THERE’s a little girl who has been wandering through the Clunes Bottle Museum for far too long – since 1887 in fact.
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Sometimes her voice can be heard singing children’s songs. At other times, when she’s feeling cheeky, she might pull the hair of visiting women.
And somewhat disturbingly, this child – who is believed to have died from typhoid fever when the building was still a school – is far from being the only ghost to haunt the historic township of Clunes.
Antiques dealer Jeff “Wynton” Lowe said when he first moved to Clunes four years ago, he started collecting more than simply lovely old furniture – he started collecting stories.
At last month’s Clunes Booktown festival, he launched his first Ghost-Lee tours experience. It was such a resounding success that he has paired with the Bottle Museum and Clunes Neighbourhood House to make the tours a regular event.
The tour is named after the founder of the Bottle Museum, Lee Medlyn, who died onsite in 1994 and is himself still believed to wander the historic rooms.
“At the age of 73, he died of a heart attack. And since that happened, in that particular spot, there’s been a lot of appartitions and unexplained phenomena,” Mr Lowe said.
“There used to be six bells located at the entrance of the Bottle Museum, and the bells occasionally would ring. Also they (the Bottle Musuem staff) used to see on their surveillance screen, the security camera, blurred images and apparitions on the screen. And to this day the door, the opening to museum, will just open on its own.”
Another late 20th century ghost is believed to have haunted the Bottle Museum following an industrial accident, although Mr Lowe believes he has now moved on.
“You used to hear his screams, the same screams that happened when he died, and it put everyone on edge, (but) I think his ghost is finally at rest because no-one hears him anymore.”
The tours will be held on Saturday nights and are $25 per ticket. Phone Clunes Neighbourhood House on 5345 4078.