• Lifestyle
    • Your home
    • Our state
    • Member deals
    • Bushfire safety
  • On the Road
    • Car Advice
    • Road Rules
    • In focus
    • Road Safety
    • Australia’s Best Cars
  • Travel
    • South Australia
    • Interstate
    • Overseas
    • Tips
  • Competitions
  • Read the magazine

8 of SA’s spookiest spots

Are you ready for a fright?

By Jeremy Rochow
Last updated on: October 22, 2018 at 2:05 pm

Halloween is only days away and although it’s not celebrated here as much as it is in other countries, Aussies can still get into the spirit of the occasion – pun intended.

Since South Australia has plenty of haunted locations, we’ve come up with a list of spine-tingling spots you can visit.

1. Adelaide Arcade

The Adelaide Arcade is one of the oldest shopping malls in Australia and, according to those in-the-know, has at least one resident ghost.

Caretaker Francis Cluney met his unfortunate fate in 1877, falling into an electrical generator while investigating a flickering light.

The father-of-five’s body was found a short time later, and many of the Arcade’s business owners believe he still roams the mall.

The Adelaide Arcade is reportedly home to a number of ghosts.

2. Old Adelaide Gaol

More than 300,000 people were imprisoned at the Old Adelaide Gaol during its 147-year history, with more than 300 dying within its walls. Of these, 45 were executed on site.

With accounts of everything from unexplained lights to doors slamming, apparitions of guards and footsteps on stairs, the Old Adelaide Gaol is said to be one of the most haunted places in South Australia.

Book a tour through the Old Adelaide Gaol with RAA.

Adelaide Gaol
More than 40 people were executed at the Old Adelaide Gaol while it was operational.

3. Millicent Grand Hotel

This hotel in the south-east is one of a number of pubs around the state that have experienced paranormal activity.

Stories and sightings over the years – by multiple staff and visitors – include a little boy who plays around the pool table, a woman who appears in the old service quarters, and an elderly man who wanders up the back stairs late at night, leaving a lingering smell of cigar smoke in his wake.

 

4. Overland Corner Hotel

The Overland Corner Hotel, on the River Murray near Barmera, was built in 1859 and quickly became the watering hole for drovers, overlanders and the occasional bushranger.

One of those bushrangers was Captain Moonlight. On one occasion Moonlight and his gang allegedly locked the area’s lone police constable in a cell before retiring to the hotel for drinks.

Moonlight was eventually captured in NSW and executed. It is believed he sometimes walks the Overland Corner Hotel’s hallways.

Staff and visitors have also reported hearing a fiddle being played while the hotel is closed, and seeing the figure of a bearded man in a white nightshirt.

The Overland Corner Hotel near Barmera has seen many colourful visitors, including bushrangers.

5. Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre

Staff at this historical train museum in Peterborough have long reported paranormal activity, particularly at the end of a movie shown to visitors.

Among the steam of the engines housed at the museum, visitors have seen a man in overalls disappearing into the noise, lights and steam.

Other reports include voices, footsteps and mysterious paranormal activity on platform 13.

The Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre in the state’s Mid North is supposedly haunted.

6.Martindale Hall

The hall in Mintaro was built in 1879 for pastoralist Sir Edmund Bowman’s 21-year-old son, who allegedly squandered his father’s wealth.

People have reportedly seen a man sitting on the stairs wearing clothes from a bygone era, and a guest believes she once woke up and found a child in bed with her. Is this Sir Edmund Bowman or his son?

Find out yourself. RAA members can 5% off the $15 entry price for a self-guided tour of the Martindale Hall.

Martindale Hall, where Picnic at Hanging Rock was filmed, has a spooky history.

7. Kapunda

This town on the Light River has the reputation of being the most haunted town in South Australia.

The North Kapunda Hotel opened its doors in 1849 and has a colourful past which may have contributed to reported paranormal activity at the pub.

Two young girls are said to haunt the upstairs former accommodation rooms, including 7-year-old Sarah who supposedly fell to her death from a balcony.

Other supernatural residents include Dr Blood – a doctor who is rumoured to have performed strange human experiments in one of the pub’s rooms – and a maid who appears near the front desk and makes her way into the gaming room.

Kapunda could be one of the most haunted towns in South Australia.

 

8. Old Tailem Town

Old Tailem Town is a pioneer village re-creating life in the early years of the 20th century, and provided a set for the 2007 film Twin Rivers.

A number of buildings around the town are said to be haunted, including the Old Wolseley Church.

Dark figures have been seen at the back of the church and people have reportedly had their hair ruffled by an unknown figure.

Book a ghost tour of Old Tailem Town with RAA.

A number of buildings at Tailem Town are said to be haunted.

Looking for an eerie experience?

Book a spooky tour with RAA

Find out more

Share
Tweet

Related Articles

South Australia

10 amazing things to do in SA

The best of SA's scenic delights and exciting activities.

More

South Australia

10 of SA’s best regional restaurants

Find out the ones which made the list.

More

South Australia

4 new ways to see the Barossa

Experience this iconic SA region from a different angle.

More

South Australia

5 freakishly beautiful sights in SA

You might be surprised at some of the places that made our list.

More

GPO BOX 1499 ADELAIDE 5001

T. 08 8202 4600

  • Home
  • About us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy
  • T&C
  • Advertise
  • © Copyright 2021 RAA