QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
December 2005
Page 1 of 2
A warm welcome to all members of the Paranormal Site and to this, the first, Quarterly Newsletter. We hope that you enjoy your time at the siteand look forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences.
Coming on top of the first investigation at Walhalla in Victoria, it seemed appropriate to begin with a general rundown of the trip, and so, here it is…
Walhalla
Picturesque by Day,Dark by Night
With a population of just 28 it’s hard to believe that the tiny township of Walhalla in Victoria’s east is a popular tourist destination but then it’s also hard to believe that the township was without mains supplied electricity until 1998. No, that’s not a typographical error. What electricity existed prior to 1998 was achieved by the use of generators. Even so, the advent of mains powered electricity has done little to relieve the overwhelming darkness that surrounds the town like a thick blanket at night.
Steeped in a history ripe for paranormal experiences Walhalla is situated in a deep valley where flat ground is prized for it’s rarity – indeed the fire station actually straddles Stringers Creek – the town is surrounded on all sides by precarious, heavily forested hills that are dotted here and there with ominous looking holes, remnants of the towns history as one of Victorias richest gold mining towns.
Our daytime explorations of the town seemed far away as we began our nighttime tour. The handful of candle lanterns lighting our way barely cut through the darkness as we proceeded up the main thoroughfare, stopping now and again to listen as our guide talked us through the townships history. Here, the tale of a woman whose shade still stalks her old home dressed in her wedding gown and there, the tale of two spirits who inhabit a quaintly restored cottage, one of whom leaves guests chilled and the other who becomes unsettled and even somewhat aggressive if guests to the cottage do not introduce themselves. Other tales consist of work tools being put down and disappearing, only to reappear in the middle of a front lawn.
The tour continued on, and uphill, until we reached the largest and most productive mine in the area, the Long Tunnel Mine (see right) which extends deep into the belly of the earth. For safety reasons visitors are only permitted to enter a short way into the mine and so, leaving our lanterns at the entrance, we entered the pitch black tunnel in two groups. The cold air sweeping up from the bowels of the earth might have been considered refreshing if not for the oppessive sense that we weren’t alone. One member of our investigative group, a character who is far from cowardly, found the sensations rising up from the shaft uncomfortable enough that he resolutely kept his back to it for the entire time that we were in the tunnel. Though nothing in particular occurred it was a decidedly unpleasant experience.
Another story related was of the time that the mine was finally closed. It was decided that bringing the work horses out of the mine was too much trouble and so the poor animals were dispatched and left where they fell. It is said that the spirits of those horses have been seen and heard running through the town.
For our group, the investigations did not begin nor end with the tour. Indeed the evening was only beginning as we made our way back to our accommodations at Windsor House, the only remaining brick house built at the time of the gold rush. In days past it has been a home, a vineyard and at one point it’s wine cellar also served as a morgue.
Windsor House is a beautifully kept Bed and Breakfast that is also home to several spirits and an ill-aspected portrait but the passage that connects the kitchen to the wine cellar was the most interesting part of the structure. Carved from the rock cliff that sits hard against the back of the building the damp and somewhat musty passage provided a little more than a winter chill. Some EMF activity was recorded, one member was quite popular with the “residents” and cameras which had been checked beforehand suddenly lost power or simply refused to work.
Our group did what there was time for, including a trip to Walhalla’s cemetary to see the cursed grave the following day but there is still quite a lot to investigate such as the cricket ground, which is perched atop one of the hills, and the old hospital where the spirit of a nurse, who committed suicide after her husband was killed in a collapsing mine, is said to roam.
With so much left to see planning for a second investigation is already underway for the 18th and 19th of February next year. If you would like to join us for this next venture into the heartland of Victorias gold mining history speak up before you miss out as accommodation is limited and is being taken up fast. Windsor House is already fully booked:
Our weekend investigation of the once thriving township of Walhalla was both a fascinating insight into a piece of Victorias gold mining history and a sometimes overwhelming collection of sensations both paranormal and normal. Walhalla is certainly a place that is picturesque by day and dark by night.
Site News
Currently being created are a series of forms designed to assist in recording information gathered from Investigations. For those who might be insterested, alongside the Unusual Occurrence Form will be an Investigation Request Form, for anyone who would like to arrange a formal investigation sometime and an Investigation Research Guide to aid you during an Investigation. These forms can be found in the newly created Forms section (under the Contact Us section) at the Paranormal site. If you have any suggestions for improving these forms please contact the Management.
Site Highlights
New to the Library is the informative Dictionary of Crystal Forms by Christine or if you’re at a loss as to how to interpret the Runes have a look at the Dictionary of Runes by Merrick.
Resident Crypto Whiz Catseyes has been busy again with some very interesting reports on all manner of beasties that we share our world with, some scary, others not so scary but either way watch out for her informative topics.
Ever wondered why some things affect you more than others? Perhaps, as some of our members have already discovered, you might be an Empath. To learn more about this sometimes difficult talent: oryou might like to find out about the curious and strange phenomenom that is particular to the United Kingdom only. No recorded events of the Screaming Skullmanifestation existanywhere else in the world :
What is a Timeslip? There are several topics about these odd steps backward through time. Have you experienced one yourself? Share your experiences with us . We’d love to hear about them and what you think could cause them. Where does science stand on the subject time travel? Is it the power of our minds that takes us to places we’d never imagined
T-shirts embroidered with the site’s name are also now available. Simple and understated these quality t-shirts are available for $15.00AUD plus postage.
Available Colour / SizesLadies / Red / 10-16
Mens / Black or Red / Small – 4XL
Page 1 of 2