Post by Lee on Jan 17, 2009 21:14:32 GMT 10
Hi all,
Last weekend my partner and I decided to spoil ourselves and stay at the Harbour Rocks Hotel in Sydney for an overnight package. This hotel offered a bed/breakfast/and ghost tour for a very reasonable rate - (refer - www.harbourrocks.com.au/harbour-rocks-packages.aspx)
The hotel itself promotes that it is haunted. The story being that - "where the hotel stands today was once the site of a number of small townhouses called "Scarlett's Cottages". Scarlett was a very well known "lady of the night" who ran quite a prosperous business from these cottages. One of her client's was "Eric" whom she supposedly proclaimed to love. Unfortunately, she didn't really mean it and to this day "Eric" haunts the hotel corridors and its surrounds looking for Scarlett." Scarlett is said to have met a "not so nice death" but unfortunately "Eric" didn't find out. He continues to look for Scarlett and confronts staff in the hotel (apparently face to face) - asking "where she is"? I asked the desk clerk on check-in about the supposed haunting -she looked at me; squinted her eyes and whispered - "I don't like to work here alone at nights, I hear things". When another of her staff members appeared, she stated - "I am just kidding". I later found out that Rooms 303 and 304 are the rooms associated with "Eric". These rooms were directly under our room but I regret to say "Eric" didn't visit us. The hotel itself is very clean and comfortable with lots of extra's. It is also situated right in the middle of The Rocks with markets and buildings within walking distance.
The Rocks Ghost Tour started at 7-45pm from Cadman's Cottage, one of the oldest buildings in The Rocks area. (This building dates back to 1815 - 1816). When we arrived, there were about twenty people standing around expectantly looking at two people dressed in black clothing, black capes with black hats - one male and one female. These people were very obviously the "Tour Guides". The tour was split into two. One group doing the "South Rocks Tour" and the other doing the "North Rocks Tour". My partner and I were on the "South Rocks Tour". Each person was given a lanyard to place around their neck which contained an item relating to the ghostly going ons in the area:- ie - rat, scissors; knife and other effects.
As the tour progressed it included such stories as - the first undertaker in the Rocks Area. He apparently appears at about 3am and sits outside his old residence on milk crates (seen by a number of witnesses?); a drunk resident who cut off his thingy due to mental health problems and continues to look for it; the site of the first tent hospital in The Rocks where patients died terrrible deaths?; a hair dressing salon that has a female ghost appear now and then in front of clients?; a visit to an old building that was used for rooster and dog fights back in the early 1800's whose old well can be looked down which is supposedly full of animal bones?; a hotel whose room No 8 has the ghost of a sailor who was the previous resident who visits women who stay alone in the room and scares them by standing over their bed; Mrs. Greenway who was discovered in bed with a sailor and was chopped up and buried in the celler by her jealous husband. She apparently still visits patrons to Susannah Place; A talk about the number of murders in the old Australia Hotel and the ghosts who still frequent the place; a visit to Sydney Observatory where the ghost of a young cabin boy who was murdered still haunts and appears before tour participants; a talk about the old sydney gang that used to terrorise Sydney and kick people with their boots which had razors in the toes; and a visit to an old archaeological site discovered when new units were about to be built. This site has been preserved for tour participants to walk through. It contains one of the original homes to The Rocks and has a somewhat tragic story about the Lady of the house. She apparently is still felt and seen by tour participants.
Overall, I would definately recommend a visit to "The Rocks" Sydney for anybody visiting this region. "The Rocks" is a beautiful historic example of Sydney's first settlement, with cobblestone streets, original settler's dwellings and history that will leave you in awe. The Rocks Ghost Tour is somewhat a little theatorical, but none the less, gives a great overview of past resident's lives. Although I did not catch a lot of anomolies on camera, I always had the feeling that there was something more there. It rained on my tour and the guide stated that "the ghostly visitors weren't keen on the rain"? I will post a couple of photo's taken while taking shelter from the rain in the "Garrison Church". The rest of the tour was outside. I took pictures of a couple of orbs which I find fascinating. I normally disgard orb photos but these particular ones responded to my voice and got closer. Having done this tour - I am looking forward to doing the North Rock's Tour.
For any state, national, or international visitors planning to visit Sydney - a trip to The Rocks is well worth it. Just the feelings you get walking around the buildings is well worth the trip.
Cheers
Lee
Last weekend my partner and I decided to spoil ourselves and stay at the Harbour Rocks Hotel in Sydney for an overnight package. This hotel offered a bed/breakfast/and ghost tour for a very reasonable rate - (refer - www.harbourrocks.com.au/harbour-rocks-packages.aspx)
The hotel itself promotes that it is haunted. The story being that - "where the hotel stands today was once the site of a number of small townhouses called "Scarlett's Cottages". Scarlett was a very well known "lady of the night" who ran quite a prosperous business from these cottages. One of her client's was "Eric" whom she supposedly proclaimed to love. Unfortunately, she didn't really mean it and to this day "Eric" haunts the hotel corridors and its surrounds looking for Scarlett." Scarlett is said to have met a "not so nice death" but unfortunately "Eric" didn't find out. He continues to look for Scarlett and confronts staff in the hotel (apparently face to face) - asking "where she is"? I asked the desk clerk on check-in about the supposed haunting -she looked at me; squinted her eyes and whispered - "I don't like to work here alone at nights, I hear things". When another of her staff members appeared, she stated - "I am just kidding". I later found out that Rooms 303 and 304 are the rooms associated with "Eric". These rooms were directly under our room but I regret to say "Eric" didn't visit us. The hotel itself is very clean and comfortable with lots of extra's. It is also situated right in the middle of The Rocks with markets and buildings within walking distance.
The Rocks Ghost Tour started at 7-45pm from Cadman's Cottage, one of the oldest buildings in The Rocks area. (This building dates back to 1815 - 1816). When we arrived, there were about twenty people standing around expectantly looking at two people dressed in black clothing, black capes with black hats - one male and one female. These people were very obviously the "Tour Guides". The tour was split into two. One group doing the "South Rocks Tour" and the other doing the "North Rocks Tour". My partner and I were on the "South Rocks Tour". Each person was given a lanyard to place around their neck which contained an item relating to the ghostly going ons in the area:- ie - rat, scissors; knife and other effects.
As the tour progressed it included such stories as - the first undertaker in the Rocks Area. He apparently appears at about 3am and sits outside his old residence on milk crates (seen by a number of witnesses?); a drunk resident who cut off his thingy due to mental health problems and continues to look for it; the site of the first tent hospital in The Rocks where patients died terrrible deaths?; a hair dressing salon that has a female ghost appear now and then in front of clients?; a visit to an old building that was used for rooster and dog fights back in the early 1800's whose old well can be looked down which is supposedly full of animal bones?; a hotel whose room No 8 has the ghost of a sailor who was the previous resident who visits women who stay alone in the room and scares them by standing over their bed; Mrs. Greenway who was discovered in bed with a sailor and was chopped up and buried in the celler by her jealous husband. She apparently still visits patrons to Susannah Place; A talk about the number of murders in the old Australia Hotel and the ghosts who still frequent the place; a visit to Sydney Observatory where the ghost of a young cabin boy who was murdered still haunts and appears before tour participants; a talk about the old sydney gang that used to terrorise Sydney and kick people with their boots which had razors in the toes; and a visit to an old archaeological site discovered when new units were about to be built. This site has been preserved for tour participants to walk through. It contains one of the original homes to The Rocks and has a somewhat tragic story about the Lady of the house. She apparently is still felt and seen by tour participants.
Overall, I would definately recommend a visit to "The Rocks" Sydney for anybody visiting this region. "The Rocks" is a beautiful historic example of Sydney's first settlement, with cobblestone streets, original settler's dwellings and history that will leave you in awe. The Rocks Ghost Tour is somewhat a little theatorical, but none the less, gives a great overview of past resident's lives. Although I did not catch a lot of anomolies on camera, I always had the feeling that there was something more there. It rained on my tour and the guide stated that "the ghostly visitors weren't keen on the rain"? I will post a couple of photo's taken while taking shelter from the rain in the "Garrison Church". The rest of the tour was outside. I took pictures of a couple of orbs which I find fascinating. I normally disgard orb photos but these particular ones responded to my voice and got closer. Having done this tour - I am looking forward to doing the North Rock's Tour.
For any state, national, or international visitors planning to visit Sydney - a trip to The Rocks is well worth it. Just the feelings you get walking around the buildings is well worth the trip.
Cheers
Lee
