Where are the scariest, spookiest places in New Zealand? For some travellers, haunted haunts should be marked on a map so they can be avoided.
However, as Halloween draws near, others may wonder where they can go in New Zealand to get close to the supernatural (or perhaps just a well-timed cold breeze).
So, we’ve rounded up some of the most haunted spots in New Zealand, according to folklore and legend.
We don’t know why, but there’s something about the sprawling plains and frosty temperatures of the South Island that inherently feels a little spooky. As it happens, it’s where you’ll find The Vulcan Hotel, an historic building located in the remote mining town of Saint Bathans.
Some say the eerie atmosphere, creaky floors and mysterious locking and unlocking of doors are a sign Rosie, a ghostly guest, is present. Legend has it the young sex worker stayed in room number one of the hotel during the 1860s before she was murdered.
If you like your movie nights with a side of fright, head to Victoria Theatre in Devonport, Auckland. It’s there you may encounter the spirit of Ethel, a woman who used to work as a projectionist at the theatre before she died. Since then, several reports have been made of paranormal activity, from eerie sensations to unexplained noises.
If you bump into Sarita at this historic house in Auckland, don’t be surprised if you feel a serious chill; this is the ghost who supposedly haunts the mid-1800s building in Howick Historical Village. The daughter of the house’s owner, William McLaughlin, evidence of Sarita has been allegedly sighted several times, with her allegedly moving large velvet curtains, making the sound of footsteps and moving objects around the rooms.
Theatres, along with hospitals, prisons and hotels, are a popular spot for the dead to hang out, it seems. Auckland isn’t the only place in New Zealand with a haunted theatre; in Wellington, St James Theatre has had some ghoulish goings-on reported over the years. According to Wellington’s official website, the 111-year-old theatre is home to the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the ghost of Yuri, a Russian dancer who died after falling off the theatre rigging. Although, some suggest he was pushed by a fellow performer, Pasha.
Gloomy and cold, tunnels are spooky enough on their own, but Ōtira Tunnel on the West Coast has the added fear factor of a ghost who allegedly haunts the railway section. The male ghost is apparently a Scottish construction worker who was killed while helping to build the tunnel. According to local legend, he’s always spotted travelling east on the Old Coast Road, eternally attempting to get to Lyttelton so he can sail back to Scotland on a ship. While several passengers of the TranzApline rail (which runs alongside) claim to have seen him, no staff members claim to have made a sighting… yet.
When there's nothing as far as the eye can see, you may appreciate the company.