Photo: The Girl at Barwon Park Mansion - UPDATE

Media Release 8th January 2010 - Australian Ghost Adventures

MEDIA RELEASE

Photo of Ghost at Mansion

During a Public Ghost Tour of Victorias, Barwon Park Mansion (near Geelong) a photo of a ghost was revealed.

On the night of Saturday the 8th August 2009 a ghost tour group from Australian Ghost Adventures were exploring Barwon Park Mansion, Winchelsea Victoria.

At 11.20pm the group were in the Mansions stables upstairs loft when a patron sensed a presence in the corner of the Bluestone building.

Another patron used a digital thermometer to measure the temperature in the area the other person sensed something and got a reading of 22 ’C with the cold winter night readings at 5’C everywhere else in the building

Adam (another patron) took a number of photographs in the same direction of the heat source, after taking some photos his camera shut down, As the group left the stables, his camera started working again and he immediately checked his photos and one of them had the (attached) image. Could this be an image of a ghost?

Gary Sullivan, lead investigator and paranormal researcher from Australian Ghost Adventures said: “At the time the temperature rose to 22 degrees I put it down to one of the bluestone bricks being warm, but was not” and could not explain the temperature change on the digital thermometer. With the photo” he could not explain what the image was”.

Ron Dorre the Sceptic from AGA was also present.

“I too witnessed the events including Adam taking the photos, I couldn’t believe it when he checked them and it had a slight image of a girl in one of the frames”

We took the photo to Anthony Kilner a Photographer and photo journalist to investigate. The photo data showed no flash was used and to have such a clear photo in low light without a tripod was unusual.

The mystery is still not solved. The ghost tours continue and tour guides are encouraging photographers to take as many photos as they can in the Stables.

NOTE: if this is an actually photo of an apparition then it will be the most amazing ever captured. I'll reserve judgment until an independent examination of the image is made. Thanks to 'bellfleur' for the heads up..Lon

UPDATE: Our spiritual consultant 'SW' contacted me and said that she concentrated on the image of the 'girl ghost' and picked up the name 'Liz'. Is the 'ghost girl' the spirit of Elizabeth Austin?
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THE HISTORY OF BARWON PARK MANSION

This majestic 42-room bluestone mansion and stables is largely in its original condition, resonating with the glory of Victoria's pastoral heritage.

On 30 June 1871 a grand ball was held at Barwon Park Mansion to celebrate the completion of the building.The imposing 42 room bluestone mansion was built for Thomas and Elizabeth Austin who had lived in the Western District at Barwon Park since their marriage in 1845.

Barwon Park, a combination of three original runs, was recognised for sheep, horses and many game species now considered vermin. As a member of the Acclimatisation Society, Thomas imported numerous species and is best remembered for his success in breeding rabbits. At the time, the rabbits and other game he bred were much acclaimed: today the praise has turned to blame.

Unfortunately Thomas Austin passed away just a few months after the magnificent housewarming ball and so the Mansion never fulfilled its potential as a leading entertaining seat in the colony. Elizabeth Austin was already established as an important hostess of the Western District (and had entertained royalty), and the Mansion was built accordingly.

The mansion hosted the wedding of her last unmarried daughter, Ellen, in 1876 but Elizabeth devoted her energies to continuing the philanthropic work begun with her husband. However, most of her contributions were given anonymously as society did not accept such a role for a woman.

The property has been owned by only two families, the Austins and the Batsons, and was left to the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) by Sidney Batson. It is gradually being restored and has benefitted from the outstanding efforts of the Barwon Park Promoters and local volunteers over more than 30 years.

Barwon Park also features a room devoted to locally born dramatic soprano Marjorie Lawrence.

Source:
www.nattrust.com.au
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UPDATE: The Girl Ghost - Media Hoax

ninemsn - A photo that achieved international media attention showing a "ghost" in a barn in Victoria is a hoax, according to a young woman who told ninemsn she is the figure in the image.

The digital photo, which was allegedly taken during a ghost tour in Winchelsea, appeared on current affairs show Today Tonight earlier this month.

Adam Harris, a 21-year-old from Geelong, told the Seven Network the image was one of many he had taken at the Barwon Park property.

"I was taking photos because I felt a presence come towards me, as in dark figures," Harris told the network.

One of the photos he claimed he took during the tour last August showed a young woman in a low-cut top looking at the camera.

"There was an image of a girl in the left hand corner of my screen," he said.

But Megan Ann Walker, who is friends with Harris on Facebook, told ninemsn that she is the woman in the photo.

"It's me, but I have no idea about anything else," Megan Ann Walker told ninemsn.

“I had nothing to do with anything and I ain't getting anyone into any trouble for anything."

Walker said she was at Barwon Park during the ghost tour when the photo was discovered.

"I came out and said the photo looked like me when they put it on the laptop but no one was listening," she said.

"I just stood back and laughed and didn't think anything of it until now."

The image has become popular on ghost hunting forums, where Walker has been dubbed "the hottest ghost ever".

"She can haunt me any time!" one ghost enthusiast wrote.

The image has also caused a stir in Europe, appearing in top-selling German tabloid newspaper Bild yesterday.

Australian Ghost Adventures media spokesperson Ron Dorre told ninemsn up to 80 people took ghost tours at the mansion that day, and no individual records were kept of the guests.

He said several people had contacted him claiming to know the real "Barwon ghost", including one who said it was a woman in Western Australia.

"We've been trying to track the woman down for six months, since it happened," he said.

"The people on the tour don't recall seeing her, and it was especially strange since it was a freezing cold night and the photo shows her with a low-cut top."

However, Mr Dorre also said the metadata on Harris' camera showed the photo had been taken before the tour began.

On Facebook, Harris and Walker have several of the same friends and appear in photos showing them at the same parties.

Since being contacted by ninemsn, one of Walker's friends wrote on her Facebook: "I knew this would happen ... hopefully it will all die off soon and you will come back from the dead hahaha".

"Haha funny that some people still think it's still real," Walker replied.

Commentators on a YouTube video of a report about the alleged sighting have claimed the photo was part of a deliberate hoax.

“They played a joke and not even the ‘experts' were able to tell it was a fake," one viewer wrote.

“I know the three of them and I'm willing to tell people it was a fake."

Another user also said he knew those involved.

“Lmao, I know the three of them, this is f***ing hilarious," the user wrote.

“I can't believe they actually managed to pull this off."

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