Phantom footsteps, mysterious lights, and reports of ghostly apparitions are part of the sales campaign for Junee’s infamous Monte Cristo Homestead, where a local agent is tasked with selling a property with a reputation like no other.
A maid who reportedly fell to her death from an upstairs balcony, a child said to have been kept in chains, and a stable boy who died in a fire were among the spirits said to haunt Australia’s most infamous homestead.
They are among the stories surrounding Monte Cristo Homestead, dubbed Australia’s most haunted house, with at least 10 ghosts said to remain on the property, which is now up for sale.
The historic Junee property has been on the market for about 12 months, with local agent Jason Barrett tasked with finding a buyer for an estate known as much for its ghost stories as its grand architecture.
“It’s internationally renowned as Australia’s most haunted house,” Barrett told REB.
Its reputation has drawn media attention and buyers curious about the property’s paranormal history, with the agent saying he did not need to rely on unusual marketing tactics.
“It’s almost speaking for itself. People know what they are in for.”
Among the ghosts is Elizabeth Crawley, the homestead’s original owner, whose spirit was known as the Lady in Grey and was said to make her presence felt when visitors disrespected her, leaving some feeling unwell or uneasy.
Another alleged resident, a maid carrying the child of Christopher Crawley, her employer, was said to haunt the veranda after reportedly falling to her death from the upstairs balcony.
The coach house was said to be haunted by Morris, a stable boy who reportedly died after his straw mattress caught fire.
Despite the stories, Barrett said inspections had so far been uneventful.
“The response from people looking through has been very calm, no hair-raising experiences,” he said.
“What we’re putting it down to is that the ghosts that are there are more friendly and hoping to attract a new buyer rather than frighten them away.”
A piece of Australian history
Beyond the ghost stories, Barrett said that the Monte Cristo homestead carried more than 140 years of history, having been built by Christopher William Crawley in the 1880s.
Crawley owned much of the land that became Junee and chose a prominent hilltop site for his home, overlooking the town, giving the homestead one of the area’s most prominent locations.
The Crawley family remained at the property for more than 60 years before leaving it vacant, with the contents eventually auctioned.
The next owners, Reg and Olive Ryan, bought the estate in 1963 and spent years restoring its buildings and extensive collection.
Reg, a tailor by trade, taught himself welding to repair the wrought-iron verandas and wheelwrighting to restore the property’s horse-drawn carriages.
His daughters also helped with the restoration, cleaning bricks, mowing lawns and painting the steep roofline.
The family later opened the homestead to visitors, displaying antiques, European furniture, artwork and carriages, while also offering ghost tours.
Its restored ballroom became the setting for the town’s annual period costume ball, held every year since 1973.
The family’s own experiences also added to the property’s supernatural reputation, with Noelene Ryan recalling unexplained encounters during her childhood.
“Growing up, I’d feel a hand on my shoulder or hear footsteps when no one was home. But I was never frightened. I always found it quite comforting to know that we were accepted by the past residents of the house,” she said.
After more than 60 years under the Ryan family’s ownership, the property was being offered for only the third time in its history.
However, Barrett said finding a buyer had proved difficult because the estate offered considerably more than a conventional family home.
“We haven’t found that right buyer yet.”
The property included the main homestead, original cottage, old dairy, stables, carriages and restored ballroom.
In total, the property spans around 6 acres and includes 18 rooms, 5 bathrooms and 10 car parks.
Barrett said while the house remained structurally sound, it required cosmetic work, with buyers needing enough funds to purchase and restore the estate.
“There’s not many people that are looking for a house that also want the ballroom and the stables and the carriages and so on that come with it,” he said.
Barrett said the estate offered buyers several options, from a private residence or reinstated ghost tours to a destination restaurant, wedding venue, or function centre.
Additionally, he said that the property’s heritage listing implied further paperwork, with council having to approve any restoration work.
He said that while interest had come from Sydney and Melbourne, the distance to Junee and the logistics of purchasing and restoring such a large property had slowed some prospective buyers.
The sale also included the furniture, artworks, collectibles and carriages, with Barrett marketing the entire estate as a walk-in, walk-out purchase.
While buyers might have been drawn to the property’s history, Barrett said the ghosts have currently been quiet.
“They are letting their new owner settle in first before they show themselves.”
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