The Haunted History Of The Midlands Of Tasmania
Oatlands
St Peter’s Church of England- 1839
Campbell Memorial Presbyterian Church- 1859
St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church- 1851
Oatlands Town Hall- 1880
State School- 1886
Weedington House- 1832
Wardour Castle- 1850
The Old Court House- 1829
Historic Miller’s Cottage
Callington Mill- 1837
Taken 17th June, 2007
This intriguing photo of a ghostly image was captured by two American tourists visiting our wonderful little state, one of the tourist claims to have made contact with the spirit through Ghost Writings (Automatic writings)…. The spirit is Thomas Burbury who was a convict turned constable…he died in 1870. Is this a true ghost picture or was this done using slow shutter speed on camera?
Holyrood House strange feelings have been felt, nothing frightening just odd as if former owners still reside, some times the sound of a horse and carriage is heard along the old cobblestone driveway, there are no cobblestone driveway.
Lake Dulverton…. Tales of a amphibious creature frightening those away from the lake, the last recorded sighting of this creature known as the bunyip was early 80’s, since then no sightings and forgotten tales are told about the mysterious creature.
The old Presbyterian Church (Now uniting) has had a few ghostly occurrences. Heavy objects have been moved by unknown by unseen forces, unusual noises have been heard, but they are nothing to be alarmed about.
Ross
The Ross bridge- construction began 1827 & by October 21 1836 it was completed and open to the public… Design of bridge was by two convicts (Daniel Herbert & James Colebeck)
Female Factory Historical Site
Built in 1840 and by 1854 it has closed down… it wasn’t until 1980 that it was classed as a historical site.
12,000 female convicts was transported to Van Diemen’s Land in a 50 year era.
Other Historical Interests
St John’s Church
Man O Ross Hotel- rebuilt in 1831
The Scotch Thistle Inn- 1844
The Old Cemetery… Where the resting souls of (Herbert & Colebeck) rest?
Cleveland
St. Andrew’s Inn
Sitting along side of the highway, this little inn is known throughout Tasmania, all Tasmanian’s have passed this place at one point. Like most buildings in Tasmania, it has a ghost or two.
1- Visitors have felt when walking through the entrance as if they were being cuddled, described as a warm and fuzzy feeling.
2- Psychical presence renders people motionless while in the hallway upstairs.
3- A female spirit has been known to attack men (in a playful way) by trying to strip them of their clothing.
4- Rocks have been heard banging up against a window, in the dead hours of the night.
5- Noises and manifested voices have been heard through out the building.
6- Chairs have been thrown about.
7- A young woman has been heard pleading for her life.
History tells us a young female was stabbed to death in an upstairs bedroom, this happened 1860.
Campbell Town
The Bridge…. Built by the hard laboring convicts in (1836) but was completed by (1838).
St. Michaels Church…. Built in (1857) modeled on the gothic style churches of the old country.
Convict bricks with names and dates are lined the footpath
When you approach the northern part of town, slow down and keep an eye out, you may get to see “The Old Hag”…. When the fog drifts through the town streets you will sometimes see her, hunched over, walking stick in hand, and walking slowly onto the road before disappearing. The Old Hag comes from a real account, In the late 1800’s an old woman who the town became to fear or avoid, she was a drunk and a violent one at that, she would hurl abuse at adults, frighten kids by shaking her cane at them, she wore a ratted old cloak, long straggly grey hair, toothless, and very old looking…. One day she was verbally attacking someone; she crossed the road and was struck by a horse and carriage, this killing her instantly.
Now on certain nights she is seen, but she comes up to the window of the car and hits it with her cane, before quickly disappearing into the fog. She has been known to pass through the car.
The Grange…. Something lurks in the hallway, though no malice has be felled upon anyone, plus strange noises are sometimes heard scratching is the main one.
Built in 1847 (residence of Dr Valentine) that took over the medical practice in Campbell town in 1840. Building now belongs to the National Trust.
Fonthill
Near Andover, on a hill side the ruins can been still seen, restless spirit of (Francis G. Tarbart) whom roams still, his final wish was to be buried here but he never was, so is his spirit unable to rest due to not being buried where he wanted to.
Broadmarsh
The galloping horse man, who was never seen but always heard, legend has it if hear the Galloping horse man it mean a death in the family has or will happen. The question remains, does he still gallop along the road and when was the last encounter?
Perth
Destroyed by the floods in 1929, once stood a beautiful blue stone convict built bridge, an apparition of a woman in white, engulfed in a glow and seen floating, she glides towards you before disappearing. Records show a young female was found dead on the old bridge, from unknown reasons.
The midlands has other phenomena’s that are witnessed and recorded, the midlands is a great spot for U.F.O. watching, strange lights have been witnessed over the Lake Sorell area, the great lakes, near the town of Richmond and longford region. Sighting still occurs to this day, but many remain silent about it due to being ridiculed.
Epping forest
Sighting has ceased over 30 years ago, but it was told that on foggy nights or even when the moon was full, a headless man riding a horse at blistering speed, he would come galloping through the forest towards the road, this is where he would mostly disappear from, but sometimes he would gallop in front or along side the car. This case is an urban legend
The Nile
This tiny hamlet sits south of launceston (30 mins) this region was over run by Bushrangers in its day & has seen some tragic events happen.
The Cemetery has a sad tale of a young woman looking for her baby, her spirit is seen walking the grounds frantically searching, she wears a darken dress, with hooded cloak, similar dress to that of a funeral undertaking…. Was her child buried without her knowledge, were they separated in death, did the woman pass away before the child…. These questions remain unanswered.
Just out side of town, the northern end, a strange misty fog is sometimes seen manifesting on the road, nothing strange you say, but this fog stays with the car, bike or even walking, it disappears after 20 seconds or so, what is this fog, natural phenomena or ghostly phenomena?
The Ayton inn
Tales of hopeless despair are told about this old Gregorian building, in the mid 1800’s a family lived here, for unknown reasons, four members committed suicide within the walls of the inn, we are not sure if it happened over time or in one night, the place has been abandoned now for over 40 years, owner cannot live there for what ever reasons…. maybe the ghostly kind?
Copyright Team Strigois Unnatural 2010