnstone, the Captains Cottage Museum in Murray Bridge has long been rumoured to be haunted.

 Captain Johnstone served under Captain Cadell in Europe in his early days as a trader between Leith and the Baltic regions. Later he began whaling operations alongside his brother in the Arctic Seas.

 He arrived in South Australia in 1856 on-board the brig “Lady Emma”, which was also carrying the first two Murray Steamers the “Albury” and the “Gundagai”.


Captain Johnstone aided in the building of the two vessels from the parts imported on the Lady Emma, he then went on to be a shipmate on the Gundagai before earning him the distinction of being the first officer.


 Captain Johnstone in 1851, like many other people in South Australia at the time, soon moved east to Victoria to the goldfields to try and make his fortune, but returned soon after, and resumed his place on the river.


The Captain now took service under Mr S Hesiltine captaining his vessels, under his master, undertook retirement and sold his vessels.


The Captain then went into the service of Mr John Whyte, and Captained two of his steamers, the “Medindie” and the “Shannon”, and stayed with the firm until that owner passed away and his ships were sold off to contractors elsewhere.

Captain Johnstone passed away at the age of 71 in 1905. One of the most respected men to steam the Murray River ion his time.


 Ghost stories about the home are hard to find, but it is alleged that a spirit lingers in the rear kitchen of the old home. Clues to the spirit being that of the Captain are few and far between. It is more plausible that the spirit is a later resident of the property. As of yet, the identity of the spirit remains a mystery.


 I am curious to know if any of you, constant readers, have had a paranormal experience in the old cottage in Murray Bridge – if so, please let us know over on our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/TheHauntsOfAdelaide

© 2015 Allen Tiller