Van Dieman Halloween

The Ghosts of Van Dieman's Land

Our Halloween haunting session, this week, takes us on the ghostly trail of goblins, demons and witches said to haunt the ancient island off the south coast of Australia - now known as Tasmania - also the home of the very real Tasmanian Devil pictured left.
 

Those who dare, may want to set their time to near dusk, and as the evening progresses, who knows what you may encounter en-route, but beware! flying VFR in the dark in Tasmania can be a bit dangerous so be prepared to change to daylight hours.

Our twilight journey begins at Strathan, YSRN where a convicted murderer, James Connolly, escaped on the evening before he was due to be hanged. Connelly is said to have arrived in this colony in 1845, in the bark Mayda, which loaded wheat at this port for London, and was never afterwards heard of. However his ghost is sometimes seen around the bay at sunset.
 

Our first touch and go takes us to Queenstown, YSRN, where Beryl, haunts one of the local inns. She never comes downstairs, choosing to stay on the top two floors. Residents say she found her husband dead by the fire in the kitchen and from that day would never go near that room again.

Outside the town on the hills above, many claim to be able to see a skull image in the rocks which overlook the town.

Next we go demon hunting at Wynyard, YWYY.
 

This part of the island is so far away from early settlements that few people would venture into this unknown territory. It goes without saying than many tales grew from incidents that happened when folks did begin to venture north. From the air, the town now looks a peaceful part of the country but in the 1800's it was a very different place. Perhaps many tales grew up from sightings of the creature called the Tasmanian Devil - still feared today for its fierce temperament when angered.
 

Devenport, YDPO is where we will take a break and do a full stop landing.

Those brave enough could walk to the lighthouse which is a fairly recent structure but it is said that the light attracts many lost souls from around the island.

Even in daylight the wind whistles around the lighthouse and creates an eerie feeling of suspense and awe. Not for the feint-hearted, but I'm sure some of our fearless pilots would brave the walk. Be sure to be back in time for our departure. (I'm certainly not going to hang around here too long!!)

Our next destination is a long leg which will give everyone a chance to calm down and lose some of the shivers. Now, a chance to chat awhile, before arriving at St. Helens, YSTH, which boasts cliffs on the shoreline said to be stained with the blood of convicts sent from the UK for detention in Hobart goal.

Many were sent to St. Helens to build the port and saw this as a way of escape by swimming out to sea, only to be dashed forcefully on the rocks by the treacherous currents and tide.
 

Launceston, YMLT, is the second largest airport in Tasmania where we end our flight.

Those who wish to hang about and chat should know that as it gets dark, the trees around the airport take on an eerie and ghoulish appearance. At a nearby bridge, the ghost of George Grover, a flagellator, supposedly thrown off the bridge by the convicts he tortured during its construction is sometimes seen. Grover was transported to Van Diemen’s Land in 1825 for stealing and by 1829 records show him as the Flagellator at Richmond. His death in early March 1832 resulted in an inquest concluding that he had laid down whilst drunk and “fallen or was pushed” from the parapet of the bridge, 27 feet in height.” Grover’s ghost is said to appear on the bridge at certain times” The ghost of a large black and white dog, sometimes called ‘Grover’s Dog’, is also seen on the bridge. One lady reports it appearing at her side on several occasions as she walked the bridge at night. It would walk alongside her from one end to the other, and then disappear as quickly as it had come.

 

Happy Haunting!

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ENDS

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