Hunter Valley History
The first human inhabitants of the Hunter region (Coquun) were the Wonnarua (people of the hills and plains) the Worimi occupied the north eastern shores and the Awabakal on the south eastern shores. Their history in the Hunter Valley Region goes back some 40 000 years.
In 1796 fishermen sheltering from bad weather discovered coal in what is now Newcastle Harbour however the official European discovery of the Hunter River and region occurred in 1797, when Lieutenant John Shortland during a search for escaped convicts who had absconded from Sydney Cove with the HMS Cumberland. Shortland described a "very fine river" which he named the Hunter River after the Governor of the colony of New South Wales, John Hunter.
Newcastle Harbour and the Hunter river started to be unofficially visited by many timber getters, coal miners and escaped convicts. Which led the then Governor King to seriously reconsider the economic value of the Hunter region.
In 1801 a small convict camp was created in present day Newcastle to mine coal and gather timber and was named Kingstown, however this settlement was short-lived and was closed only a year later.
In 1804 another settlement at Newcastle was created for the "worst of the worst" convicts who had committed secondary offences in the colony. This Newcastle penal settlement was called Coal river also Kingstown, but was renamed Newcastle after the famous English coal port Newcastle Upon Tyne. This penal colony lasted till 1823 when a new penal colony for secondary offenders was established at Port Macquarie.
In the 1820's the first land grants in the Hunter region were given to convicts at Paterson's Plains as reward for services or good behaviour. Soon after free settlers were granted land along the Hunter, Williams and branching rivers with convict servants to help work them. This led to river port towns such as Morpeth, Maitland, Raymond Terrace, Paterson and Dungog becoming important river trade centres.
Landowners in the Hunter amongst other things produced, timber, cattle, horses, wheat, wool, maize and wine. With James King of Irrawang (Raymond Terrace) becoming the founding president of the Hunter River Vinegerons Association and the first person to make wine for export in the colony. John Portus of Morpeth Wheat Mills produced so much flour at he drove Sydney mills out of business.
Travel by land was often uncertain in pioneering times due to bad roads and crossing the rivers by punts, people, produce and livestock were lost due to their unreliability. Hence shipping companies were created to bring valuable cargoes to the cities. The most famous of which were the Australasian Steam Navigation Company and the Hunter River New Steam Ship Company whom were in constant competition with each other to provide the best rate and the fastest ships.
With the introduction of the Great Northern Railway in the late1850's the river port towns listed above started to decline with all commercial shipping ceasing by the early 20th century. However West Maitland (now simply Maitland) prospered as well as Dungog who received the eastern branch of the Railway. Most produce was then shipped from the New England area straight to the port of Newcastle replacing Morpeth as the main port of the Hunter Region.
Today the Hunter Valley is well known for its fine wines, coal industry and is a vibrant tourism region.
Frequently asked questions
What can I expect on the tour?
Hunter Valley Ghost Tours are walking street tours which include a combination of Ghost Stories, History, Local Folklore and Paranormal Theories. Our tours are about story telling and entertainment.
Are tickets Refundable/Transferable?
Sorry No, tickets are not refundable or transferable to another date. If you cannot make it on the date specified you may give or sell your ticket to someone else. Please notify us of this as soon as possible.
Are your tours suitable for Children?
Our Ghost Tours are designed and directed towards and adult audience. Content can sometimes be disturbing to younger children therefore we do not take children under the age of 15 years. Any children under 18 years must be accompanied by a paying guardian at all times. Ticket prices are the same regardless of age.
Will we see a ghost on the tour?
There is no guarantee you will see a ghost on the tour nor do we stage ghosts and hauntings to give you a "fake" experience or "make up" stories. All stories on the tour were either experienced by us personally, found in our research or given to us by people who were kind enough to share their experiences.
Do tours run if it is raining?
Yes . Unless there is a serious natural disaster, tours run rain, hail or shine.
Are your tours Paranormal Investigations/ Investigation tours?
No our tours are not paranormal investigations. We do share our knowledge of the paranormal and you do get to "play" with some paranormal investigation equipment but our tours are mainly about the ghost stories and heritage.
How do I pay ?
All tickets are purchased online with Sticky Tickets.
Can I pay on the night?
Due to the safety of the tour guide and all concerned we do not handle cash on the night of the tour. All tickets must be paid in advance.
Do you use Psychic Mediums on the tour?
No we do not use psychic mediums on the tour.
Can you take photographs?
Of course you can! In fact we encourage it. But please do not take pictures of private residences.
Can we video record or record audio of the tour?
No. We ask you not to record the tour on video or audio.
Frequently asked questions
Can you smoke on the tour?
No. For the comfort of the tour guide and other participants we ask you do not to smoke during the tour.
Can you drink alcohol on the tour?
No. For the safety of all concerned drinking alcohol on the tour is not allowed.
What if I have an injury or a disability?
If you have an injury or disability please mention the exact nature of your disability or injury to the tour guide either at the time of booking or at the beginning of the tour. * But please be aware our tours are walking tours and you have to be able bodied and have a reasonable level of fitness to attend.
Can we wander off on our own?
NO if you decide to wander off on your own and/or go onto private property you will be asked to leave with NO refund!
What do I need to wear?
Comfortable walking shoes (no high heels) sensible clothing according to the season.
Where do we meet?
All information about the tour is included in booking email you will receive from Sticky Tickets.
Morpeth Ghost and HeritageTour
Morpeth is considered by many to be the Most Haunted Town in NSW perhaps even the
Most Haunted Township in Australia?
On this tour hear tales of ghosts & hauntings, dark history, murder, suicide and strange folklore including:
Raymond Terrace Ghost & History Tour
On this tour find out:
Book store
Owner and operator of Hunter Valley Ghost Tours, Murray Byfield is also an author and has written three books on the subject of Ghosts and Hauntings. Two of which deal with local Hunter Valley Ghost Stories.
Ghost Guide
A Guide on Ghosts and How to Investigate Them.
by Murray A. Byfield
Do you want to understand what ghosts are and how to begin investigating them?
Then look no further, this is your Ghost Guide.
Ghost Guide is more than just a beginners guide or “how to” book on investigating ghosts and Hauntings. The author encourages the reader to think outside the box in terms of what is generally accepted about the nature of ghosts and spirits.
Included in these pages are:
Haunted Hunter
Ghost Tales and Other Mysteries from the Hunter Valley.
by Murray A. Byfield
The Hunter Valley is one of the oldest and most haunted regions of Australia. It’s colonial history stretches right back to the early 1800's when the area was originally founded as a penal colony for the worst of the worst convicts.
Death by execution, murder, suicide and disease were commonplace. Do the spirits of these unfortunate souls still haunt the locations of their deaths?
Within these pages, you will find tales of:
Haunted Hunter - Book II
More Ghost Tales, Mysteries and Dark History from the Hunter Valley.
by Murray A. Byfield
The Hunter Region is the second oldest European settlement on mainland Australia. Tourists usually associate the Hunter Valley with Fine Wines and Coal mining. However there is more that lurks beneath the day to day activity of the Hunter Region than meets the eye.
Tales of murder, suicide, convict floggings, public executions, bushrangers and cruel landowners abound. After the success of Haunted Hunter, we now present to you Haunted Hunter Book II.
Within these pages, you will find tales of: