Government House Ghost In Canberra Awaited

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29330, 8 October 1960, Page 13

Government House Ghost In Canberra Awaited

CANBERRA, Oct. 7. Staff at Government House, Canberra, the residence of the Gov-ernor-General of A ustralia (Lord Dunrossil) are wondering whether a ghost will reappear soon. About this time of the year several years ago, the ghost was seen by a senior official of Government House and a member of the staff. Since then, no woman has been permitted by officials to remain alone in the official residence at Yarralumla, the name of the property. Single women must also share rooms with other single women. Yarralumla officials said that the apparition first appeared on the main staircase one night years ago. A handyman saw it and rushed to inform the senior official in his office. The official, thinking there was an intruder in the house, armed himself with a riding crop and strode into the hallway. He noticed what appeared to be the figure of a man in an overcoat standing at the foot of the staircase with one arm resting on the bannister.

The official, describing the event, said: “The presence was so vivid that I spoke sharply to it”

"I said. ‘Who are you. what are you doing here?’ Then,” the official said, “the figure turned and glided up the staircase.

“I realised there was something strange when I saw there was a gap of about one foot between the stairs and the presence. I followed it up the staircase and saw ft disappear at the end of the corridor,” he said. "We were so sure that there was some presence that we searched the house from attic to cellar but could find no trace of anything or anybody. Since then nobody has ever claimed to have seen the tiring.

“But I suspect that some people have seen It, but have said nothing because they thought nobody would believe them. I would have been dubious If I had not been a witness." the official said.

“I am quite convinced there was some presence in the house," he said. “I often wondered whether I will ever see it again.”

Government House is the old Yamalumla homestead. which was acquired when the Australian Capital Territory was created, on what had been a huge grazing property. The house was remodelled and enlarged There is a legend that an aborigine was buried in the grounds and that a large jewel was buried with him. It was once claimed that the ghost of the aborigine sometimes revisited the grounds.