Calling all spirituals, history buffs, and explorers alike:
Here are eight more haunted sites of South Australia that will send a shiver down your spine!
Bluey Blundstone’s blacksmith shop
Built by ‘Bluey’ himself back in 1865, this shop was once an essential partner of the Melrose Police force. After Bluey passed away in 1908, this shop sealed his legacy in Melrose.
Although the building is no longer a blacksmith shop, today it remains as an upscale accommodation with many reports of paranormal activity. Two entities have been spotted on multiple occasions and are thought to be Bluey and his wife Martha, watching over their beloved home.
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Waterfall Gully
A popular hiking trail and waterfall, Waterfall Gully is one of the picture-perfect haunted sites of South Australia to tie the knot, picnic, and enjoy the view. However, the history of this spot is quite tragic.
In 1926, the Gully fell victim to a great bushfire which wiped out most of the area despite the efforts of locals led by Thomas Tregoweth of the South Australia Police. During the battle, Tregoweth took a fall down a steep cliff sustaining burns and injuries, and died in the hospital. Described as wearing an old-fashioned police uniform with a big coat, visitors today claim to have seen Tregoweth’s ghost in the old chalet and out on the walking trails in the area.
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Cornwall Hotel, Moonta
Established in the early 1860s, the Cornwall Hotel is Moonta’s oldest pub and a landmark honouring the town’s rich copper mining heritage.
Originally known as the Globe Hotel, it suffered extensive fire damage in 1885 but was rebuilt, continuing its legacy as a central gathering place.
Beneath the hotel lies a basement that once served as a morgue for children who succumbed to epidemics such as typhoid and diphtheria. Visitors and staff have reported paranormal phenomena in this area, including sightings of childlike apparitions and toys moving inexplicably. In Room 6.5, where a former publican’s son passed away, guests have experienced televisions turning on by themselves, often to foreign language channels, and feelings of an unwelcoming presence.
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A Haunted mansion in Adelaide
Adelaide’s historic districts are home to several grand mansions, each with its own storied past. One such residence was originally built in 1873 as a family home for John Rounsevell, who later died of a heart attack one day after eating breakfast. It has since been taken over by a club.
Over the years, club workers and visitors have reported unsettling experiences: the apparition of a woman in period attire appearing briefly before vanishing, a giggling little girl running up and down the stairs, and a dark shadowy figure with a head hung low thought to be John Rounsevell himself. These tales contribute to the mansion’s reputation as one of Adelaide’s most enigmatic and haunted locales.
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Haunted pub in Kapunda
Kapunda, often dubbed Australia’s most haunted town among the haunted sites of South Australia, is home to a historic pub with a chilling reputation. Established in 1849 during the town’s copper mining boom, The Sir John Franklin Hotel has been the backdrop for numerous eerie tales.
Patrons and staff have recounted hearing footsteps, witnessing glasses move independently, and feeling sudden temperature drops.
One of the most persistent legends involves the apparition of a tall gentleman in Victorian-era clothing and a black top hat. One staff member captured him in a photograph on the pub balcony which was particularly spooky considering she was the only person on the property at the time.
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Anstey Hill
Anstey Hill Recreation Park, known for its scenic trails and natural beauty, also harbours a darker side rooted in its history.
The park encompasses the ruins of the Newman’s Nursery, a family of 17 children whose residence was devastated by floods in the early 20th century.
Visitors have reported hearing footsteps crunching on gravel paths, glimpsing childlike shadowy figures darting among the trees, and giggles around the decaying walls. The only known death on the property that may have contributed to these occurrences was when 2 year-old Mary Newman tripped into a pot of boiling water and passed away from her injuries.
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The Ethel shipwreck
The Ethel was a British iron-hulled ship that met its tragic end along the treacherous shores of Yorke Peninsula during a fierce storm in 1904.
While most of the crew survived, the wreck has since become a site of somber reflection. Beachcombers and visitors to Innes National Park often describe an eerie atmosphere lingering around the skeletal remains of the vessel.
Adding to the area’s haunting history, the SS Ferret – the first ship to report the Ethel’s accident – ironically met a similar fate, crashing in the same location 16 years later.
Although there were no casualties aboard the Ferret, the region has claimed the lives of 70 sailors from 26 other shipwrecks, cementing its reputation as one of South Australia’s most treacherous coastal stretches.
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Adelaide Arcade
Opened in 1885, the Adelaide Arcade stands as one of Australia’s oldest shopping arcade, boasting over a century of commercial history. However, its past is marred by tragic events, most notably the death of caretaker Francis Cluney in 1887, who was fatally injured by the building’s generator.
Shoppers and staff have reported paranormal activities, including lights flickering, footsteps, and children playing around the empty hallways. Security footage has occasionally captured unexplained movements including the apparition of a man in period clothing believed to be Cluney himself, reinforcing the arcade’s reputation as a hub of supernatural occurrences.
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Missed Part 1 of this series? Click here for 8 other haunted sites of South Australia!
