Dark Tourism in Australia – Ghost Tours, Myths & Mysteries

Step into the shadows with this guide to dark tourism in Australia, where haunted homesteads, eerie cemeteries, mysterious lights, and abandoned ruins offer a chilling glimpse into the country’s haunted history and legends.

Discover the Dark Side of Australia’s Past

From ghost tours in historic gaols and asylums to offbeat cemeteries filled with tales of love, loss, and lingering spirits, Australia is rich in atmospheric and otherworldly destinations. Explore UFO hotspots and conspiracy-laden sites across the Outback, and uncover the secrets behind unsolved mysteries, creepy cults, and forgotten places that time tried to erase.

Whether you’re a paranormal enthusiast, a curious traveller, or just looking for an unusual detour, this collection of Australia’s spookiest spots is your ticket to the unexpected.

🕯️ Haunted Homes, Asylums & Ghost Tours

Australia’s haunted homes, asylums, and historic prisons offer some of the creepiest mental hospitals to visit and haunted asylums in Australia. These spine-tingling tours bring chilling stories to life, taking you through eerie mansions, abandoned medical institutions, and notorious gaols where restless spirits are said to linger. Whether you’re drawn to dark medical tourism in Australia, night-time ghost hunts, or atmospheric lantern-lit walks, these experiences perfectly blend history with paranormal intrigue.

Attraction
Description
Address / Location
Key Info
Adelaide Gaol
Ghost hunts and paranormal investigations in a 147-year-old prison.
Adelaide, SA
Paranormal, Rainy Day
Aradale Asylum
Former psychiatric hospital with a dark past—explore by day or join ghost tours.
Ararat, VIC
Ghost Tour, Medical Curiosity
Beechworth Asylum Ghost Tours
One of the creepiest abandoned asylums in Australia; night tours and investigations offered.
Beechworth, VIC
Paranormal, Abandoned, History Buff
Boggo Road Gaol
Historic prison offering ghost tours and crime-themed experiences.
Brisbane, QLD
Ghost Tour, Dark History
Fremantle Prison Torchlight Tour
Spooky night-time tour through WA’s historic prison.
Fremantle, WA
Ghost Tour, History Buff
Maitland Gaol
Maximum-security prison turned tour site with ghost hunts and inmate tales.
Maitland, NSW
Ghost Tour, Dark History
Monte Cristo Homestead
Dubbed Australia’s most haunted house—ghost tours and overnight stays offered.
Junee, NSW
Ghost Tour, Heritage, Paranormal
Port Arthur Ghost Tour
Lantern-lit 90-minute walking tour through Tasmania’s most infamous convict site.
Arthur Hwy, Port Arthur, TAS
Ghost Tour, Heritage, Paranormal
Q Station Ghost Tours
Historic quarantine site with chilling tales of disease, death, and lingering spirits.
Manly, NSW
Ghost Tour, History Buff
The Old Melbourne Gaol
Haunting tales of bushrangers and prisoners past—night tours available.
Melbourne, VIC
Culture Seeker, Ghost Tour
The Rocks Ghost Tours
Walking tours uncovering the haunted history, legends, and spooky stories of Sydney’s oldest precinct.
The Rocks, Sydney, NSW
Ghost Tour, History, Urban Legend
Willow Court Asylum (New Norfolk Asylum)
Occasional ghost and paranormal tours, highly atmospheric with event-based scheduling.
New Norfolk, TAS
Paranormal, Ghost Tour, Abandoned
Z Ward – Glenside Hospital
Former high-security ward for the criminally insane, regularly featured in paranormal events.
Adelaide, SA
Ghost Tour, Paranormal, History Buff

The former Maitland Gaol and Governor’s House

⚰️ Offbeat Cemeteries & Morbid Curiosities

Venture beyond the usual tourist trail to discover Australia’s most unusual and atmospheric cemeteries. From ornate Victorian graveyards perched on cliffs to forgotten pioneer resting places swallowed by desert sands, these sites tell haunting tales of the past. Perfect for those fascinated by history, mystery, and the macabre.

Attraction
Description
Address / Location
Key Info
Burns Philp Cemetery (Norfolk Island)
Historic coastal cemetery with convict-era tombstones and sea legends.
Kingston, Norfolk Island
Remote, Dark History
Corrigin Dog Cemetery
Unusual pet cemetery with heartfelt tributes.
Corrigin, WA
Quirky, Heartfelt
Glenrowan Cemetery (Ned Kelly’s Grave)
Final resting place of Australia’s most famous bushranger.
Glenrowan, VIC
Outlaw Lore, History Buff
Old Goulburn Cemetery
Allegedly haunted site with heritage-listed graves.
Goulburn, NSW
Paranormal, History Buff
Old Pioneer Cemetery
Forgotten graves swallowed by red sand in this semi-ghost town.
Silverton, NSW
Eerie, Atmospheric
Ross Bay Cemetery
Iconic resting place of ghosts and folklore in coastal surrounds.
Hobart, TAS
Historical, Atmospheric
Toowong Cemetery Ghost Tours
Brisbane’s largest cemetery explored by lantern light.
Brisbane, QLD
Ghost Tour, Rainy Day
Waverley Cemetery
Cliff-top Victorian-era cemetery with ornate headstones and legends.
Bronte, NSW
Scenic, Spooky

👽 UFO Hotspots & Conspiracy Corners

Australia’s vast and remote landscapes are dotted with locations famed for UFO sightings and strange phenomena. Whether it’s a reputed alien capital, secretive military bases, or mysterious lights over the Outback, these spots spark curiosity and conspiracy theories. Ideal for travellers eager to explore the unknown and the unexplained.

Attraction
Description
Address / Location
Key Info
Coober Pedy Underground Churches
Surreal, moon-like desert town with alien vibes and underground life.
Coober Pedy, SA
Quirky, Surreal
Hanging Rock
Mystical vibe thanks to the novel/film—some speculate alien abductions.
Macedon Ranges, VIC
Fictional Folklore, Mystery
Kangaroo Valley “UFO”
Reports of strange lights and encounters in the scenic valley.
Kangaroo Valley, NSW
Paranormal, UFO Watch
Lake George “UFO Crash”
Site linked to alleged UFO crash and strange lights in the sky.
Near Canberra, NSW
UFO Lore, Mystery
Min Min Lights
Eerie glowing orbs seen throughout Outback QLD.
Channel Country, QLD
Aboriginal Lore, Paranormal
Murchison Radio Observatory
Remote observatory linked to monitoring mysterious signals.
Murchison, WA
Science, Conspiracy Lore
Nullarbor Plain sightings
Remote highway notorious for bizarre lights and alien tales.
SA/WA border region
Road Trip, Paranormal
Pine Gap (viewpoint only)
Secretive US base often linked to alien conspiracies.
Near Alice Springs, NT
Offbeat, Conspiracy Lore
The Devil’s Pool
Natural waterhole with ominous legend and unexplained drownings.
Babinda, QLD
Aboriginal Lore, Paranormal
Wycliffe Well
Known as Australia’s UFO capital, with frequent sightings.
Stuart Hwy, NT
Quirky, UFO Watch
Water from Babinda Creek flowing into the Devil's Pool

Water from Babinda Creek flowing into the Devil’s Pool

🕵️ Unsolved Mysteries, Cults & Abandoned Places

Step into the shadows of forgotten towns, eerie ruins, and sites with dark histories. From derelict rail tunnels to the remnants of notorious cult communes, these places captivate with stories of mystery, tragedy, and unexplained events. Perfect for adventurers drawn to the secrets lurking beneath the surface.

Attraction
Description
Address / Location
Key Info
Burraga Ghost Town
Abandoned mining town with remnants of homes and a small cemetery.
Near Oberon, NSW
Ghost Town, Abandoned, History
Doomsday Cult Ruins (The Family)
Remnants of Anne Hamilton-Byrne’s cult commune in the Dandenongs.
Near Lake Eildon, VIC
Dark History, Offbeat
Gwalia Ghost Town
Gold rush mining town abandoned overnight; preserved buildings and eerie silence.
Gwalia, near Leonora, WA
Ghost Town, Abandoned, Heritage, Gold Rush
Kanowna Ghost Town
Once a bustling gold mining town, now deserted with ruins to explore.
Near Kalgoorlie, WA
Ghost Town, Abandoned, Mining History
Lake George
Vanishing lake linked to eerie legends and unusual activity.
Near Canberra, NSW
Mystery, Roadside Curiosity
Mayday Hills Asylum
Historic asylum ruins now open for tours and paranormal events.
Beechworth, VIC
Haunted, History Buff
Monte Cristo Railway Station
Abandoned station near the famously haunted homestead.
Junee, NSW
Ghost Tour, Abandoned
New Italy Settlement
Mysterious failed utopia by Italian settlers.
Woodburn, NSW
History Buff, Curious Footnote
North Kapunda Hotel
Haunted pub with a criminal underbelly—allegedly once home to a cult.
Kapunda, SA
Ghost Tour, Creepy History
Paronella Park
Dreamlike rainforest ruins with a tragic and romantic past.
Mena Creek, QLD
Romantic Ruin, Offbeat
Picton Ghost Tunnels
Abandoned rail tunnels with chilling local legends.
Picton, NSW
Urban Legend, Adventurer
Silverton Gaol Museum
Remnants of a mining boom turned ghost town.
Silverton, NSW
Abandoned, Culture Seeker
Ghost_town,_Gwalia_Museum

Gwalia Ghost Town, WA

🧨 True Crime & Notorious History

Dive into Australia’s darker past with tours and sites that explore infamous crimes, ghostly legends, and historic trials. Visit preserved gaols, haunted mansions, and courthouses where justice and mystery collide. These experiences offer a gripping glimpse into the country’s notorious and often chilling history.

Attraction
Description
Address / Location
Key Info
Berrima Courthouse
Known for dramatic reenactments of hangings and criminal trials.
Berrima, NSW
Dark History, Cultural
Old Dubbo Gaol
Interactives, death masks, and ghost tours in a preserved 1800s prison.
Dubbo, NSW
True Crime, Ghost Tour
Rippon Lea Estate
Beautiful mansion with alleged hauntings and unsolved secrets.
Elsternwick, VIC
Haunted, Historic Mansion
Old_Dubbo_Gaol,_NSW

Old Dubbo Goal, NSW

Final Thoughts on Dark Tourism in Australia

Whether you’re drawn to haunted houses, eerie cemeteries, unsolved mysteries or tales of UFOs and cults, dark tourism in Australia offers a curious and compelling journey through time. These destinations invite you to step beyond the ordinary and explore the shadows where folklore, fear, and fact often blur. If you’re craving more unusual adventures, don’t miss our guides to Big Things, Unusual Attractions, and Quirky Roadside Stops—perfect companions for lovers of the offbeat and unexpected.

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