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Tree Talk
This month we have an interview with Garry Bellenger from Central Coast Ghost Tours
The New South Wales Central Coast takes on a new life once the sun sets on our historic past, if you are brave enough to begin the search for ghosts and paranormal activity, then we have a list of historic locations for you to explore
Question: Garry - who are you and what do you do?
I'm from Bowral (we used to call it BORE-AL back in 1965 when I was a kid). My family and I moved up to Sydney after I finished high school. I ended up on the Central Coast 18 years ago when my wife and I decided this was the most affordable place to live and raise a family. We have three daughters and have a great time living up here.
I have always been interested in ghost stories / T.V. shows such as "Creature Feature" and "Ghost Story". I love the work of Vincent Price, Christopher Lee and Boris Karloff - all icons in the genre and supernatural genre.
I had my first encounter with the supernatural when I was 23. I was living at my in-laws house in Randwick. I was asleep in bed with my wife - our newborn daughter was at the foot of the bed. I became aware that someone was watching me and I woke up. I looked towards the bedroom door - above the door there was one window looking over the hallway (note from Kate: does anyone know why there used to be windows above doors inside houses?). I saw a large, misty, cloud - difficult to describe. It hovered, just floating there for about three minutes. I did the whole "sit up and rub my eyes" thing, I thought I was dreaming. Eventually it drifted off down the hall and I never saw it again.
I asked my in-laws about it in the morning - their response was along the lines "oh yeah", they had both experienced similar occurences. They reported a "cat spirit" and lights flashing on and off. So they weren't at all surprised.
After a few years stuck in the rat race, I am now in a position to follow what has been a life long fascination. I started going on some investigations with other people who work in this field. We have investigated houses where there have been unfortunate deaths. We go and look for evidence of paranormal activity using a range of techniques such as EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon), EMF detectors (Electro-magnetic field) and fixed infra-red night vision cameras.
Question: What sort of places have you visited on these investigations
I have done the old Morriset Asylum for the criminally insane. The reason I liked this is that it wasn't what I expected. I arrived there wondering how I was going to get in - I nearly got bogged in my sedan, 4WD in future. It is completely deserted and has been totally gutted. It has such an eerie feeling about it - I can't imagine what went on in there.
The New South Wales Central Coast takes on a new life once the sun sets on our historic past, if you are brave enough to begin the search for ghosts and paranormal activity, then we have a list of historic locations for you to explore
Question: Garry - who are you and what do you do?
I'm from Bowral (we used to call it BORE-AL back in 1965 when I was a kid). My family and I moved up to Sydney after I finished high school. I ended up on the Central Coast 18 years ago when my wife and I decided this was the most affordable place to live and raise a family. We have three daughters and have a great time living up here.
I have always been interested in ghost stories / T.V. shows such as "Creature Feature" and "Ghost Story". I love the work of Vincent Price, Christopher Lee and Boris Karloff - all icons in the genre and supernatural genre.
I had my first encounter with the supernatural when I was 23. I was living at my in-laws house in Randwick. I was asleep in bed with my wife - our newborn daughter was at the foot of the bed. I became aware that someone was watching me and I woke up. I looked towards the bedroom door - above the door there was one window looking over the hallway (note from Kate: does anyone know why there used to be windows above doors inside houses?). I saw a large, misty, cloud - difficult to describe. It hovered, just floating there for about three minutes. I did the whole "sit up and rub my eyes" thing, I thought I was dreaming. Eventually it drifted off down the hall and I never saw it again.
I asked my in-laws about it in the morning - their response was along the lines "oh yeah", they had both experienced similar occurences. They reported a "cat spirit" and lights flashing on and off. So they weren't at all surprised.
After a few years stuck in the rat race, I am now in a position to follow what has been a life long fascination. I started going on some investigations with other people who work in this field. We have investigated houses where there have been unfortunate deaths. We go and look for evidence of paranormal activity using a range of techniques such as EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon), EMF detectors (Electro-magnetic field) and fixed infra-red night vision cameras.
Question: What sort of places have you visited on these investigations
I have done the old Morriset Asylum for the criminally insane. The reason I liked this is that it wasn't what I expected. I arrived there wondering how I was going to get in - I nearly got bogged in my sedan, 4WD in future. It is completely deserted and has been totally gutted. It has such an eerie feeling about it - I can't imagine what went on in there.
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Questions: What your plans moving forward?
What has inspired me to start this business, is I was contacted by Susan Davy from Tuggerah Library. She found me on Facebook.com/centralcoastparanormal. She wanted me to give a talk on paranormal happenings on the Central Coast. As I got talking with her she inspired me to look into this passion as a business possibility. From there I started to research local ghost stories - Jenny Dixon is probably our most well known ghost story on Wilfred Barret Drive. I was looking through Trove for information about her (about what is actually an urban legend) but came across a fascinating factual story of two young girls (sisters) who were murdered in 1951 on their way to Norah Head Light House. What I found out is that they were buried at Noraville Cemetry - so I went looking for their graves. I couldn't find them, so my investigations led me here - to the only people on the Central Coast who like dead people more than I do. Their names weren't listed anywhere - Trish suggested that they might have been buried in un-marked graves. Why did their parents / family not bury them properly? So many questions. Then one day I was driving past and saw a grave digger about his business. I stopped to chat with him and he was a mine of information - he was able to show me their plots.
I have made it my quest to get these girls headstones. I have spoken with Council - we are looking into it. No one was ever convicted of this crime. It is like we have forgotten these girls. As a father of 3 girls I really feel that it is a shame for them to go unremembered in this way - perhaps because their family could not afford to. I just want one or two simple head stones with their names and details. A sad part of this story is that they had just emmigated out from the UK three weeks earlier. Their father wanted a better life for the family.
Lots of people have reported seeing the spirit of a teenage girl in the area - often assumed to be Jenny Dixon (who never existed). I think that these sightings are tied to these two girls - in particular the older sister who was 17.
What has inspired me to start this business, is I was contacted by Susan Davy from Tuggerah Library. She found me on Facebook.com/centralcoastparanormal. She wanted me to give a talk on paranormal happenings on the Central Coast. As I got talking with her she inspired me to look into this passion as a business possibility. From there I started to research local ghost stories - Jenny Dixon is probably our most well known ghost story on Wilfred Barret Drive. I was looking through Trove for information about her (about what is actually an urban legend) but came across a fascinating factual story of two young girls (sisters) who were murdered in 1951 on their way to Norah Head Light House. What I found out is that they were buried at Noraville Cemetry - so I went looking for their graves. I couldn't find them, so my investigations led me here - to the only people on the Central Coast who like dead people more than I do. Their names weren't listed anywhere - Trish suggested that they might have been buried in un-marked graves. Why did their parents / family not bury them properly? So many questions. Then one day I was driving past and saw a grave digger about his business. I stopped to chat with him and he was a mine of information - he was able to show me their plots.
I have made it my quest to get these girls headstones. I have spoken with Council - we are looking into it. No one was ever convicted of this crime. It is like we have forgotten these girls. As a father of 3 girls I really feel that it is a shame for them to go unremembered in this way - perhaps because their family could not afford to. I just want one or two simple head stones with their names and details. A sad part of this story is that they had just emmigated out from the UK three weeks earlier. Their father wanted a better life for the family.
Lots of people have reported seeing the spirit of a teenage girl in the area - often assumed to be Jenny Dixon (who never existed). I think that these sightings are tied to these two girls - in particular the older sister who was 17.
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If you want more information on what Garry does visit his website or facebook page
www.centralcoastghosttours.com
www.facebook/centralcoastghosttours
www.centralcoastghosttours.com
www.facebook/centralcoastghosttours
