If you live in Tasmania or visit Tasmania one place of interest you may want to visit is Port Arthur.
It is one of Australia’s spookiest jail houses and towns, its history began back in colonising days (130 plus years ago)… The jail there was built more so like a castle fort housing many convicts and criminals back from that time.
Port Arthur Ghosts
Now today the place is a tourist attraction and many still claim to see ghosts around the jail and in many places in the historic area.. I went there about four years ago and there is definitely an eerie mysterious energy around the place as you walk past solitary confinement areas and areas of the jail where many would of died.. In particular the execution area I remember had a dead chilling feeling..
History of Port Arthur
The History of Port Arthur, is it was an old port for timber dwellers and to house many criminals and convicts.. As time went on the town itself was abandoned in the mid to late 19th century.. It later sprung life again as investors and buyers claimed land and bought land there mainly due to its amazing beauty..
Time line of Port Arthur —- Between 1803 and 1854 some 70,000 convicts, men and women, were transported to Tasmania, Australia. Those who committed serious offences in the settlements would be sent to Port Arthur chosen partly for its remoteness which made escape almost impossible.
Port Arthur Ghost Tour
Many rumours claim that many of the convicts were left to die after abandonment or cruel punishments were performed in the jail house and so that is the reason many ghosts abide by its location.. If you go there there are many Port Arthur Ghost Tours to see the old jail and settlement that now resembles in a lot of places an amazing decaying castle.. In the 1970s and early 1980s the historic site went under the management of the National Parks and Wildlife Service..
Port Arthur Ghost Witness Stories
These are some anonymous witness accounts for spending time in and around the Port Arthur in particular the Jail House Historic site.. Some of which came from construction workers repairing areas of the historic site and sleeping in the area, many more are available these are just some common ones that many claim are commonly seen..
- Sight of a woman dressed in old clothing, and he felt the temperature drop in the room and saw the curtains flapping even when the window was firmly closed.
- Told of waking in the night, being attacked by someone who was pushing down on his chest and forcing the air out of his lungs.
- Hearing banging noises that could not be accounted for.
- Sightings of ghostly figures..
- Medical officer’s residence Area in the Historic site many have reported hearing children’s laughter, even today..
- Commandant’s residence in the historic site – The ghost of Commandant Charles O’Hara Booth stands by the window of his bedroom, looking out over the settlement as he moans, paces and weeps…
“Another interesting fact about the prisoners sent to Port Arthur jail was a lot were said to be crasy already before going there (Insane), so that explains the deep emotional feelings of torment many feel there today.. Many mass graves can be seen there and some contain more than 180 people in the one grave..
As you can see some of these historic details contain many factors for creating emotional torment and holding many spirits to the area.. Whether all the stories or accounts are true I will leave that up to you to investigate further..?
Port Arthur truly is an amazing area and so is Tasmania, if you ever get a chance to go there make sure to visit the ghosts of Port Arthur..
I just got back from Port Arthur & experienced some chilling emotions.I was on a night tour & was lucky enough to be a lantern carrier for the night group.As we sat in the room of the Commadents home,the feeling inside was creepy.I felt shadows moving around & once outside i looked back at the house & saw eyes watching us.In the next open ground area i heard children laughing & then was told that 15 children were buried at that site.I then moved on to the old prison & cell block c was very unnerving with shadows & a stiff cold breeze past my neck.I took a pic in the first cell on the right which of cause was empty that is until i came back for the lantern.When i came back i looked into the once previous empty cell which now had a haunting figure of a convict or a warden about 6’8,arms folded over himself & not happy with people being around his area….very creepy & didnt stick around for a pic.
Hi Shell,
Yeah I have been to Port Arthur also, very creepy place and many tormented spirits there. Many people died there and were also very badly treated. I have heard about the children sounds before from another poster.
We visited Port Arthur for my daughter’s 18th, all was fine untill we were in the cellar, the guide was giving us the information, but during that, I felt someone tugging at my handbag, there was no one beside me, nor behind me. When we returned back to the desk, my daughter held her hands out, and there were welt marks on the palm of her hands, she explained that her hands were not sore, and that she had no idea how this occurred. There is no way, my daughter could of done this herself, as she was closeby to myself, my partner and her friend.