Australia’s 10 Most Haunted Places You Can Actually Visit

Australia has no shortage of ghost stories — but what about real, physical places where those stories live on?

From colonial prisons to haunted homesteads, these are the top 10 most haunted sites in Australia that you can explore for yourself. Each is steeped in dark history, strange sightings, and plenty of reasons to keep the lights on.

Here’s your guide to the places most likely to raise the hairs on your neck!

1.Monte Cristo Homestead, Junee, NSW

Known as Australia’s most haunted house, Monte Cristo is an eerie 19th-century mansion that’s gained worldwide attention for its ghost stories. Over the years, the property has seen murders, tragic accidents, and countless unexplained incidents. Visitors often report phantom footsteps, disembodied voices, sudden chills, and shadowy figures appearing in upstairs windows. The homestead has hosted paranormal investigators from around the world — many of whom left convinced they weren’t alone.

2.Boggo Road Gaol, Brisbane, QLD

Boggo Road was once Queensland’s most notorious prison. It housed some of the state’s worst criminals, many of whom were executed on-site. Today, former guards and visitors alike claim to have experienced ghostly whispers, doors slamming shut without warning, and eerie laughter echoing through empty cell blocks. One infamous spirit is believed to be Ernest Austin, the last man hanged in Queensland, who reportedly enjoys making his presence known to female visitors.

3.Aradale Lunatic Asylum, Ararat, VIC

This sprawling asylum opened in the 1860s and remained in use for more than a century. Over 13,000 patients are said to have died here, and many believe their spirits remain. Aradale is a maze of decaying wards, isolation rooms, and tunnels — and stories of shadow figures, cold spots, and violent reactions from visitors are common. Tour guides tell of guests fainting or being overcome by sudden panic, especially in the surgical wing.

4.Port Arthur Historic Site, TAS

This former convict settlement is both a hauntingly beautiful site and one of the most paranormally active in Australia. With a brutal history that includes solitary confinement cells and mass graves, it’s no surprise that ghost sightings are common. Visitors and staff have reported the sound of children crying, lanterns swinging on their own, and sightings of a “Blue Lady” believed to be searching for her lost child. Night tours of the site are especially popular — and often unsettling.

5.Fannie Bay Gaol, Darwin, NT

Opened in the late 1800s, Fannie Bay Gaol was the site of several executions and harsh prison conditions. The gallows still stand, and many believe something lingers there. Visitors report hearing unexplained sounds, seeing figures out of the corner of their eyes, and feeling a heavy, oppressive atmosphere, especially in the infirmary and punishment cells. It’s one of Darwin’s oldest surviving colonial buildings — and its most haunted.

6.Fremantle Arts Centre (Former Asylum), Fremantle, WA

Originally constructed by convicts as a psychiatric hospital, this grand limestone building has lived many lives — including as a women’s asylum, a wartime hospital, and now, an arts centre. Staff and visitors have long reported sudden drops in temperature, whispered voices in empty corridors, and sightings of spectral women on the stairwells. One frequent apparition is a woman in white who reportedly died after falling from the building’s balcony.

7.National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra, ACT

Built on the site of the old Canberra morgue, this archive isn’t just home to Australia’s media history — it’s also home to some chilling activity. Staff have reported flickering lights, sudden cold patches, and the feeling of being watched. Some believe the building’s unusual architecture amplifies paranormal energy. The basement, in particular, is considered off-limits by many employees who’ve had unsettling encounters.

8.Beechworth Lunatic Asylum, Beechworth, VIC

One of Australia’s largest former asylums, Beechworth operated for over 120 years and saw the deaths of thousands of patients. The site is now open to the public for ghost tours, and countless guests have reported sightings, cold drafts, and unexplained touches. The spirit of Matron Sharpe, a strict nurse known in her time, is said to appear in Ward C — still keeping a watchful eye on visitors.

9.Old Melbourne Gaol, Melbourne, VIC

This historic jail once held some of Australia’s most infamous criminals, including Ned Kelly. Executions were carried out on-site, and the gallows are still present. Many visitors have reported unexplained voices, footsteps, and shadows, particularly in the former death row wing. Some even claim to have been pushed or grabbed while walking through the cell blocks.

10.Quarantine Station (Q Station), Manly, NSW

Located on Sydney Harbour, the Q Station served as a quarantine facility for incoming ships during outbreaks of disease. Thousands of people were isolated here, and many died in agony. Reports of ghostly children, screaming in the shower block, and shadowy figures around the hospital wards are common. Tours are available, but many say you don’t need one to feel the presence of the past pressing in.

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