Times Gone By: Bonville Headland’s haunted house

NEAR the mouth of Bonville Creek (formerly Bungle Creek), on the northern bank, stood a deserted house said to be haunted.

This story, told by ‘Chas’ in 1885, is his experience.

Crossing Bungle Creek was dangerous due to quicksand, so was only done when necessary.

One winter’s day Chas reached Bungle at high tide on sunset, so had to camp overnight.

Being overcast he chose to sleep in the house, so hobbled his horse, gathered firewood and made a makeshift bed from dry ferns, cloth and his saddle.

After going outside to fetch his bread and cheese, he discovered nearby cows had eaten it, so settled for oysters from the creek.

Settling in front of the fire, he remembered a story that this house was haunted.

It was said that several years ago a young lady was singing while playing the piano when she was shot by her father and since then, music, other noises and flashing lights were occasionally heard and seen.

Told supernatural and murderous stories as a child and already wary due to the dark night and loneliness of the house, he became nervous as he heard rats but being tired, fell asleep.

Dreaming, he imagined the killer with his gun creeping across the now bright, fully furnished room and turning toward a beautiful young lady playing and singing at the piano, he raised his gun with a murderous look.

There was a loud bang and a scream.

Chas leapt up to a dark empty room, the rats scampering from his sudden movement.

As he gazed round, a cheery voice and crack of a stockwhip called him outside, where he met a stockman riding to the house.

Relieved, he learnt his companion would also camp inside and had food and blankets for them both.

After relating his dream, he found he had mistaken his friend’s whistling and singing, whip crack and native dog imitation for the noises in his dream, while the flashing light was from the lighthouse.

By Karen FILEWOOD