The Barmera Hotel Haunting

The Barmera Hotel Haunting

  Constructed in 1932 as a community hotel, the Barmera Hotel was originally known as “The Lake Bonney Hotel”, named after the large lake that is named after explorer Charles Bonney.


This particular Riverland hotel has a reputation for ghostly goings-on and is alleged to be home to a number of resident spirits.
One ghost has been named “Harold” and is described as wearing a blue checked shirt and blue jeans. Harold has an eye for the ladies, particularly younger female staff workers and likes to follow them around the hotel, touching them inappropriately.
There are also reports of poltergeist type activity, including plumbing that turns on and off without living human interaction, and pokies machines that payout when no one is playing them.

Another spirit has been nicknamed “Janie”. Janie is thought to be a youngish woman who may have once worked at the hotel, or someone who stayed there at some point passed away and has returned. Reports on Janie are few and far between and she seems to be “sensed” more than seen.

The hotel's basement seems to be a hive of spiritual activity, with reports from previous owners and the staff of unusual goings-on, cold spots and odd voices in the rooms below the hotel. It is thought that bodies were stored here for coronial inquests and that this might be the source of the haunting.

Encountered a ghost in the Riverland? Tell us about it over on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheHauntsOfAdelaide/




© Allen Tiller 2016.

Bibliography

Gordon de L Marshall ' Ghosts and Hauntings of South Australia, (2012), p. 153.

 

Barmera Hotel Motel. 2016. Riverland accommodation | Barmera Motel | Barmera accommodation. viewed 12 September 2016, http://www.barmerahotel.com.au/. 

Barmera, South Australia accommodation, attractions & info. 2016. Barmera, South Australia accommodation, attractions & info. viewed 12 September 2016, http://www.murrayriver.com.au/barmera/.

Barmera Visitor Information Centre | Riverland | Lake Bonney | Barmera Markets. 2016. Barmera Visitor Information Centre | Riverland | Lake Bonney | Barmera Markets. viewed 12 September 2016, http://www.barmeratourism.com.au/.

State Library of South Australia, 2017, Barmera Hotel [B 40407] • Photograph, viewed 14 July 2017,  http://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+40407