Hi all!

In February, I outlined how my new project – A Haunted Guide to Maryborough will work, so please check that out before continuing further. You can check out the other posts here.

For my fourth and final post, I’m sharing my haunted cemetery tour experience in the town of Maryborough. Featured throughout, you will see images of a photoshoot I did in the same location, during the day. I want to thank Natural-Lee Photography for the amazing shots. They came out better than I could have ever imagined. I highly recommend booking her if you live in the Fraser Coast. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

At 6:30pm July 19th, I met the tour leaders and attendees outside the entrance of the Maryborough Cemetery. Under a full moon, we traversed the 40-acre field toward different, notable grave markers. With over 26,000 people buried here – divided into sections via religion – it was quite a trek.

With just a lamp to light our way, we learned about the notable lives of past Maryborough citizens. Some were wholesome, some were tragic. I was saddened to hear of children that died in a fire and one who fell down a well; their body recovered too late. There were heroes buried side-by-side in an attempt to save drowning victims, only to drown themselves. There were men and women who had contributed to the flourishing town, having led contented and meaningful existences. Additionally, there were individuals who had made significant changes to their community, only to be buried in unmarked graves due to financial issues. Very sad.

The impressive, heritage-listed monument (pictured below) at the entrance to the cemetery, is an architectural one-of-a-kind in Australia. It was erected to provide a shelter for mourning families during funeral services. We ended our tour there, helping ourselves to drinks and treats, whilst the tour leaders regaled us with more stories. They operate on a voluntary basis and deserve a lot of credit. Thanks to them, lost lives are remembered and gravestones, routinely cleaned.

In terms of the cemetery being haunted – well, any cemetery would be! However, in 1905, there was an outbreak of the Pneumonic ‘Black Death’ Plague. It killed thousands of people across Australia, with eight individuals losing their lives in Maryborough. The victims are celebrated every year in May, through a special, dedicated tour. Please click here for further information on the plague.

If you wish to attend a tour yourself, you can book your spot here. It is only $10. They run every third Friday of the month, provided there are no weather issues. I recommend joining a group, especially in May, to remember the plague victims.

Thank you so much for reading and supporting my project. It has been very enlightening. It’s safe to say, the town of Maryborough is definitely haunted! 

Peace & Love xoxo