Has everyone recovered from New Year’s Eve? This morning we left the Falls Festival after brekkie and Dad getting breath tested, and headed to Port Arthur; arriving at about 11.00am. We spent the day at Port Arthur. We went on a walking tour in the morning which was great, then went on a cruise to Isle of the Dead. The Isle of the Dead was used as a cemetery for the convicts and free men and women living at Port Arthur. The tour was great; we walked around the island as the guide told us stories about the people buried on the island. Half of the island was dedicated to free men and women’s graves and the other half was for the convict’s graves. All the graves were facing south-north which was unusual; usually graves face east-west. It wasn’t because of the weather; in fact the tombstones were worn away more than usual because of the weather coming from the same direction that the tombstones faced. For the rest of the afternoon we wandered around Port Arthur, exploring the Asylum, a few of the cottages and the Separate Prison. The Asylum was actually one of the more pleasant facilities on the site. Very advanced for their era, the people in charge of the asylum
kept the patients happy and calm by providing a calm and quiet environment for them instead of treating them badly. The Separate Prison was the worst building on site, almost guaranteed to turn the prisoners mad. The Separate Prison was kept always silent, no talking at all (you wouldn’t last a day Aunty Ness!!), and the prisoners were kept completely separate from each other. Even in church the prisoners were separated; occupying tiny box-like spaces to watch and hear the service. We stayed in the site’s car park until 7.00pm; the time of our ghost tour. We followed our guide, Tammy, outside. I was one of the idiots that put my hand up when she asked for “non-believers”. I was given a lantern and the role of leader. This role meant that I got to knock on doors and be the first into many rooms. To say I was scared would be an understatement. The first place we went was the parsonage; the most haunted building on site. I bravely (ha, who am I kidding) knocked on the door (with my fingernail) and held my mummy’s hand as we entered the building first. Fortunately there were no ghosties and I made it into the room safely. Setting my lantern on the floor, the rest of the group joined us. Next stop was the Church, an open aired building with grass and flowers growing on the floor. After a quick story on how the blood of two convicts had stained the bricks and ground of the church (cue creepy music) we made our way to the “dissection room”. I got to go into the cellar first, almost wetting myself with excitement (please note the sarcasm). The room was labelled the “dissection room” because of the smell of formaldehyde and blood that greets some people. In the “dissection room” Tammy told us the story of a sheep skull that was laid on the stone table, only after scaring the bejeebus out of all of us. One night on a tour the skull was rattling on the table. The guide put his hand on it to stop everyone freaking out, but it kept rattling. The guide picked up the skull and a mouse fell out. Unfortunately (*evil grin*) no-one else saw the mouse and thought it was a ghost. The mouse ran along the table and ran up a woman’s jumper. She started screaming and soon everyone else did as well. The door was shut so all the people on the tour started pushing at it to get out. The door only opened inwards, so the people thought a ghostie was keeping them inside. This caused more screaming and panic. It took ages for the guide to make his way to the door and let everyone out. Now, while this was happening two more groups had made their way to the cellar. As the people on the first tour ran out screaming and panicking, the other two groups reacted as well. The guide exited the cellar and became very ticked off as he realised the two other guides hadn’t come to his aid. He told them “Now it’s your shot!” The last stop was the Separate Prison, where I swore I saw things going in and out of the cell doors. We stayed the night in an RSL car park.
Well, I’ve probably taken up enough of your time, Maddy.
Fauna: Wrens, pademelons, rabbits (accursed pests), jellyfish.
Vehicles Overtaken: 0
Wicked Vans: 2
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