A Haunting at the Gawler Railway Station

 Is the Gawler Railway Station haunted?  Recently, I have had reports of a spectre haunting the Gawler Railway Station. The first railway station was built here in 1857. The first train arrived on 5 October 1857 and was described in the Register as a ‘train of 13 first and second class carriages, plus three to four open carriages carrying approximately 900 passengers'. The carriages were profusely decorated with flags and banners, and the engine was garlanded with flowers'.
  The train departed at 9:15 am, accompanied by the strains of the National Anthem, and reached Salisbury by 10:00 am, arriving at Gawler at 10:50 am.

  The 1857-built railway station was demolished, and a new one was built in 1879. The new station featured a booking office, waiting rooms, refreshments, ladies' rooms, and station master and luggage departments.

The following is a historical sample of some of the deaths that have occurred at the historic railway station.

  In 1875, Station Porter Charles Woods died at the station after suffering a fit and falling from a train carriage onto the rails and stones below.[1]   In 1896, Porter Donald McAuley tried to jump from the platform onto a moving engine – something he had successfully performed many times before. This time, McAuley slipped and went under the train. His right leg was instantly amputated by a train wheel, while his left leg was shattered at the ankle. Despite medical treatment, McAuley died just a few days later.[2]
 In 1893, the Broken Hill express was leaving Gawler, with Guard Peter Power standing on the footboard of the brake van. As the train left the platform, Power was struck by a water column, causing him to lose balance and fall under the last wheels of the carriage. His legs were almost severed at the ankles. Power was taken to the Adelaide Hospital by train, but expired the following day.[3]  In 1911, George White, an engine driver, died suddenly at the Gawler Station. White was sitting on a seat talking to a fellow employee when he suddenly leaned back and died.[4]

  The reported ghost is often seen sitting on the benches of the station. From the description given, it appears to be male and dressed in an older-style suit. The entire apparition is grey in colour and stares south, as if waiting for the train to arrive. It is not known who the apparition was in life.

Researched and written by Allen Tiller ©2026

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[1] 'ACCIDENTAL DEATH AT GAWLER.', The Express and Telegraph, (15 December 1875), p. 2.

[2] 'Accident at the Railway Station.', Bunyip, (30 October 1896), p. 3.

[3] 'Fatal Accident at the Gawler Railway Station.', Bunyip, (4 August 1893), p. 2.

[4] 'SUDDEN DEATH.', The Register, (18 January 1911), p. 5. 

 Pelberre Railway Station

 

  Pelberre Station was a stop on the railway line between Gawler and Angaston. Pelberre is believed to be the Kaurna word for fruit. The station was situated near Bella Street, Gawler East, one stop from what is now Gawler Central (formerly Gawler North Railway Station).
Other stops that existed between Gawler and Lyndoch included Kalbeeba Station, Kalperri Station, Sandy Creek, Warpoo and Wilamba.[1]

 In 1947, Nancy Haese (24), her mother Amy Haese and Robert Lee (38) were travelling in their car when they were hit by a train at Jolly’s crossing. The mother and daughter were in the front seat, and Lee was in the back of the 1927 open touring car.
 According to the News,

The railcar struck the motor car alongside the steering wheel. The car was then crushed against the cattle pit guard rails, and carried 40 yards before it was hurled down a 15-ft. embankment. The 60-1b rails forming the cattle pit guard were bent and broken.
 With the exception of the engine and bonnet, the car was a twisted mass of steel and wood after the accident.
 The rear axle was ripped, out and carried along by. the railcar's cowcatcher, until it slid down the embankment when the railcar stopped 125 yards past the point of collision.[2]

  Nancy Haese was driving the car back to the family property. Lee was an employee; the three had been picking grapes on the Adelaide Road side of the railway line at Warpoo. The gate to the Haese property was just 20 feet from the crossing where the car was struck.
 Nancy was killed instantly. Mrs Haeses and Lee both suffered fractured skulls and died later in the Hutchinson Hospital, Gawler.
 In an article in The Register Newspaper, it states that the original stop at Warpoo was known as Haese’s, and was little more than a flattened piece of ground where the train stopped to pick up and drop off passengers.[3]

  The Angaston line from Gawler opened in 1911. Regular passenger services ceased in December 1968. In November 1996, Transadelaide introduced Sunday services to Nuriootpa, and in 1998, Bluebird Rail Operations ran the Barossa Wine train on the line, which ceased in 2003.

Researched and written by Allen Tiller (c) 2025

S.A.R. 1938 train timetable courtesy of Martin Walker.

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[1] Manning G.H., A Compendium of the Place Names of South Australia, State Library of South Australia, p. 669.

[2] 'Three Killed in S.A. Crossing Smash', News, (30 April 1947), p. 1.

[3] 'Country News.', The Register, (7 May 1925), p. 13. 

McDonald, J., & Johnson, B., ‘Barossa Valley Lines to Truro, Penrice Quarry, and Angaston.‘ Lost in South OZ, (2024), https://lostinsouthoz.jarmlibrary.me/.

 The 1888 Tragedy at Semaphore.

 

In 1888, the newspapers of the day were scathing of 20-year-old Susan Schmidt, who on February 8th, had ridden on the footboard of a train carriage travelling to Semaphore. As the train crossed the points, it shook, dislodging Susan and throwing her under the train where she was crushed to death.^[1]

It came to light that Susan and a friend, Emma Fitts, had left Susan's parents’ house in the evening, and walked to Port Adelaide. They saw a friend off at Alberton station, then walked back to Exeter station, when the Semaphore bound train arrived. Rather than walk, they hopped onto the steps of the train from the opposite side of the platform. William Uden, travelling in the train, told the girls they had better get off the train, but they ignored him. As the train entered Semaphore station and crossed the points, it made a slight jump, dislodging Susan, who was flung under the train.

Porter, Charles White, who was on his way to the points, saw the train give a little jump and heard someone yell out from under the train. He was first to see Susan on the rails and went immediately for a doctor. When the train stopped at Semaphore, the guard William Swann, saw the danger lights lit up at the points by White and could see Susan lying around 100 yards from the train.

There was little compassion in South Australia’s media of the day. The South Australian Register wrote, ‘Susan Schmidt was run over and killed by the Semaphore train on February 8, owing to her recklessness in unlawfully riding on the footboard of the carriage.’^[2]

The Evening Journal stated, ‘A Sad Death from Recklessness – It must be a painful reflection for the parents of the poor girl, Susan Schmidt, who was run over and killed by the Semaphore train…’[3]

The Port Augusta Dispatch wrote, ‘Susan Schmidt tried to ride on the step of a Semaphore railway carriage last Wednesday. Verdict – nobody but herself to blame.’^[4]

Susan's body was transported to the Port Hospital where Dr Toil examined her, before placing her dead body in the morgue.^[5] Susan's lower body had been ‘completely crushed.’^[6]

An inquest into the death occurred at the Port Admiral Hotel on February 9, 1888, overseen by Coroner T. Ward. J.P.  Susan’s father Bennett Schmidt gave evidence at the inquest, stating,

She was 20 years of age last September. Last saw her alive about half-past 7 on Wednesday evening in company, with., two friends. They left his place and went in the direction of the Semaphore-road. Was awakened about a quarter past 10 by Mr. Warn, who told him of the accident. Directly saw it was his daughter that had been run over. She asked him to lift her up, and repeated the question in the train. She never told him how the accident occurred. Never knew deceased to be reckless.^[7]

 

The jury returned a verdict that ‘the deceased met her death by being run over by the Semaphore train, the accident is caused by her attempting to ride on the step of the carriage and added a rider that no blame was attached to anybody. ^[8]

 

Researched and written by Allen Tiller  © 2024

[1] 'Latest News.', Evening Journal, (9 February 1888), p. 2. (SECOND EDITION).
[2] 'ABSTRACT OF NEWS.', South Australian Register, (13 February 1888), p. 7.
[3] 'S.A. SWIMMING CLUB.', Evening Journal, (10 February 1888), p. 3. (SECOND EDITION).
[4] 'Grape Shot.', The Port Augusta Dispatch, Newcastle and Flinders Chronicle, (14 February 1888), p. 2.
[5] 'Latest News.', Evening Journal, (9 February 1888), p. 2. (SECOND EDITION).
[6] Ibid.
[7] 'CORONERS' INQUESTS.', South Australian Register, (10 February 1888), p. 7.
[8] Ibid.

 

 Gawler's Hotels

Foundation years of Gawler's Hotels

Golden Fleece 30-10-1839 (Also known as The Old Spot Hotel)

Old Bushman 24-9-1840

Prince Albert 1847 (as the New Bushman Inn)

Gawler Arms 1848

Willaston Hotel 1849

Kingsford (also known as the Globe Hotel ) 1851

Railway Hotel 1854 (also known as 'The Terminus' & 'Overway Hotel) - currently closed.

South End 1855 (also known as The Southern)

Gawler Belt Inn 1857

Engine and Driver 1858 (21st Street - now a private residence)

Wheatsheaf 1859-1873 (now Tikka Talian Restaurant.)

Criterion 1864

Exchange 1868

 A Haunting at the Hamley Bridge Railway Station.

 

In 2018, the owner of the former Hamley Bridge Railway station, Ms Jenny Lee-Justine, decided to sell her property. News coverage in the Advertiser newspaper claimed the home was haunted!
 The original Hamley Bridge railway station was further north of the 1880-constructed station located at 9 Railway Terrace.[1] Originally, the station was known as Alma Station, but this caused confusion and numerous complaints were received, which resulted in a name change to Hamley Bridge Station.[2]

The foundation stone for the Hamley Bridge over the River Light was laid by Mrs Hamley on Saturday, 25^th of July 1868.[3] His Excellency, Lieut-Colonel Hamley, Acting Governor at the time, and a small group of Government Ministers travelled from Adelaide to witness the foundation stone laying.[4]

In 1898, 28-year-old William Woods was killed at Hamley Bridge Station. Woods had previously worked at Gawler Railway Station, close to where he lived and was described as 'a careful and conscientious servant of the Railway Department.’[5]

In December 1910, the guard of the 3 o’clock train from Hamley Bridge to Port Pirie, while readying his train for departure, noticed something under the train between the station and carriages.[6] Upon closer inspection, he discovered the mangled body of a male. M.C. Hannam of Gawler was called for. Papers on the victim identified him as James Ried. It was believed Reid had fallen under the train and lost consciousness, the train being readied for departure had moved further along the platform, dismembering Reid's body and killing him.[7]

The Hamley Bridge station closed in 1984 and became private property.  The owner of the property in 2018, Jenny Lee-Justine, claimed that she once had a lady stay with her in the former railway building who was woken by a ghost. The ghost was wearing a railway uniform and carrying a lantern. Ms. Lee-Justine had a few photographs of railway workers at the station from 1911 from which they were able to identify the ghost.[8]

 

Researched and written by Allen Tiller ©2023

[1] 'Latest News.', Evening Journal, (14 April 1869), p. 2.

[2] 'TO CORRESPONDENTS.', The Express and Telegraph, (15 January 1870), p. 2.

[3] 'GENERAL NEWS.', The Express and Telegraph, (22 July 1868), p. 2.

[4] 'NEWS OF THE WEEK', South Australian Chronicle and Weekly Mail, (25 July 1868), p. 10.

[5] 'HAMLEY BRIDGE ACCIDENT.', The Express and Telegraph, (20 January 1898), p. 3.

[6] 'MAN KILLED AT RAILWAY STATION.', Daily Herald, (22 December 1910), p. 6.

[7] 'FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.', The Advertiser, (22 December 1910), p. 6.

[8] Lydie Kellner, ‘Historic railway station-turned-home for sale in Hamley Bridge.’, The Advertiser, (Feb 2018), https://www.realestate.com.au/news/historic-railway-stationturnedhome-for-sale-in-hamely-bridge/?rsf=syn:news:nca:aa:article.

 Victor Harbor – Granite Island Causeway

 In 1862 work began on a 195-metre jetty at Victor Harbor, which was completed in 1864. Between 1872 and 1875, the jetty was extended to Granite Island making a causeway with a railway on it.

The Granite Island Causeway was officially closed on 31 January 2022. Demolition work began in February 2022, with portions of the causeway to be retained at each end of the new causeway as viewing platforms.

The Department for Infrastructure and Transport began construction of a new causeway in March 2021. It was officially opened on Wednesday, 22 December 2021 by the Mayor of Victor Harbor, Dr Moira Jenkins.

The new causeway features rest areas, viewpoints and artworks by Ngarrindjeri-Ramindjeri peoples.[1]

 We visited in January 2022; the photos below are from our visit.

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[1] https://www.victor.sa.gov.au/notice-board/projects/currentprojects/granite-island-causeway#:~:text=Decommissioning%20of%20the%20old,second%20half%20of%202022.

Kapunda's Railways - Part 2 “The Line Opens”

Kapunda's Railways: Part 2 “The Line Opens” 

Before we go much further with the history of the Kapunda Railway, we need to first look at its roots.

The Kapunda line opened officially on Monday the 13th of August 1860, it was opened by the then Governor of South Australia, Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell.

Workers building the line North of Kapunda

There was great fanfare at the grand opening ceremony of the Kapunda Line, with a celebratory train to ride the entire length of the line.
 The train left Adelaide station at 10:30am under instruction from the "Manager of Railways", C.S. Hare.

One engine was used as far as Gawler, The No.9, the largest engine in the fleet at the time
 The train numbered 13 carriages, which were full of guests.
Guests included, His Excellency, The Governor and his wife and entourage, Ministers of both houses of Parliament, The Mayor, and Members of the town corporation and many notable members of the Adelaide citizenry.

Every station on the line from Adelaide to Kapunda was adorned with evergreen shrubbery and flags, and well-wishers and onlookers. The opening of the Kapunda line was an event celebrated across the State.

Governor of South Australia,
 Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell. 

The train reached Salisbury at 11am, and Gawler at 11:26 am. In Gawler, more passengers boarded and a second engine was attached to the train. The train then travelled to Freeling, arriving at 12:23pm, where it stopped for a brief time and the passengers were allowed to refresh themselves very briefly

The train left Freeling at 12:35pm and stopped at 12:50pm at the bridge over the light river at the request of His Excellency, The Governor, to inspect the bridge, which was considered a masterpiece of engineering at the time.

The Light railway bridge was built using stone cut from along the railway lines route. The timbers of the structure were supported by transverse latticed beams, with a laminated arch either side. The “points of juncture” on the bridge were plated with heavy steel to withstand the weight of the heaviest trains in the South Australian Railways at the time.

This particular journey was a testing of the Light Bridge, with the two heaviest engines in the State fleet being positioned on it at once, the builders must have had great faith in their structure considering the importance of the passengers upon the train!

The train reached Kapunda Station at 1:17pm too much fanfare. The train was greeted by The Reverend Oldham, Captain Warburton, The Angaston Rifles, Captain Connor, Captain Brown and the Kapunda Rifle Corps.

The Kapunda Rifle Corps. presented themselves 50 strong, and accompanied by their band presented a guard of honour to the dignitaries and officials.

Under the guidance of the Station Master, and Master of the Goods Shed, Mr Baggett, The Governor was given a tour of the Kapunda Railway Station complex, before a brief speech was made by The Reverend Oldham.

Reverend Oldham presented the following speech:

"To His Excellency Sir Richard G. MacDonnell,
K.C.B., Governor-in-Chief of Her Majesty's Province of South Australia, May it please your Excellency, We the inhabitants of Kapunda and the surrounding districts, most cordially welcome your Excellency and Lady MacDonnell amongst us upon this most auspicious and interesting occasion, and would desire to 'record through you as Her Majesty's representative in this colony, the expression of our unabated loyalty and arm attachment to Her person and Crown.

 It is now nearly four years since this neighbourhood as honoured by a former visit from your Excellency and Lady MacDonnell ; since that time three commodious places of worship have been erected in the township,also, a Court-House and Police-Station, a Telegraph and Post-0ffice, and a large number of stores and other buildings, and rapid communication with the capital and other parts of the colony, and also with the adjacent colonies has been established by means of the electric telegraph ; and we feel happy in being now enabled to congratulate your Excellency on the most successful completion of the important undertaking, in reference to which, in great measure, your Excellency's former visit was paid; and also, in feeling assured of the happiness it will afford you in seeing at least in some degree the fulfilment of your Excellency's then expressed anticipation as to the increasing importance of this district.

"We hope and believe that the opening of the Railway to Kapunda, which calls us together this day will prove
but the commencement of many happy and prosperous years from the greatly increased facilities it will afford both for travelling and for the safe and rapid transport of goods, and we earnestly desire that your Excellency
may yet be spared long amongst us to see the fulfilment of these desires for the welfare of the colony which have 'ever characterised your administration.
 We again bid you a cordial and hearty welcome by Railway to Kapunda.

Signed on behalf of, and at the unanimous request, of the inhabitants of Kapunda and the surrounding districts, in public meeting assembled.

"W. OLDHAM, J.P., Chairman."

Governor MacDonnell replied with a considerably lengthy speech congratulating the townsfolk on the construction and opening of the line, and then proceeded to the crane at the goods-shed and lifted the first bale of wool and first bag of copper to a roaring cheer from the crowd.

The Governor was then transported into the town via horse buggy to the Sir John Franklin hotel where festivities went well into the night.

Kapunda now had an official link for transportation of goods and passengers via train into the city of Adelaide and to the wharves, a valuable connection that would open the grain belt, and copper mines to further export across the country and state and bring wealth back into the community.

Kapunda would eventually become the States largest wheat receiving station, an extension was later built to Burra, veering off at Roseworthy, whilst the Kapunda line was extended to Morgan to try and capture some of the trade from the paddle steamer transportation system.

The Kapunda line was a focal point of the town for many years, opening up industry and commercial prospects for the people of Kapunda and surrounding districts, and allowed local people to travel far and wide around the State and Country, something people would have previously found much harder to do with the standard transport of the day, horse and cart, bicycle or walking.

The last passenger train to Robertstown passed through Kapunda on May 20th 1989, but the Kapunda line still saw notable traffic up until 1996 when it was sold Genesseesee Wyoming Australia under a 50 year (+15 extension option) contract.

Since then the line has fallen into a state of disrepair and only see's line traffic when a light-weight engine, or nowadays an adapted 4 wheel drive, comes down the line once every few months to the Viterra silos as part of the contract to have line traffic, or lose the line back to the State Government,

As the region north of Gawler grows it becomes obvious that passenger train service to at least Roseworthy and Freeling may be needed sometime in the future, it would not be too hard to conceive of Kapunda once again having a train return to the town, however, would a new train station have to be built as the old one now houses a “Bed and Breakfast”? - only time will tell

People gather to watch the last train to Robertstown as it enters Kapunda

Please note, this post was originally made on a short-lived blog I wrote about Kapunda, due to the amount of time spent researching the paranormal, the Kapunda blog suffered a severe lack of posts - rather than lose the blog into the depths of Internet obscurity, I am reposting some of the research back onto this blog as much of it contains, History, Mystery and the Paranormal.

© 2013 Allen Tiller

www.eidolonparanormal.com.au

The Station Masters House - Peake

Station Masters House – Peake

In 2010, during a visit to the Tailem Bend region, I travelled with a colleague to several sites of historical interest. Among these was the Station Master’s House at Peake, a property that had been recommended by a local resident as a potential subject for investigation. Although the building possessed a noteworthy past, its condition at the time rendered it unsuitable for any formal study. The interior contained extensive accumulations of pigeon droppings, and one wall of the kitchen was heavily infested with bees. Considerable discussion followed within the Eidolon Paranormal office regarding whether the site should be cleaned and prepared or abandoned as a prospect. Ultimately, the distance involved, the cost of remediation, and the absence of any established tradition of haunting led to the decision not to proceed.


Peake itself is a small agricultural settlement situated approximately 150 kilometres east of Adelaide, near Tailem Bend. Established in 1912 and named in honour of the then Premier of South Australia, Archibald Peake, the township developed around the railway line. It served as a significant stopping point for freight and passenger transport, particularly for the loading of grain destined for regional markets. Although modest in size at its founding, Peake has remained a small rural community, with a present‑day population of roughly two hundred residents.

The Station Master’s House was constructed in 1912 and remained in continuous use until 1990. The final Station Master appointed to Peake was Jozeff (Joe) Suchon. On 8 January 1990, at the age of seventy‑eight, Mr. Suchon died on the kitchen floor of the residence. Local accounts portray him as a man of difficult temperament who maintained limited contact with neighbours and townspeople. Only one individual is said to have visited him with any regularity, delivering firewood during the winter months.

It is presumed that Mr. Suchon suffered a fatal heart attack after carrying wood from the small shed at the rear of the property. He collapsed in such a position that the back door could not be opened inward, leaving his body undiscovered for more than a week during the height of the January heat. The condition of the remains necessitated an unusual and unpleasant method of removal: the lino flooring surrounding the body was cut away so that he could be lifted out.

lino cut where the body was found.

  Today, the Station Master’s House forms part of a tourist walk through Peake. The local tourism catalogue recounts the circumstances of Mr. Suchon’s death and notes that visitors may still observe the section of kitchen flooring where the lino was cut to extract his remains. It stands as a small but striking reminder of the township’s railway heritage and of the solitary life of its final Station Master.

© 2013 Allen Tiller
www.allentiller.com.au