Latest Updates

Return to Bastion Point Generator Room and tunnels – Auckland

Return to Bastion Point Generator Room and tunnels – Auckland

Went back into the Bastion Point Generator tunnels this morning. Always a joy to spend time in places where daylight never penetrates.

Mothman

Mothman

Mothman is a legendary creature reportedly seen in the Point Pleasant area of West Virginia from 15 November 1966 to 15 December 1967. The first newspaper report was published in the Point Pleasant Register dated 16 November 1966, titled “Couples See Man-Sized Bird…Creature…Something”. Mothman was introduced to a wider audience

Couldrey House – Wenderholm

Couldrey House – Wenderholm

History Couldrey House is an historic Victorian-Edwardian family home set in parkland. It is fully furnished but in a mix of styles reflecting the eras and preoccupations of some notable past owners. Who lived here? • An early entrepreneur extraordinaire • An Indian Army Major and his artist wife •

Mt Wesley Cemetery – Dargaville

Mt Wesley Cemetery – Dargaville

Photos by Sam, Marlene, Barbara and Mark.  

Carrington Hospital / Unitec visit

Carrington Hospital / Unitec visit

Went back to document the current decay status of the old Carrington Psychiatric Asylum/Hospital. A beautiful historic location we’ve visited for our research many times through the years when it was a Unitech. Now it sits empty and unmaintained. Large chunks of the old hospital complex are under the developer’s

Rangiriri Hotel overnight Investigation – Waikato [PHOTO GALLERY]

Rangiriri Hotel overnight Investigation – Waikato [PHOTO GALLERY]

On Sunday, the team headed south to the Waikato region to spend the night investigating the historic Rangiriri Hotel, (also known affectionately to locals as “the Rango”), a landmark that has seen its share of unusual occurrences through the years. The 1866-built tavern is only about an hour’s drive from

Kumi Lizard – NZ’s Giant Enigmatic Lizards

Kumi Lizard – NZ’s Giant Enigmatic Lizards

There are 90 species of lizards currently known in New Zealand. Most are not of any impressionable size and yet from Captain Cook’s first arrival in New Zealand, strange tales of large lizards have been passed down to fairly recent times. One of these lizards, the Kumi lizard, was apparently

From the Haunted Auckland Archives: Civic Theatre – Possible EVP recorded August 3rd 2012

From the Haunted Auckland Archives: Civic Theatre – Possible EVP recorded August 3rd 2012

This recording was captured during an August 2012 investigation, whilst Matthew and Lisa were standing in the special wheelchair-accessible seating area. They were questioning a few interesting EMF (Electromagnetic field) spikes and fluctuations that were occurring at the time.
What do you hear?

Unusual Aerial Sightings – Australian Government Records

Unusual Aerial Sightings – Australian Government Records

“UNUSUAL AERIAL SIGHTINGS” A SEARCH THROUGH THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT’S RECORDS SYSTEMS Compiled by Keith Basterfield On behalf of the Australian UFO Research Association @2011   Excerpt: Between  June  2003  and  June  2008  a  major  search  was  undertaken  to  locate  and  examine Australian  Government  files  relating  to  “Unusual  Aerial  Sightings”  (otherwise  known  as “Unidentified Flying

Kingseat Nurses Hostel / Spookers

Kingseat Nurses Hostel / Spookers

The Haunted Auckland team investigates the Kingseat Psychiatric Hospital, reputedly one of New Zealand’s most haunted locations. In this, our first of three investigations, we explore the former Nurses’ Hostel, now occupied by the Spookers Haunted Attraction.

Editor's Choice
New Zealand Moose
New Zealand Moose05/01/2014Kiwi CryptidsMoose – Alces alces andersoni, were imported from Saskatchewan Canada, into the South Island by the New Zealand Acclimatisation Society as a sporting animal along with red deer in the early 20th century. These animals supposedly failed to establish, and yet sightings persisted and evidence of their continued presence continued. The initial introduction occurred in 1900 when four animals from Canada were released in Hokotika. The initial release was supposed to have been fourteen animals but ten died on the voyage from Canada. Out of these four animals only one was a cow, and was said to wander the streets of a local settlement until 1914 when it was no longer seen.These animals were presumed to have not survived and a further release was planned. This occurred on the 6th of April 1910, when six female and four male, ten month old calves were released in Supper Cove in Dusky Sound. It was believed these animals died out due to the competition from Red Deer – Cervus elaphus, however a small number must have persisted as reports of physical traces and sightings continued. These sightings became quite prevalent between 1929 and 1952. Herrick Creek was one spot where a bull moose was supposedly shot by one Eddie Herrick in 1934. This was one of a dozen animals shot between 1910 and 1952. The last one sighted and shot in 1952 was presumed to have spelt the end of the establishment of a moose population in New Zealand, in fact it would have been the only population of wild Moose in the Southern Hemisphere. Nothing more was heard of the Moose apart from rumour and speculation until a possible sighting in 1971 sparked a hunt for a possible surviving population of these enigmatic animals. More physical proof came to light in 1972 when an antler, definitely moose was found. Ken Tustin was charged with finding out if they still existed on the insistence of the New Zealand Forest Service in 1972. Research conducted by Mr Tustin suggested that a small population may have inhabited the Dusky Sound area. This was based on prints, droppings, antler casts and signs of grazing. No actual sightings of the animals were however forthcoming. The thick bush in the area kept them well hidden. Mr Tustin did not give up the search and in 1995 a picture was taken of a possible female at Herrick Creek. A single frame from a video clip showed what appeared to be the retreating figure, regrettably the image was not a clear one due to the video being in time-lapse mode which causes some distortion to the picture. The outline and stance of the animal however were quite convincing. A hair sample was found in 2000 and subjected to DNA testing. The test confirmed it was definitely Moose hair. Further evidence of their continued existence was found in 2001 when two hunters came across some more hair. This sample came from Shark Cove on the southern side of Dusky Sound and was again confirmed as Moose hair. Another hair sample was found by Mr Tustin in October 2002, snagged at waist height on some tree bark, this too was subjected to DNA testing and proved to be of Moose origin. The hairs were collected opposite Oke Island. Though no actual sightings have occurred since the 1971 one, there is plenty of physical evidence for the existence of these animals. These animals seem to be confined to the Dusky Sound area. Bedding spots and physical evidence suggest up to 20 animals may live there ( Otago Daily Times 06.10.05). Although the population is small these animals seem to be holding their own, though regrettably they have not been granted protection and are still able to be subjected to the hunters gun. If these animals are to survive they need the protection to establish a stable population, which could be possible considering the number taken by hunters early in their introduction. The area in which they live is heavy bush and this has impeded visual sightings, but the evidence is there that this species holds on in their remote piece of Fiordland. [...] Read more...
Cambridge Hotel – Wellington
Cambridge Hotel – Wellington04/12/2015Haunted LocationsCambridge Terrace, site of some of Wellington’s landmark buildings, was once a stream. Before a massive earthquake changed the landscape in 1855, flat-bottomed boats used to make their way from the harbour along what are now Cambridge and Kent terraces to a shallow lagoon, which later became the Basin Reserve. Many of the principals of the New Zealand Company that founded Wellington had Cambridge University as their alma mater – hence the name Cambridge Terrace. One of the Cambridge Terrace’s most famous buildings was St Patrick’s College, which was built in 1884 and remained the dominant feature of the southern end of the street until the school moved to Kilbirnie in 1979. The Cambridge Hotel, on the corner of Alpha St, on Cambridge Terrace has long been a feature of the street. It looked to be on its last legs, until it was fully refurbished  and restored to full splendour, with a sympathetically restored decor. The Cambridge Hotel is the first choice for many travellers and returning guests. It is popular for its value accommodation and fantastic central location in the capital city. The Cambridge Hotel has been serving the local community since 1883, and also has claim over a famous guest with Queen Elizabeth II gracing the hotel with her presence during the 1963 royal tour. There have been a couple of claims of possible paranormal activity within this hotel that we have so far heard of, though these have been vague and without much detail. claims made have been of seeing a man in a black suit silently ascending the stairs and disappearing at the top; as well as the usual feelings of  movement in the rooms, “pressure on the bed, like a cat has just jumped up”, or an uneasy feeling at the top of the stairs, “as if you are about to fall, or be pushed.” [...] Read more...
Is my House Haunted?
Is my House Haunted?06/02/2015Ghost Hunting / Hauntings / Opinions and TheoriesYou hear heavy footsteps in the upstairs hallway when you know no one is up there. Doors slam unaccountably. Household items disappear and reappear without cause. You wake to someone whispering in your ear, yet you sleep alone. The bathroom light switches on and off by itself. There’s the unmistakable scent of a strange perfume in the air. You see unusual moving shapes, mists or shadows.True hauntings are rare occurrences, and it may be difficult to determine whether or not any strange occurrences you are experiencing in your home might be due to a haunting. For one thing, no one really knows what a ‘real’ haunting is – what causes it or why it starts. The first step is to determine, as best you can, whether or not you truely have a legitimate case of a haunting. Not all hauntings are alike, and they may exhibit a variety of phenomena. Some hauntings feature a single phenomenon – such as a particular door slamming shut that occurs repeatedly – while others consist of many different phenomena, ranging from odd noises to full-blown apparitions.Unusual smellsScience has proven that scent’s and the memory are very tightly connected and the perception of scents could be tied to those close to you they may wish to let you know they are present without sending you into a panic with the sight of a full-body apparition, or by looking for the source of an unseen voice. Scents that are not typical to your surroundings could possibly indicate spirit activity.  Perfumes, flower scents, earthy scents and cooking smells are some of the scents detected in relation to ghostly activity. Again, there can be other natural explanations for these types of smells including to but not limited to the following: Cleaners and Deodorizers, Candles, Foods, embedded smoke and scent particles in furniture, etc. Any of these smells can be triggered by changing environmental factors. Also these phantom smells can be associated with the Olfactory system of the brain possibly being related to neurological disorders or attributed to a migraine if associated of followed by a headache. The main thing is to stay lucid and rational. Dont fly off into any wild panics over ghosts running loose in your home. Many people jump to an instant ghost answer and spent the rest of their time being miserable, fearful, anxious and too scared to live at peace in their own house. The imagination can be a powerful thing. Dont let it take over. Investigate to see if anything seems out of the ordinary. Look closely and more importantly, use your brain and think it through. Work through the possiblities and take control of your situation and your home. There are many theories of course, which we will try to discuss in this book, but if you think your house may really be haunted, what really can you do about it? These may be indications that your house is haunted. But how do you know if that persistent tapping on your walls is bad plumbing, rats, or an attention seeking ectoplasmic visitor? Perhaps using a scent that you are sure to notice or that can instantly trigger a past event is a softer way for a love ones spirits to communicate without causing alarm or making you question your sanity even more then you already do? Unexplained noises or voices Unexplained noises can be just about anything that an individual hears but can’t be explained away with a logical source for the sound produced. Such sounds can include the sounds of glass breaking, footsteps, floors creaking, doors slamming, and the sound of furniture moving when no one is present to cause such noise. Also, knocks, banging, rapping, scratching, sounds of something being dropped. Sometimes these noises can be subtle and other times they can be quite loud. Scratching noises, like all other reported noises, need to be examined carefully to determine if they can be ruled out and explained by mundane experiences. Sometimes mice and small animals can get into walls and ceilings and produce similar sounds. You might hear music playing from an unknown area or your name being said by someone or something who isn’t there. Whispered voices, groaning, crying, children singing and laughter, have all been heard by many people all around the world going back many years. Sometimes individuals report hearing voices of someone that he or she knows, but the person the voice is associated with isn’t present at the location at the time the voices are heard, or the individual that was heard did not actually speak at the time that the voices were recognized. Often, the voice heard is that of someone deceased. One phenomenon related to this is involves hearing one’s own name called when no one else is present at a location or when no one called out an individual’s name; this is often referred to as the “calling ghost phenomena.” Inadvertently voices or unexplainable sounds can be recorded to audio tape or MP3 recorders. In the Paranormal research field, the capture of sounds or voices on audio recorders is termed EVP. This stands for Electronic Voice Phenomena and is thought to be the byproduct of an a possible communication. When a spirit or entity of some sort is trying to communicate, these disembodied voices will usually not be heard during the recording session but will be audible during playback. Sometimes the sounds and voices could be of a residual nature. Doors, cabinets and cupboards opening and closing You swear you closed them all before leaving for work, so why is one wide open when you return? Doors, cabinets, and drawers with minds of their own are classic hallmarks of a haunting. most often, these phenomena are not seen directly. The experiencer either hears the distinct sounds of the doors opening and closing or the experiencer will return to a room to find a door open or closed when they are certain that it was left in the opposite position. Sometimes furniture, like kitchen chairs, are perceived to have been moved. Very rarely will the experiencer actually witness the phenomenon taking place. Lights and appliances turning off and on The lights go out but the switch hasn’t moved. The TV flicks on and off. Brand-new batteries drain in seconds. When activity begins to increase at a location, in many instances the electrical appliances will either turn on by themselves, off by themselves or both. These events are seldom seen actually occurring, but the lights are switched on or off when the experiencer knows they were not left that way. The theory is that spirits are made up of, and require, energy. Energy could be defined as heat, electricity, light, static, even our own body’s energies. So they draw it from whatever nearby source might be handy. This in turn, might end up being from your home appliances and electrical gadgets. That or you just need to get a reliable electrician in to look at your wiring. Temperature drops and cold spots If the temperature of the air around you suddenly changes, it could be a sign that a spirit is nearby. A cold spot may appear just before during or after other paranormal activity. The theory is that an entity trying to manifest itself or communicate uses energy in the space surrounding it. If the energy drawn is ‘heat’, then it might be possible for a ‘cold spot’ to be left if the heat has been drained from a certain area in the room. It has been documented by investigators worldwide, sudden ambient temperature drops of 20+ degrees during potential paranormal events. These cold spots can be felt and measured and usually are short lived. The cold or hot spots can move from room to room or be very generalized to a specific spot or location. On occasion entire rooms can be much colder than the average house temperature and even colder than the outside air. When experiencing a cold spot, it should be documented by recording the place, time and ambient weather conditions if possible. The colder air doesn’t always mean that you will actually see a spirit manifest but it may be a sign that one is nearby. Possible explanations for cold spots could be drafts or air convection currents and air conditioning units. Items moving around We’ve all been through this frustrating scenario. The moment when you can’t find your house keys even though you think you left them where you normally do. Later you find them in exactly the place you were looking for them earlier as though they’ve been borrowed by someone and put back. You know you definitely looked for them and could not have missed them. Others have called this “the borrowers” phenomenon, and it’s the familiar experience of not being able to find a regularly used item – say, your set of car keys – which you believe you placed in a spot you routinely place them. But they’re gone and you look everywhere for them with no success. Sometime later, the keys return – in the place you originally put them, as if the keys were borrowed by someone for a short time, then returned. Pictures falling off walls, vases and other decorative items being knocked over and thrown. Objects that appear to be securely anchored becoming dislodged moving or falling to the floor. Please keep in mind that from time to time a simple act of placing a glass or object to close to the edge of a table or counter can allow for this type of action to occur. Shelving that may not be level can over time due to vibration from walking cause objects to slowing migrate towards the edge and crash to the floor. Before considering misplaced objects as paranormal please consider factors in the environment first such as pets, children and even other family members that may not remember moving the item. Unexplained shadows Many people claim to have seen shadowy figures when talking about paranormal activity in their home. The sighting of fleeting shapes and shadows, seen out of the corner of your eye, could be a sign of paranormal phenomena. This phenomenon has also been termed ‘Shadow People’. Many times, the shadows have vaguely human forms, while other times they are less distinguishable or smaller. First try to rule out any natural or practical reasons for the shadow or its movement. Headlights of a neighbour’s car shining through windows or curtains, sunlight reflecting off a shiny surface or object, either outside or inside the room. Strange animal behavior Animals have sharper senses than humans, and many researchers think their psychic abilities might be more finely tuned also. Dogs may bark at something unseen, cower without apparent reason or refuse to enter a room they normally do. Cats may seem to be “watching” something cross a room. Sooth the animal and get it to calm down.  Take notice of when and where these things happen and see what other signs might be going on.  Pay heed to your pets.  They’re innocently psychic it seems! As always, look for reasons as to why your pet might be reacting this way. Dont jump to the ‘ghost’ conclusion untill youve given it a little thought first. Feelings of being watched This is not an uncommon feeling and can be attributed to many practical things, but it could have a paranormal source if the feeling consistently occurs in a particular part of the house at a particular time. Many aspects around the home can cause feelings of paranoia, anxiety  and being ‘watched’.  From your diet, to possible mental illness and sleep disorders, through to the electrical wiring in your home giving off an unsafe EM field. All have been known to attribute to such feelings. Feelings of being touched It could be a sign that spirits are present, or maybe not. An extreme and very rare example would be getting slapped or punched by the invisible someone or something. Again, it is important that you try and rule other things out before coming to the conclusion that it was a spirit who touched you. For example, something might brush up against your arm when you are standing in an empty room. Think; did you brush past a curtain or is a window letting in a slight breeze? A cobweb perhaps? Those are some of the most common experiences of those who think their houses are haunted. Yet even stranger things can happen… Remember, you should always try to find a rational reason for the things that are happening in your home. It is important to try and ‘debunk’ your theories before settling on paranormal phenomenon as the overall answer. [...] Read more...
The Cromwell Kilwinning Lodge ghost
The Cromwell Kilwinning Lodge ghost07/11/2015Haunted Locations / Historic Buildings / Urban LegendsThe Cromwell Kilwinning Lodge No. 98 was founded in 1869 for the Freemasons of Cromwell, with the Lodge building constructed in 1900. The Lodge is a small but impressive building, constructed of local stone set in the old part of Cromwell, immediately adjoining ‘Old Cromwell Town’ which is the surviving section of the largely flooded historic Cromwell business district. The Lodge has provided a meeting place for its members for over 105 years. A mysterious, shrouded black figure is seen from time to time, standing beside the lodge. The figure has been sighted mainly during dusk hours; however one story describes the black cloaked mystery figure standing at the front door of the lodge, in the afternoon. No one seems to know who this mysterious person is. Mark from Haunted Auckland visited the Lodge in November 2015.                         Update Photo – In the start of 2021, Mark travelled back down South and made a second visit to the lodge. [...] Read more...
Junction Hotel – Return overnight investigation
Junction Hotel – Return overnight investigation01/07/2017Hotels and Businesses    [...] Read more...
“A doll named Sue” PART 1: The Introduction, An experiment into haunted items.
“A doll named Sue” PART 1: The Introduction, An experiment into haunted items.13/07/2014Ghost Hunting / Hauntings / Opinions and TheoriesMid July we got a call from a woman explaining that her 91 yr old grandmother was having problems in her apartment and needed assistance. As always we were happy to oblige! Getting a distress call from someone in their 90’s is not a typical call for us. Most service calls we get are from people who seem to range anywhere from their teens to maybe their 50’s. I imagine this maybe because of how generations view the paranormal. Most 90 yr olds are not influenced by popular television, as the newer generations are. So to get this call, we immediately were fascinated in finding out the details. To keep this from being a long drug out blog I will break this down into a couple segements. Click here for Part 2. On this investigation are Scott Wolf, Anna Hill, Faye Navarro, and Roxi Rodriguez. Client History and Impression: The client is a very sharp 91 yr old female who resides by herself. No noted signs of any cognitive issues, no history of mental deterioration. Her health only includes some aches and pains due to her age, but is otherwise healthy. During conversation, she never repeats herself and stays on point with all conversation. She has lived in her one story apartment for 12 years. She has never had a paranormal experience in her life, up until 7 weeks prior. She is tearful when speaking of her current experiences. We can see that she is worried that people will not believe her, and has not received much support from anyone except her granddaughter who has called us. She is very convinced that whatever is in her home IS in fact of paranormal nature. She has called a psychic which has done a remote reading via telephone. The client reluctantly has paid the psychic for their service, but feels that they are “full of it” The fact that the client is in tears and visibly shaken by these events, makes us feel that she is genuine in her experiences and is not fabricating any details. Claims: – Client is kept awake by music like old gospel, and Johnny Cash. She hears this music low but audibly. It keeps her awake. She only hears this music when she is in bed. If she gets up to look for the music it stops as soon as her feet hit the ground. – The clients name was said out loud on a few occasions, she also heard the sentence “I’m so tired help me help me help me help me!” she says it sounds distressed. Once again audibly. – Phantom touching. Client is touched and pushed while in her bed. –  TVs being turned on and off . – Very loud bangs through out the home. This has the client most frightened. – A remote that was disassembled being reassembled. The client’s remote had stopped working, she opened the back, put new batteries in and was having a hard time putting it back together. Knowing her granddaughter would return the next day, she left the remote sitting batteries exposed facing up with the compartment door sitting beside the remote. The next morning she awoke and found the remote sitting with the compartment closed and the remote was sitting upright. Interventions by others (not associated with ALPS): A psychic was called they charged the client a consult fee. The client was told that this is possibly a male Indian in the home. – We got an EVP of what maybe a male protesting this claim. A couple from the Catholic church, came in to do a blessing on the home. Before leaving the wife turns to a doll in the living room and says “AND YOU BEHAVE!” she then turns to the client and tells her, “that doll is no good, I would not have it”. – Doll impression. It immediately catches the attention of a couple of team members, Anna and Faye, upon entering the location. It’s easy to be drawn to it, although it isn’t necessarily creepy in nature. Even when you are not looking at the doll, or it is out of your peripheral vision, its easy to feel hyper aware of it. Not sure what to make of this doll as this point. (During this observation we have yet to be made aware of the blessing done by the previous) Client feels uneasy about the doll. So upon putting together pieces of the puzzle, we have to ask ourselves a few questions: 1) What would this woman of 91 years have to gain by fabricating a story? We’ve concluded, absolutely nothing. This has gained her no positive attention. Anyone she attempts to talk to immediately disregards her story, and tells her it is impossible. “Ghosts do no exist”. This makes her feel sad and isolated. 2) At 91 years old can she cognitively be going through some sort of medical condition that is causing her experiences? Possibly, but we see no outward signs of mental deterioration, whatsoever. I have personally been in the skilled nursing facility field for most of my life and have worked with the high-100’s of senior citizen. Our client here is by far one of the most mentally intact 91 yr olds I have had the pleasure of working with. Although she seems stressed, I believe her claims. 3) What’s changed in the past 7 weeks to cause this woman who has lived in her home for 12 yrs to suddenly have paranormal occurrences? We asked the client to think hard about anything that has changed during the onset of these experiences. After being asked, she perks up and points to some records, and then the doll. These items were given to her by a friend, a pastor, who’s wife (a friend of the client 50 years) had passed away. The husband himself is terminally ill and is clearing belongings out. The doll nearly meets a dumpster, but the client asks to keep it. Immediately strange things begin to happen in the house. Investigation time: We conduct a very short 2 part investigation of the clients home. Because of her age we are unable to conduct long sessions. She is very leery of the doll. Next question, if this doll is removed, will occurrences still occur? The client has asked us to please remove the doll from her home. We are reluctant because this is not something we typically do, and we DO NOT advise teams to remove anything from a clients home unless specifically asked to do so. Never claim an item haunted and remove it, this in our opinion is unethical. We do not have the right to deem any item haunted without proper investigation and research into such item. A Doll Named Sue So the question we are left with is, is it possible for items to hold and retain spiritual energy? The only way we feel our team feels we can know for sure whether this item is attached by anything otherworldly, is to conduct a series of experiments, record results, and to basically “keep an eye on it”. Our team has agreed to do an ongoing research project into this item to see if we can validate our clients claims. (Part 2 of this blog will detail the journal we keep for “Sue”, as well as more information about her)     “Sue” at our team meeting. Everyone getting acquainted. Since “Sue” has been removed many of the claims have stopped. Some still went on. The client has decided to move from her apartment to another to escape her fear she has associated with her current home, and has since thrown away the records obtained during the same time as this doll. We met with her yesterday (July 12th) and she says all activity has stopped. We will continually meet with her until we have a consistent record of no activity. *** this case remains open and inconclusive. We make no claims that this doll is haunted…..yet……  Click here for Part 2 [...] 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, attended his early 90s discussion events, received the quarterly newsletters, subscribed to his popular mid-2000s online 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 researchers, 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.

Our primary reason for existing as a team is to experience first-hand and document any perceived paranormal activity so that we may learn to better understand the phenomena and the misconceptions surrounding it. Our aim as a research team is to study these phenomena as closely as possible to form more educated opinions via experimentation, documentation, and simply being present at the moment to record and respond accordingly to it and wherever it may lead us.

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.  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.

In our time, the team has successfully raised many (much needed) thousands of  dollars, to assist with the upkeep and general running of these wonderful historic locations. Something we are very proud of.

We are also very proud to have worked alongside and assist both the NZ Police and NZ Fire Services with our work.

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.

We don’t make bold claims we can’t back up with evidence or reliable data.

The team prides itself in being quite a bit different from other paranormal investigation teams out there. We tend to stay away from the mainstream gadget fads.

Research time in 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.

Why we don’t offer Clearings and Banishings

We decided many years ago to stop offering clearings and cleansings, as the more we learned, the more unethical (even damaging) we could see it was on a few levels.
We wanted to experience and observe these ”beings” and learn about them. Learn from them directly, if such a thing is possible.
To hopefully interact and document as much as we could of it to advance the study of the paranormal.

If the theories on spirits are correct, then clearing, or ”banishing” becomes nothing more than a punishment, torture, an eviction from a home, or even a death. Death to a person (possibly living in an alternative dimension we are yet to even understand or comprehend), that has as much right to exist as ourselves.
Until ghosts, spirits, negative energies, and demons have been sufficiently verified to actually exist, (to which they as yet haven’t, outside of belief, possible misinterpretation, and superstition) it would be unethical to assume a position of knowledge and superiority enough to think we have rights that far outweigh theirs. That we may enter their home and try to evict or eradicate them as if they were cockroaches or some other household pest.

It’s about respect, understanding and compassion; on both sides.

What we are, is “real world” researchers. Learning by doing. 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:

Auckland

Wellington

Northland

                                                                    Dargaville Central Hotel

Coromandel

Waikato

Hawkes Bay

Central North Island

  •                                                                Chateau Tongariro Hotel                                                               Jubilee Pavillion – Marton

 

Northern South Island

                                                                                 Trout 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

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
  • The Skirrid Inn – Abergavenny
  • 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
  • Ostrich Inn – Slough
  • Caynton Caves –  Shropshire
  • Four Crosses Inn – Staffordshire
  • Torwood House – Scotland
  • Dalhousie Castle – Scotland
  • Windhouse – Yell, Shetland
  • Swan Hotel – Wooton-on-Edge
  • Weston Hall – Staffordshire
  • Clava Cairns – Inverness, Scotland
  • The Queen’s Head Hotel – Troutbeck
  • Haunted Antiques Paranormal Research Centre – Hinkley

Australia

YHA [Katoomba]

Hartley Village [NSW]

Quarantine Station [Manly]

The Russell Hotel [Sydney]

Maitland Gaol [NSW]

Kilmore Gaol [Melbourne]

Aradale Lunatic Asylum [Melbourne]

 

Hawaii

Kaniakapupu Palace Ruins – Nuúanu Pali – Manoa – Oahu Cemetery [Oahu]

Norfolk Island

New Gaol – The Crank Mill – Bloody Bridge

Cryptozoological Field Research

YOWIE RESEARCH: Blue Mountains [ Australia] – Kanangra Ranges [Australia] – Blue Mountains Exploration: Research Area – Bullaburra [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 and exploration 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