Have you ever visited somewhere that makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck? Perhaps it’s late at night and you’re in a creaky hallway, completely alone… or at least, you should be. A door creaks open sinisterly, and you feel like you’re being watched. Dunedin’s old buildings are steeped in history, and it’s only fair that they have accumulated their share of ghost stories over the years. This Halloween, we’ll be investigating the top 7 haunted Dunedin hotspots and abandoned places that are local legend.

1. Leviathan Hotel

From its outward appearance, the Leviathan Hotel comes across as rather strange. This red, wedge-shaped building in the city was built in 1884. It was the largest hotel in Australasia back in the day, and has a number of spooky encounters to match.

Some locals are convinced a ghost haunts the third floor, where staff have witnessed doors unexplainably opening and closing. Now and then, visitors hear footsteps squeaking across the floorboards from empty rooms, or even voices. Some think the ghost is the friendly spirit of Mrs. Antiss Silk, a former owner, ensuring the hotel is operating up to standard. Either way, the Leviathan has garnered the reputation as one of Dunedin’s haunted hotspots. Think you have what it takes? Test your nerves and book a stay on expedia.com.

2. Larnach Castle

Visit Larnach Castle with friends during the day, and you’ll cheerily skip along the garden paths and explore the stately interior. But after the crowds disappear, your experience may take a chilling turn…

Looking at the history of Larnach Castle, it’s clear why so many people believe it’s haunted. A number of tragedies befell the Larnach family, the first family to roam the halls. Some castle visitors feel like they’re being watched. Others swear they hear faint music or footsteps from the empty ballroom, where William Larnach’s daughter Kate hosted parties before she died of typhoid in 1891. For a memorable experience, attend one of the many amazing events held here at night or book a stay at Larnach Lodge.

3. The Regent Theatre

Gothic and glitzy, the Regent Theatre is everything that comes to mind when you think of a haunted Hollywood-esque venue. Chandeliers illuminate the richly decorated interior, and the air feels thick with the weight of history. A number of freakish events have occurred inside the Regent – now considered a paranormal hotspot.

Visitors’ unnerving experiences at the Regent have included sighting audience members in their periphery, and hearing whispers from the vacant stage. Most convincingly, in 2018 a tap turned itself on inside a function room, nearly flooding the floors below. Those responding to the flooding were shocked to find the room locked and empty!

4. Seacliff Lunatic Asylum

Although now one of Dunedin’s abandoned places, Seacliff Asylum still draws a handful of visitors. When it opened in 1884, the asylum resembled an imposing fortress like a castle from a dark fairytale. It was Dunedin’s largest building, housing up to 500 patients and 50 staff. The asylum used electric shock treatment (retrospectively considered extremely cruel), and a fatal fire swept through a wing of the building in 1942. Yikes.

Today, only a shell of the building remains – it was gradually demolished between 1950 and 1992. You can wander the spooky ruins at Truby King reserve south of Karitane.

5. Catacombs Nightclub

The macabre name of Catacombs Nightclub in the Octagon alludes to a lesser-known slice of Dunedin history. Most attendees saturated in spirits (not the ghostly kind) and jumping around to bass beats don’t have the slightest idea that they are dancing on the site of the former city morgue. Charming. Staff have reported strange incidents like bottles bursting and drinks sliding across tables. Certainly, hearing ‘zombie’ on the speakers takes on a new meaning.

6. Cumberland College

Now a residential college for Otago students, Cumberland College was originally built as a Hospital Nurses Home in 1916. It’s right opposite Hayward College, a former maternity hospital, with an old network of underground tunnels linking the two. Reports of paranormal activity at Cumberland entered the public consciousness in 2012 when residents and staff provided terrifying accounts of being stalked by a chilling presence- a ghost became known as the “Grey Lady”.

Speculation began. Who was the Grey Lady? What motive could there be for freaking out innocent uni students? One theory is that she’s the ghost of a mother who died shortly after her child was taken away by a hospital nurse, who deemed her an unfit parent. Now, she haunts female nursing students to extract revenge. Others theorise that she roams the area on an endless search for her lost child.

Note: It’s also rumoured that Knox College in North East Valley is haunted. Interestingly, Knox College was ground-zero for the hilarious NZ UFO hoax, which you can read about here.

7. Fortune Theatre

The Fortune Theatre closed its doors to showbiz in 2018, but the stunning stone church, built in 1869, still stands on the corner of Moray Place in the city. Past theatregoers and technicians reported seeing audience members who inexplicably disappeared, and have experienced other freakish instances like secured lights falling from their rigging. In 2005, the Fortune Theatre even featured on the New Zealand TV show called Ghost Hunt that explored paranormal places across the country.

Conclusion: Haunted Dunedin

Exploring Dunedin brings you face to face with history; each block of stone fashioned by the hands of a mason has a tale behind it, as does each name etched on the ruins at Seacliff. Many haunted Dunedin venues are peppered with mysteries that are yet to be fully understood, including reports of ghostly encounters. Have you had a paranormal experience in New Zealand? Share it in the comments below!

Visiting Otago? Don’t miss these:

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• Do you know the inspiration for Dunedin’s weirdest place names?
• Who was Jack Tewa? An Otago Gold Rush mystery
• The New Zealand UFO Hoax
• Cycling Otago Rail Trail: Packing list & Tips

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