Here’s a special spooky Sydney adventure for brave children aged eights years and over. The Ghost tour at Q Station really is an experience, a truly spooky one full of historical facts and fascinating medical stories.
Q Station runs several types of ghost tours within the historic buildings of Sydney’s old quarantine station, reputedly one of the most haunted places in Australia.
The family-friendly tour is called Ghost Trackers, it takes two hours and departs from the Luggage Store Visitor Centre.
N.B. Arrive early and enjoy a walk through the Visitor Centre, it’s fascinating and very well laid out.
Our Ghost Tour at Q Station Experience
The tour starts in a room where luggage used to be steam cleaned, and our guide for the evening sets the tone straight away.
And I need to tell you that the tone for the evening is… pretty scary!
We hear of ghosts that have been seen in the building, we hear their sometimes gruesome life (and death) stories.
We hear of ghost tour visitors who have met ghosts on this very tour – eek!
We have four genuine oil lamps amongst a group of about 15 people, and some of us pop our torches on and off too.
But there’s lots of walking around the buildings when it’s very dark.
And at times we were in pitch black rooms too, hearing tales of dreadful deaths, ghostly encounters and mysterious matters.
The hospital, which we are entering in the photo below, is one of the most haunted places in Q Station. Shiver.
I love a gruesome story of pestilence and plague, but must admit that our guides stories of his own ghostly encounters had my hair standing on end.
We hear there’s a poltergeist is in this house… but luckily nothing moves around whilst we are there!
This building with the red light was the morgue, but don’t panic, that’s not a real body lying under the sheet.
Are my couple of ten year olds scared? They are! We all are, parents and children alike hold hands very tightly at several moments. This is a seriously spooky tour.
Strange tales of the Q Station’s history and of the dreadful deaths people suffered are told in gory detail.
Going into the old shower block was the part that really puts the wind up me – I’m being brave but am thrilled to get out of there.
Q Station Family Ghost Tours – Practical Details.
Ghost Trackers runs every Friday and Saturday night from 6pm – 8pm in winter and from 7pm – 9pm in summer.
Extra tours run in school holidays.
You don’t need to stay at Q Station to do the ghost tours, just book ahead and arrive before the tour starts.
Read up on all the various ghost tours on the Q Station Ghost Tour webpage here.
You can book online there or just call Q Station on: 02 9466 1551
Duration: 2 hours
Parking: Leave your car up at the car park beside Q Station reception and you will be transported down to the Luggage Store in a minibus.
You need: Enclosed walking shoes, a torch and a camera.
Cost: Families of two adults and two children $125, $38 per adult, $29 per child (eight – 16 years) and $32 for concession (student and pension card holders.)
Winter special: 20% discount on the family ghost tour tickets, so it costs $100 rather than $125. Customers need to quote “Winter Trackers” when booking.
Note: there are steps and fairly steep inclines and declines on this tour. You are on the move for two hours.
Eat before: The cafe at the Luggage Store Visitor Centre is usually open before the tour starts.
Eat afterwards: You can book a table for 8pm at the delightful Boilerhouse Restaurant which is exactly where the tour ends up.
Q Station Adult Ghost Tours
There are several scary offerings for older teenagers and adults:
Ghostly Encounters for 15+
Extreme Ghost Tour 18+
Paranormal Investigation Nights 18+
Ghostly Sleepovers 18+
You can also plan your own private ghost tour for a birthday or other event.
Read more on the Q Station Ghost Tours website page.
If spooky tales by lamplight are your thing, you’ll love the Ghost Trackers tour.
But if your children are of a nervous disposition, take a history tour instead!
Read all about staying at Q Station here.
Read about Things To Do in Manly With Kids here.
Myself and the twins stayed at Q Station and our full review of this marvellous and very unique accommodation will be posted soon.
We were guests of Q Station and would like to thank them very much for their hospitality.
Would your family enjoy doing the Ghost Tour at Q Station?
Are you familiar with the troubled history of this atmospheric Sydney landmark?
Happy hauntings!
