11 Most Haunted Places In Sydney

The city of Sydney has a dark history which has led to supernatural activity across the city. Built up on the backs of convicts, Sydney was once a rampant cesspool of disease and criminal activity. Yes, there are numerous haunted places in Sydney … or at least they say. 

Past traumas have left scars on the city in the form of haunted houses in Sydney as well as haunted places. As night falls, stories of ghosts and hauntings are told. 

Today we reveal 11 of the most haunted places in Sydney so you know where NOT to take the kids at nighttime!

Content Warning – This article discusses mental health and immigration facilities including the experiences of previous patients and may be triggering to some readers. Should you wish to talk, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

The Most Haunted Places in Sydney

There are numerous haunted places in Sydney to explore. There are a number of public or publicly accessible haunted spots in Sydney which we have pulled together for you to explore if you dare!

Studley Park House

Studly Park House was built in 1888 by W.C Payne who named the property after Studley Park near Ripon in Yorkshire, England. Payne soon found himself in debt and was forced to sell the property to the very architect that designed the home, Francis Buckle, in 1891.

In 1902 it was sold again and became Camden Grammar School until 1933 before being sold to the Sales Manager of Twentieth Century Fox who then sold it to the Australian Army in World War II. 

Studley Park continued to be owned by the Australian Army, but was leased from 1949 to gold enthusiasts who developed the property into Camden Golf Club. In 1992 the Federal Government agreed to sell the land to Camden Golf Club Limited on a 99 year lease. 

So how did Studley Park House become reputed to be one of the most haunted house in Australia? 

Unfortunately, Studley Park House was the location of two deaths, one in 1909 and another in 1939. Both were young boys.

On 15 October 1909, 14-year-old Ray Blackstone drowned in the Studley Park House dam. It is reported that his lifeless body was carried back to the house and kept in the cellar awaiting certification and burial.

Thirty years later, Noel William Gregory, the son of then-owner Arthur Adolphus Gregory, died of appendicitis in the Studley Park House theatrette.  

Many visitors to Studley Park House report feeling the presence of the boys throughout the house. Some go as far as stating that they have heard the spine-chilling laughter of the boys as they play around the house. 

A further haunting at Studley Park House is said to occur quite frequently with guests and workers reporting seeing a lonely woman awaiting the return of her man from the tower of the house. 

So is Studley Park House the most haunted house in Sydney? Would you visit?

• Address: Camden Valley Way, Narellan, Camden
• Visiting: Studley Park House is now the site of the Camden Golf Club which you can visit. 

Quarantine Station

The Q Station in Manly is reputed to be the most haunted place in Australia where you can stay overnight, and one of the most haunted places in Sydney! 

Open from 1833 to 1984, the Q Station was established to isolate those arriving in Australia until they could be cleared of a contagious diseases such as Smallpox, typhoid, Spanish Influenza and the Bubonic Plague.

Many, many people died here from horrible diseases. Numerous others suffered from the abhorrent treatments they had to endure to ensure that they were not infectious. The site still seems to hold an aura of suffering, pain, and fear.

Since the early 1990s, visitors can participate in a ghost tour which is hosted quite regularly. 

• Address: 1 North Head Scenic Drive, Manly NSW
• Hours: open sunrise to sunset but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
• Cost: FREE for a self-guided tour | Guided tours additional fee

Ghost Tours: The Q Station offers ghost tours.

Macquarie Fields Train Station

A faint crying is heard, just within earshot. As the night drags on, the crying stops and is replaced by screaming. A young girl appears on the platform in a white dress, blood splattering her front. She moves to the middle of the station and stands crying. 

Or so goes the urban legend of the haunting of Macquarie Fields Train Station. 

If you have the guts, head to Macquarie Fields Train Station as dusk falls and the station goes quiet. It is then that you may spot the girl, or just convince yourself you have! 

Oh yes, this is one of the most haunted places In Sydney that I am NOT visiting at night! 

• Address: Macquarie Fields NSW 2564
• Hours: Open all hours / 7 day per week
• Cost: If you plan to catch a train, you will need your Opal pass

Gladesville Mental Hospital

Gladesville Mental Hospital, formerly Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum, was built in 1838 on the banks of the Parrmatta River (all asylums in NSW were required to be built on rivers), to care for patients with psychiatric illness. Today it is said to be one of Sydney’s most haunted places. 

Originally built for a capacity of 60 patients, overcrowding saw the institution house up to 150 patients by 1844. Inpatients lived in appalling conditions and the neglect that happened within the hospital’s walls was traumatising. Sexual abuse was rampant, as were highly restrictive practices such as the use of straitjackets and electric shock treatment (without need). 

Death of both inpatients and workers occurred frequently. Mass graves were created for deceased patients as families often refused to claim the bodies. There are said to be over 1,000 graves beneath the hospital. Whilst 923 of these graves have since been identified via Health Department records, the remaining 300 patients remain anonymous.

Today, Gladesville Mental Hospital is abandoned and derelict so difficult to access. However, visitors to the site report an eerieness when walking through the buildings, and feeling chills in different rooms. No wonder they say it is haunted! 

Back in 2011, photographer Yvette Worboys curated her photography captured at the hospital into an exhibition titled Ghosts. She told of a presence and energy at the site. Can you see the ghost in the picture?

• Address: The Old Gladesville Hospital, Gladesville, NSW 2111

Darlinghurst Gaol

Construction of Darlinghurst Gaol began between 1822 and 1824 by convicts, money soon ran out and the gaol site sat empty for 12 years before the gaol was completed in 1840. The first prisoners occupied the cells from 1841.  The gaol closed in 1914, and was adapted into a Technical College in 1921. Today it houses the National Art School. 

During the period that it was a prison, 76 people were hanged at Darlinghurst. Up until 1852, the hangings were public. The last occurred in 1908. Add to the number of those murdered on site or those who took their own life, and you have a number of grisly tales. No wonder Darlinghurst Gaol is said to be haunted!

An interesting piece of trivia: Henry Lawson himself did time here at Darlinghurst Gaol for drunkenness and non-payment of alimony.

Check out our tour of Old Darlinghurst Gaol with kids. (Just for the record, Maitland Gaol was the scariest that we have ever visited!)

• Address: 156 Forbes St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
• Tours: Now the National Art School, the occasional tour is scheduled during term time. Check the What’s on listing for details.

Callan Park

Originally an opulent private residence designed by Colonial Architect Mortimer Lewis for  Crown Solicitor and Police Magistrate John Ryan Brenan, his bankruptcy in 1864 led the entire 104.5 acres being purchased by the Government to build an asylum.

The Government were committed to moving away from 19th-century mental health treatments like those at Gladesville and set about designing Callan Park Asylum on the views of American Dr Thomas Kirkbride. However, underfunding soon lead to overcrowding and underpaid staff and the cycle of abuse started.

Callan Park continued to be in use for patients until 1994. Today it is still owned by the NSW Department of Health, but is largely used for passive recreation. It is said to be one of Sydney’s most haunted places and easily accessible if you’re willing to put it to the test. 

These days you can tour the tunnels of Callan Park on set dates or just stroll the grounds. Head to the Friends of Callan Park to find details of their latest ghost tour. 

• Address: Balmain Road, Lilyfield
• Map: explore the Callan Park Map

Cockatoo Island

A convict gaol, a naughty girls’ school, a naval dockyard, and today, a tourist attraction, Cockatoo Island (Wareamah) is an enigmatic site, loved by many…but feared by others and it could just be one of Sydney’s most haunted places! 

This UNESCO site once saw convicts locked in solitary confinement. Many drowned trying to escape (or were they taken by bull sharks?). The girls attending the reformatory on site were said to be abused, treated appallingly, and neglected. 

Reports of paranormal activity on Cockatoo Island stretch back over one hundred years. Some visitors to the island report glimpses of activity on the periphery of their sight; others a spine-tingling sensation in particular rooms; many report ghostly noises. No doubt it is one of the most haunted places in Sydney. 

As the witching hour approaches, journey into Cockatoo Island’s supernatural realm by joining one of their regular ghost tours. 

Visit Cockatoo Island with kids

• Address: Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour, Sydney 
• Hours: Open seven days a week | The volunteer-run Visitor Centre is open from 10am to 3pm daily.
• Cost: Free Admission (you will need to catch a ferry across the island) | Tours additional prices

The Street with no Name – Annandale

Google Street View Screenshot October 2022

If it’s not an old hospital or an old homestead, it’s likely to be a road when you’re talking about Sydney’s hauntings. The Street With No Name at Jubilee Park in Annandale is actually a viaduct and surrounding park which locals say is frightening.

The Street With No Name is believed to be one of the top haunted roads in the world with numerous ghost sightings reported over the last half a century. Sadly, it has been the location of numerous child murders since 1968 and has become a space that locals are said to avoid. 

While no clowns are going to jump out here, it is said to omit a weird vibe and dogs are reputed to act weirdly around the site. Phantom footsteps, feelings of nausea so bad you bend over in pain, orbs of light and ghastly drops in temperature have also been reported. 

Due to the violence exhibited at this location, we highly suggest you don’t visit alone! 

Address: Jubilee Park, Annandale

The Rocks

The historic Rocks in Sydney is one of our favourite family haunts, but you won’t often find us wandering the laneways here at night. Established way back when Sydney was first formed in 1788, The Rock quickly became was a slum, the hangout of convicts and visiting soldiers looking for a good time. It was from the gentrified location it is today. 

Death from murder and disease was common in the Rocks. The Bubonic Plague even swept through the place seeing much of the suburb levelled as the Government attempted to control the spread and eradicate the rats.

Today the Rocks are a very popular hub boasting great cafes, restaurants and attractions, although it has not been able to shake its reputation as one of the most haunted places in Sydney. 

Haunted Parts of The Rocks

Under the Sydney Harbour YHA you can discover The Big Dig Archeology Education Centre where the public enjoys hands-on archaeology educational experiences and learn about the history of The Rocks. Some time ago a shark skeleton was found. What is interesting about this is that back in 1807 the inhabitant of the house that stood above the Big Dig drowned in Sydney Harbour. A few days later his hand was found inside the stomach of a shark!  Does he now haunt the YHA?

Another haunting is said to regularly occur at Reynolds Cottages in The Rocks, where, back in 1838 the son of ex-convict William Reynolds died a horrifically painful death at this location. He was accidentally shot in the leg while pigeon shooting in Surry Hills. He died at Reynolds Cottages after his leg was amputated without anesthetic. Reynolds Senior died shortly after when he fell from a ladder and hit his head. Their spirits apparently continue to linger at the cottage. 

Russell Hotel in The Rocks is said to be the most haunted hotel in Sydney. Previously a hospital, a hostel and even an illegal brothel, the Russell Hotel is haunted by a sailor murdered by a lady of the night in Room 8, appearing only to women.

If you are keen to spot a ghost or two in The Rocks, your best bet is to join one of Sydney’s Famous Ghost Tours. 

• Address: The Rocks, Sydney.

Wakehurst Parkway

When I moved to Sydney I was warned about the Wakehurst Parkway. This notorious slip of road has so many urban legends going around about it that I avoid driving along it at night, even taking the long way around!

Ghostly apparitions, wipers that turn on without you touching the button, and other supernatural occurrences make my spine tingle. Actually, I might let you go and research this one yourself as it’s giving me the heebie-jeebies.

Central Station Ghost Platforms

Central Stations’ Platform 26 and 27 are usually closed to the public but are opened on the rare occasion for tours. Originally built to service Bondi and the Illawarra lines, money dried up and they were boarded up.

Built on the old location of the Devonshire Street cemetery, the bodies were exhumed to make way for the tunnels. It’s said that some souls are trapped down here and you can hear them on the wind. Thankfully I didn’t hear that until our tour of the tunnels had concluded.

Learn about the Central Station Ghost Platform tunnels.

Which of the haunted places in Sydney will you visit first?

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