HFG#2 - Australia's Most Haunted House!

(History's Famous Ghosts - a random series of researched summaries I have started to fill in time and inform, entertain and create interest in ATS readers Part 1, Fisher's Ghost, can be read HERE)

The Junee homestead known as Monte Cristo is recognized as the most haunted building in Australia, and possibly the world. It is a place where skeptics are turned to weeping heaps and believers are reaffirmed in their convictions.

The Story

In 1876, Christopher William Crawley was tipped off that an important rail line was to be constructed through his area, and would turn the quiet town into an important rail stop.

Seeing an opportunity, Crawley purchased several large parcels of land in the area and constructed a homestead and hotel close to the proposed railway station site.

Over the next decade the Crawley fortune came to be, thanks to a surge in traffic from the railway. Being a strict Roman Catholic, Crawley poured his funds into the town, having a church built and supporting the community when government funding was hard to come by.

In 1885, construction was completed on Crawley's new home. He named it Monte Cristo, which means 'Mount of Christ'. It harked back to medieval times, a lord's castle from which the upper class could survey the surrounding land and peasantry.

The couple held a strong rule over the home, and workers lived under harsh conditions. Sadly, it seemed to be a case of power corrupting. The Crawley family had come to wield this power over the local area and began to feel like they were really quasi-royalty.

This went on until, in 1910, Christopher Crawley died suddenly. A series of unfortunate health complications led to his death. Crawley would always wear a collar, which began to agitate a carbuncle on his neck. The collar rubbed long enough to cause blood poisoning, which led to heart failure and death.

This unexpected loss caused Mrs Crawley to withdraw from the community. She began to wear her black mourning dress and accessories every day, and spend all her time in a small room which she had converted into a chapel. The local priest would visit regularly to conduct services.

She also passed away from heart failure in 1933. The home then slowly fell into disrepair and became derelict in 1948.

The estate became a haven for vandals and squatters. In early 1963 a caretaker was hired by the estate's manager to ensure that the property would not be damaged further. The caretaker was shot and killed by a youth not long after. The killer claimed he was inspired by the film Psycho.

In 1963 the Ryan family bought the home for only 1000 pounds. Being an admirer of the property for many years, Mr Ryan went through extensive repair and restoration on the home.

They began to experience unexplainable phenomena in the home, and have vivid memories of these events.

"We moved into Monte Cristo on June 3rd 1963 blissfully unaware of the Homestead 's often gruesome history, those dubious revelations would be some time off.

We had been in residence about three days when we ventured downtown one foggy evening for supplies, on the return trip we turned the bottom corner of the driveway and straightened up towards the house, as we did we saw light streaming out of every door and window; we got such a shock I stopped the car and we sat staring up at the brilliantly illuminated homestead dumfounded.

Olive didn't want to continue, felt sure there must have been a burglar up there, I replied to the effect we hadn't been away that long and had better go and investigate.

As we drove cautiously through the gateway the lights abruptly disappeared, again Monte Cristo was lost in fog and darkness.

We tried desperately to rationalize it, different people suggested the source of light was our car headlights shining onto windows of the house; but there wasn't a single pane of glass in the entire house, electricity hadn't been connected and the only source of light was a kerosene lamp not left lit.

This was the first of many strange, puzzling and sometimes frightening experiences that have occurred over the intervening years we have not found answers for.

Our first experience was eerily replayed 27 years later when our 21 year old son Lawrence was driving home one night the rest of the family were at a ball in Wagga, as he turned into the driveway he discovered all the lights of Monte Cristo ablaze but as he passed through the gates they disappeared again without explanation."

Source

The Ghosts

Several ghosts have been identified from the home's history.

Christopher Crawley, the original owner, has been seen roaming the house several times. His characteristic beard and collar have been identified by several witnesses.

His wife is also seen and heard on occasion. Her spirit haunts the old box room that she had converted into a chapel and is also noted to have appeared in the dining room. Sometimes piano music can be heard there regardless of the absence of any pianos in the building.

The presence of Mrs Crawley is strongly felt in this room by psychic's, when the ABC brought a group here for the "Big Country" we served them lunch and diner in the room. On several occasions during meals medium Van Blerk got up and left the room without explanation, waited outside a few moments and returned to his seat.

He later told us Mrs Crawley had ordered him out of the Dining Room, so for harmony sake he waited until her "presence" had left the room before returning to his seat.

Source

In 1911, a servant (who claimed to have been pushed by unseen hands) dropped a baby to it's death on the central staircase. These stairs, still today, are inexplicably cold, and most children that enter the home are terrified by the area. People have felt invisible hands on their body whilst on the staircase. These hands press down so hard that they find it impossible to climb any further.

Voices and strange lights are heard and seen all over the property, although the sources for these disturbances is unknown.

"Neil, a nephew of my wife Olive, and his girlfriend attended the 1992 Monte Cristo Ball and after it concluded in the early hours of the morning the lass wanted to use the toilet before retiring, however feeling frightened by the dark house asked Neil to escort her.

After waiting in the hallway for her Neil proceeded to escort her back towards the stairs which lead to their room, suddenly from the top of the darkened stairs a voice seemed to drift from nowhere, looking up they both saw a young woman dressed in white who said softly twice: "Don't worry, it will be all right" and vanished before their eyes.
Source

Many mediums that enter the building claim that there is upwards of 7 ghosts that still inhabit Monte Cristo. The home is now open for ghost tours and it is my goal to go on one before 2009 is finished

This video, by MrsAussieBear, gives a good idea of the layout of the home and rooms. Creepy.


---Sources---

University of Technology Sydney - Australia's most haunted house

Haunted Australia - Monte Cristo

Monte Cristo Official Webpage - Hauntings

Youtube - Monte Cristo

Paranormal Australia - Monte Cristo

Pinkney, J. Haunted - The Book of Australia's Ghosts, 2005, Five Mile Press





[edit on 29-12-2008 by fooffstarr]

[edit on 30-12-2008 by fooffstarr]

Update to add Paranormal Tour's video inside the house



Link

reply to post by fooffstarr


Awesome story. Thanks for researching that for us. The piano music segment hits home with me. When my family moved into our 'new' house when I was a small child, we all had some experiences. The previous owner had been found in a decomposed state after dying from what appeared to be suicide by pill overdose. One of the things my family would experience collectively was hearing music being played. The houses in that neighborhood are all on enormous lots so it is very unlikely it came from the neighbors.

Many times my mother would yell at my brother and myself to 'turn that racket off' thinking we were playing music in our rooms. She'd go back to our bedrooms only to see we weren't even home and then the music would stop.

I feel so bad for the baby in the tale. I wonder if the servant simply had an accident then blamed the tragedy on being pushed by a ghost. I've never heard of this story either. Again, thanks for sharing.

Hey mate great story,i've seen a few shows on this place before. Im in Sydney myself ,so i might try and get there some time this year. Do you know if they do over night stays there? Also there is a place in Manly, on North Head called "The Quarentine Station" they do ghost tours and over nighters aswell. Cool place. I'll see if i can find anything on that.

peace.

reply to post by fooffstarr


I flaged your thread and stared all the posters who replied. Great thread. Keep on posting. Oh! Would be great if you can take some pictures of the house.

Another good story mate!

Got any WA stories lined up?

Keep up the good work!

Excellent story matey. Perhaps Maitland Goal would be interesting for you? I have been meaning to go there and go on one of the tours. Its only 40 mins drive from my place. When I go I will be sure to take lots of pictures and some video to post

Old thread I know. But this place is just up the road from myself.
I have visited the house many times, and know the current owners.

I always get a cold chill when I look over the balcony and see at the blood stains.

a reply to: Shaded27

Glad you bumped this, I hadn't seen this thread before. I can't believe it didn't take off at the time. Good thread fooffstarr!

Oh and to you fooffstarr, did you ever visit the place back in '09?