On a fine but chilly evening at the beginning of October, it was the perfect time to get into the spooky and spiritual mood, especially with Halloween coming up.

Starting off in Federation Square, our guide Matt leads us around the city, weaving through the lane ways up to the state parliament and backdown, finishing off in China Town.

We step back in time to the 1800s, hearing the story of George the Fisherman from Platform 13 Flinders street, picturing the alluring prostitute on the corner of Flinders and Swanston streets. Imagining the creaking floor boards in the Young and Jackson pub from Chloe, walking the steps Frederick Deeming, Melbourne’s Jack the Ripper, may have walked and standing in front of the Princess theatre where opera singer Frederici, apparently still haunts. 

The story of Burke and Hare, infamous grave robbers turned murderers, who would sell the bodies to university lecturers for medical students to study, was told very convincingly, he never explicitly said they were in Melbourne but on a Melbourne Ghost walk it’s implied. Unfortunately for Matt, I had already heard the tale and seen a film and knew they were actually in Edinburgh, Scotland, no where near Melbourne. There may have been similar murders in Melbourne but I doubt that they had the same names as well. This unfortunately meant I doubted whether the other stories were also embellished or simply lifted from other cities. 

Matt was friendly and approachable, talking with audience members on the walk between stops. He did admit that others did the research and he just did the story telling, something he did well. He was engaging and built suspense. He is also accommodating, letting everyone take a few minutes to take photos at nearly every stop. However I was a little disappointed Matt wasn’t wearing a costume but that’s only a very small criticism. 

No one felt any ghostly or supernatural forces on our tour, and to be honest it wasn’t that scary. If you want a tour that might actually frighten you I suggest heading to Edinburgh, one of the most haunted cities in the world. This tour was interesting and might be something fun and different to do with kids. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes as there is quite a bit of walking, and dress appropriately.

Don’t worry that the Fringe Festival is over, this tour runs twice a week all year round. The same company, Lantern Ghost Tours, also offers tours around Pentridge Prison, Williamstown, Eynesbury Homestead, Altona Homestead, Old Castlemaine Goal and  Ararat Lunatic Asylum.