Home on the Road – Abandoned House Bus

Prosaic Explanations: The Failure Of UFO Skepticism

Introduction “If I had found even a single case that defied prosaic explanation, I would have rushed to my typewriter (now my PC) to write the most exciting story ever published by Aviation Week & Space Technology Magazine.” -in a letter from Philip J. Klass to Dr. Eugene Mallove Could

Maunu Cemetery

Maunu Cemetery and Crematorium is situated 6.5km west of Whangarei in Cemetery Road off State Highway 14 (the Whangarei to Dargaville highway). It is set in over 90 acres of rolling countryside, with beautiful bush clad valleys and pockets of remnant native trees. The cemetery is maintained to a high

The Ghosts of Meola Reef

Meola Reef, or Te Tokaroa in Māori, is a thin finger of lava flow forming a reef peninsula jutting out into the harbour between Western Springs and Point Chevalier, the larger part of which is a dog park and reserve. The reef extends for over 2 kilometres across the harbour,

Wellington Opera House – Wellington

Construction work on the building, originally known as the “Grand Opera House”, began in 1911. William Pitt, the architect, was based in Melbourne, Australia, and much of the work was overseen by local architect Albert Liddy. The Opera House has three levels: stalls, circle and grand circle. It has fine

Whatawhata Cemetery

Whatawhata Cemetery is located on Cemetery Road in the Waikato township of Whatawhata, about 10 km west of Hamilton. Whatawhata is a small (2006 population 2,064 in 681 dwellings) township in the Waikato Region on the east bank of the Waipa River, at the junction of State Highways 23 and

The Spectre of Newby Church

So……What does a ghost look like anyway? Tell us what you really think about the Newby Church Monk. The ‘Newby Monk’ (otherwise known as the ‘Spectre of Newby Church’) is the name given to the ghostly apparition developed in a photograph taken on the grounds of Newby Hall’s own Church

Basic Types of Hauntings

Have you ever seen a ghost? Have you ever heard someone call your name when you know no one is there? Ever seen the shadowy figure of someone out of the corner of your eye, then turn and see nothing? Or, have you ever seen someone that looks exactly like

Editor's Choice

- Haunted Marionettes11/01/2020Haunted Objects / InvestigationsIn my collection hang three tatty looking marionettes. Two that were gifted to me about 10 years ago. Two Kathputlis; Indian made puppets given to me by a work acquaintance who said they were no longer welcome in their home due to ‘‘their constant fighting” which was starting to frighten the family. According to them, the two puppets would start swinging and swaying when there was no breeze to be felt. They were hung together in a spare room which had only one small window that was never opened. Many a time, on entering the room, the puppets would often be found tangled and entwined in each other; legs and arms caught up in the strings like a couple of agile contortionists, without any obvious explanation. Kathputli is a combination of two Rajasthani words; ”Kath” meaning wood and ”Putli”, being a doll. Kathputli is a puppet which is made from wood, cotton cloth and metal wire. Being a string marionette, it is controlled by a single string that passes from the top of the puppet over the puppeteers. They are used for entertainment, with the puppeteers making them dance or enact a play. These dolls are generally in the form of a couple. Their attire resembles the dressage and costume of the village people, and kings and queens in those days. The Kathpulis are typically used in Rajasthani folk songs, ballads and sometimes even in folk tales. These folk tales convey the lifestyle of ancient Rajasthani tribal people with the kings, the queens and the magicians along with snake, horse, camel, and other props. Characteristic to this form are the shrill voices produced by the “Bhagavat”- lead puppeteer which are vocalized through a bamboo reed and gives plenty of atmosphere and dramatic effects. The other allegedly haunted marionette, is one passed on to me in 2013 by a woman that had wanted to throw it out and thought I might be interested in taking it instead. It is a handmade four – masked ”dancing” doll from Nepal known as Putali. Made around the 1980s, it too would sway and spin on its strings when there was no sign of a breeze or draft. The woman stated that sometimes it would spin very fast one way, then slow, then spin back the opposite way to unwind itself. While that in itself is quite a normal action, what unnerved the woman was that it would suddenly stop, mid spin as if grabbed by an unseen hand to stop it spinning. Putali are a type of marionette (string puppet) used by the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley. These puppets are made predominantly on the outskirts of the ancient city of Bhaktapur in the village of Thimi, where woodcarving and pottery are still lively arts. The putali are suspended from wooden manipulation slats by heavy thread secured through the headdress or crown, the back, and the hands. Each figure wears a long, colourful skirt of traditional fabric and, perhaps most interestingly, four masks. By turning the puppet one way, the audience sees one character; when that character turns its back to the audience, the face of another character is revealed, making it possible for one puppeteer to present multiple characters easily and quickly. The heads of the puppets are made out of papier-mâché or clay and are painted to look like the masks used in many theatrical rituals that also include iconic costumes and dance. This relates to the lively mask culture of the Newars that has been detailed by Toffin. The mask-like faces of the puppets are not human or realistic but are shaped and painted to represent familiar deities, such as the elephant god Ganesh, the tantric ferocious god Bhairab, the goddess Durga, and other characters from the Hindu or Buddhist pantheon. In their outstretched hands, the puppets hold emblematic props associated with the deity represented by the mask. ... Read more...
- Gun Emplacements and Look-Out – Bastion Point, Auckland09/04/2017Abandoned Buildings / Locations of InterestThis military outpost was built by the New Zealand Government in 1885 because of its strategic position overlooking the Waitemata Harbour. In response to the “Russian-scare” of 1973 whereby a Russian warship allegedly captured a British ship in the Auckland Harbour, a series coastal defenses were set up in 1885, including those at North Head and Fort Takapuna. The construction began on gun emplacements at Bastion Point, with the intent to arm it with two BL 6-inch disappearing guns weighing 5 tons apiece and capable of launching 100 point shells. Unlike other forts around the Waitemata Harbour, Bastion Point was never fully completed and many of the fortifications were buried during the 1940’s when the Michael Joseph Savage memorial was built. Historically the site of a Ngāti Whātua marae, the land was embroiled in controversy during the late 1970’s as plans were made to sell the land off for housing instead of the original intent of returning the land to its traditional Māori owners after it was no longer of military use. ... Read more...

“Pioneers in the field…. Leading the way with Paranormal Research in New Zealand” – Connor Biddle, Paranormal Encounters.

“I have much respect for the level of study Mark and his team have put into the paranormal phenomenon through the years. His work is interesting and very well researched.” – Murray Bott, U.F.O Researcher & NZ’s MUFON representative.

”Refreshing to see solid and innovative investigation work, done with passion and honesty. Haunted Auckland stand out in the crowd and dont fit any typical mould. This is a very good thing”. – Paranormal Review newsletter

Paranormal New Zealand is the home of Haunted Auckland, a Paranormal Investigation and Research group.

Whether you’ve been aware of Mark Wallbank’s research work since the 1980s, subscribed to his popular mid-2000s blog BizarreNZ, followed the Haunted Auckland team since 2010, or just recently discovered us; WELCOME and thanks for joining in the fun, learning, and adventures.

We are a dedicated group of paranormal enthusiasts, all having one thing in common – a passion and drive to find out as much as humanly possible about the mysterious and unknown field that is the Paranormal, as well as documenting New Zealand’s historical buildings and landmarks in their current state.

Paranormal (păr′ə-nôr′məl) adjective.
Paranormal events are purported phenomena described in popular culture, folk, and other non-scientific bodies of knowledge, whose existence within these contexts is described as beyond normal experience or scientific explanation. The term “paranormal” has existed in the English language since at least 1920. The word consists of two parts: “para” and “normal”. The definition implies that the scientific explanation of the world around us is “normal” and anything that is above, beyond, or contrary to that is “para”.

We’re always learning new things, so hope to pass that knowledge on to you all so that you might learn as we do, in this crazy but fascinating world of the paranormal.

Firstly a few things you should know about Haunted Auckland. We’re a small Auckland based team of friendly, dedicated, well seasoned and enthusiastic researchers with differing levels of experience, knowledge, skills and expertise and totaling around 100 years of experience. Our investigators are intelligent, honest, compassionate and possess critically thinking (yet wide open) minds. We’re also very good listeners.

We work closely with Property Managers, local Councils and Historical organisations to help preserve local histories, bring further awareness and raise funds by running public events.

Haunted Auckland has it’s roots deep and strong. Going back to 1984, with a team (Auckland Ghost Hunting Group) formed by H.A founder, Mark Wallbank; making them NZ’s longest running Paranormal field-research entity.

What we aren’t: We aren’t Ghost Busters, Ghost Hunters, Exorcists, Mediums, Clairvoyants or Psychics and we don’t do clearings, blessings or the ridding homes of alleged demons. We don’t do prayers, rituals, or bring in any religious elements to our work. We aren’t mental health experts or sleep disorder professionals, though we do work closely with mental health professionals.

We travel that spooky road, between sceptic and believer. We are happy to sit right in amongst it all and take the research wherever it may lead us.

While we are sceptical and doubtful of certain cases and ideas, we have seen and experienced enough in our time to realise that dedication to the research is definitely a worthwhile cause. Instead of blindly believing (or disbelieving), or just accepting what we are told is true and real, we prefer to seek out the answers ourselves through first-hand, “boots on the ground” investigation. Experimentation, observation and documentation. We don’t have all the answers and we don’t consider ourselves experts.

The team prides itself in being quite a bit different from other paranormal investigation teams out there. Our mindset strays from the popular culture train of thinking with regards to the paranormal, that is already rife with spirit boxes, phone apps and flashy, easily manipulated fad gadgets. Our goal is answers and evidence, not social media or entertainment popularity.

We don’t follow the mainstream, gadget driven mentality. Gadgets marketed to the naïve and gullible, claiming to detect and interact with ghosts.

We don’t however dismiss these gadgets until we have fairly trialed and experimented with them within our own investigations, before deciding whether they are worthy and valid to use within our research, or just more useless toys for the ever growing ‘’junk box’’.

Research time in these locations is valuable and a privilege, so wasting it on pointless flashy boxes that offer no accurate data in return or are vague and open to interpretation (as well as mis-interpretation) is counter-productive and a poorly used opportunity. Thinking outside of the ‘’box’’ confinements of the popular T.V and social media- lead mainstream is something, the team sees as important if the field is to move forward and gain any serious credibility or traction within scientific or academic circles.

The team utilises a combination of old-school thinking and techniques, coupled with a modern way of thinking. Simple and stripped back yet embracing current technology to work though theories and ideas that may find their way into our research. We don’t make claims we can’t back up with evidence or reliable data.

We pride ourselves in keeping it real. No faking evidence or embellishing of facts. If nothing happened, nothing happened.

What we are, is “real world” researchers. Learning by doing. Walking the talk. Substance over fluff. If we don’t know something, we say so.

We don’t charge anything for what we do. The opportunity to investigate a location and hopefully further our research is its own great reward.

We follow the Scientific Method as closely as we are able to; though it’s not always easy to create a fully controlled environment and the fact that true paranormal activity is sporadic and very rare means we don’t always have a lot to go on. Still, we do our best with what we have to work with at the time and go wherever it takes us.

We go to where the stories come from in order to see for ourselves. We talk to the people involved to get their sides to the occurrences.

Our conclusions are never really final and we find multiple return visits yield the best results; so have built up trusting relationships with quite a few locations within the historical communities in this country. Our clean and respected reputation within historical circles is something the team prides itself on, as it has grown over the last decade and is based on well over 200 investigation sessions within that time.

For a full listing of References & testimonials, please visit our TESTIMONIALS page on this website.

Exploration – Observation – Experimentation – Documentation … Ultimately leading to Interaction, Understanding and Conclusion.

KEEPING IT REAL

Please check out our website and don’t hesitate to make contact if you have any queries or would like to know more about what we do. We’re always happy to talk about spooks!

Through the years the team have investigated:

Waikato

Hawkes Bay

Central North Island

Chateau Tongariro Hotel

West Coast and Central South Island

Seaview Asylum
Otira Stagecoach Hotel

Canterbury

The Old Shipping Office (Akaroa)

Otago

Cardrona Hotel
Vulcan Hotel (St Bathans)

Dunedin

Seacliff Asylum
Chalet Backpackers
Larnach Castle

United Kingdom

The Drovers Inn – Scotland
Traquair House – Innerleithen
Ancient Ram Inn – Wooton-Under-Edge
30 East Drive – Pontefract
Boleskine House – Scotland
Ballachulish Hotel – Glencoe
Chillingham Castle
The Golden Fleece – York
Bunchrew House – Scotland
Oswald House – Kirkcaldy
Halston Hall – Carlisle
Airth Castle
Dalhousie Castle
Barcaldine Castle – Oban
The Witchery – Edinburgh
Edinburgh Vaults – Scotland
Touchwood House – Scotland
Greyfriars Kirkyard – Scotland
The Hellfire Club – Ireland

Australia

YHA [Katoomba] – Hartley Village [NSW] – Quarantine Station [Manly] – The Russell Hotel [Sydney]

Cryptozoological Field Research

YOWIE RESEARCH: Blue Mountains [ Australia] – Kanangra Ranges [Australia]

MOEHAU RESEARCH: Coromandel Ranges [New Zealand] – Urerewa Ranges [New Zealand]

LAKE MONSTER RESEARCH: Loch Ness [Scotland]

… as well as many private home visits around Auckland and surrounding towns and extensive investigation internationally.

Some of the services and experience we have on offer:

Research and Investigation of buildings, historical locations and businesses

Photo & video analysis

Photographic enhancements

General paranormal consultation

Historical Research

Conferences / Public speaking

Educational talks & fundraising for historical locations

Media interviews

Paranormal New Zealand

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