All across South Australia, reports of ghosts and ghouls draw visitors to seemingly haunted locations.
Whether you’re a paranormal believer, or a skeptic looking for a fun day out, check out these haunted sites of South Australia for an evening of spooky entertainment. Who knows, you may even spot a spirit for yourself.
Mount Remarkable Hotel
Mount Remarkable Hotel is a popular country pub in Melrose, part of the mountainous Flinders Ranges. While the daily crowd enjoy alfresco dining, a beer garden, and a cellar door servicing three local wineries, this charming building also houses a dark secret.
The hotel is believed to be haunted by at least three ghosts – a young girl, a woman, and a mysterious shadowy man. From the disused upper floor of the hotel, staff and visitors alike have claimed to hear someone running down the hallways, while others have reported sighting these spirits. Objects within the hotel have reportedly moved by themselves, leading many to believe that the ghosts are trying to send a message.
North Kapunda Hotel
Kapunda is a town in the Barossa Valley, known as one of the most haunted places in Australia. The North Kapunda Hotel, which first opened in 1849, has been the site of many important historic moments, including the first reading of the Riot Act in South Australia.
Today, it is popular with tourists for a very different reason. Ghost Crime Tours operate overnight lock-ins, where guests are trained in how to use Electro Magnetic Field detectors and Electronic Voice Phenomena recorders, before spending the night in this spooky hotel with two paranormal investigators.
Common sightings include two young girls who live on the upper levels, restricting themselves to these top floors to avoid interacting with the malevolent male spirits, as well as a maid dressed in 1800s clothing and appearing near the front desk. A more aggressive spirit is that of the ‘man in black’, who is seen wearing all black and a wide brimmed hat. On multiple occasions, he has told people to ‘get out’.
Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide is one of the oldest suburbs in Adelaide, given the nickname ‘Port Misery’ due to the high number of ghosts and haunting reported in the area. If you’re hoping to sight one of these spirits for yourself, the city has developed a self-guided ‘Ghosts of the Port’ walking tour, which was researched and created by one of Australia’s top paranormal investigators, Allen Tiller.
The tour takes you to 13 different haunted locations, including the Civic Precinct, Lipson Street and the Lighthouse. Two ghost children are known to play around the bottom of the old lighthouse, many visitors have spotted a tall male spirit, and keepers often report feeling uneasy, as if someone is standing behind them and looking over their shoulder.
Grand Hotel Millicent
Millicent is a small town located about 399 kilometres from Adelaide, and 50 kilometres from Mount Gambier. As a service point for many travellers to the Limestone Coast, it welcomes visitors year round, including to the central Grand Hotel.
However, this historic site is also known as one of the most haunted hotels in South Australia. For years, stories have circulated about a number of ghosts living in the building’s walls. The best known entities are a little boy playing at the pool table, a woman in the old service quarters, and a man wandering the back stairs late at night.
There have also been sightings of a young girl wearing a white dress or nightgown. She has often been mistaken for a ‘real’ girl, even at times when no children are reported to be staying in the hotel.
Another well-known spirit is that of an elderly man who lives in Room 7. Many people entering the room have felt uncomfortable, unwelcome, or watched by an unseen presence.
Seppeltsfield Winery
Seppeltsfield Winery is a beautiful estate established in 1851, which is now responsible for showcasing drops from the best wineries of the Barossa. Today, it is a popular tourism village providing wine, food, design, art, and retail experiences. While the current owners claim that the site isn’t haunted, the winery has gained attention for several alleged hauntings.
The ghost of a former maid has often been spotted in the homestead and winery tunnels, and disembodied footsteps have been heard in the barrel tunnel. The old vinegar factory, which hasn’t been used for decades, can sometimes be heard at night with cranks turning and steam blasting as if it is running again.
Port Wakefield
Port Wakefield is a coastal town just 100 kilometres north of Adelaide. The historic township offers picturesque boardwalks, historic sites, and plenty of places for a refreshing swim. As the gateway to the Yorke Peninsula, it is also a great home base for exploring the surrounding towns and attractions.
When driving into Port Wakefield from Adelaide, many people have reported seeing or interacting with a ghostly hitchhiker. Locals often tell the story of a young couple who spotted a man in an Air Force uniform on their way into town one rainy night. They picked up the man and drove him to the house he asked to be dropped at, but he vanished on their arrival.
Gladstone Gaol
From 1881 onwards, Gladstone Gaol was used to relieve overcrowding in other South Australian prisons. It housed both male and female inmates, until it was repurposed as an internment camp and detention barracks at the outbreak of WWII.
Visitors and staff have reported a whole range of paranormal sightings since its closure in 1975, including sightings of full-bodied ghosts, whispers, and even hands touching them as they walk through the empty jail. Ghost Crime Tours operate lock-ins at Gladstone Gaol, where visitors are guided by paranormal investigators through the haunted halls.
Adelaide Zoo
When visiting Adelaide Zoo during the day, you might not think that it has a spooky side. But after dark, several people have reported unusual sightings. Haunted Horizons runs nightly paranormal investigations, exploring Minchin House, the Rotunda and the old Nocturnal House with paranormal equipment. Visitors will hear about previous sightings, and uncover the darker history of this popular tourist attraction.
In the Minchin House, which is now used as an office space, several staff members have reported seeing a woman in Victorian-style clothing, hearing disembodied footsteps, and witnessing a lock rattling on its own.
Can’t get enough of these haunted sites in South Australia? Check out the best ghost tours in the country by clicking here.
