Is the Kanyaka Station Ghost Town Haunted?

Kanyaka Station Ghost Town

Kanyaka Station lies in a remote part of South Australia’s Outback. The abandoned site is little more than a crumbling ghost town today, although this area will always remain rich in history.

The station dates back to 1852 when it was established by the newly emigrated Hugh Proby, a wealthy, young man who had arrived on Australian soil from the UK. He worked to shape the Kanyaka Station but died shortly after the town was established in a flash flood accident where he was swept from his horse. His gravestone remains in place where he sadly passed away, just outside of town.

Following the death of Proby, the station continued to be shaped and grown by subsequent managers, such as John Randall Phillips, who worked to build many of the stone structures that remain in ruins today. The station saw some success with its cattle and sheep farming and boomed to house up to 70 families at its peak. Eventually, drought and the harsh climate of the outback caught up with the station and it was ultimately abandoned.

Is the Kanyaka Station Ruin Haunted?

Being a site where many lived, died and passed through, it remains entirely possible that the ruins of the Kanyaka Station ghost town could be haunted. There seem to be no real prevalent ghost stories about this site, but a visit and paranormal investigation of my own seems to suggest there may be some energy trapped here.

During the time I spent at this site I thought I captured sight of a shadow figure, almost like a man, within the creek, which runs past the main homestead. While my husband Jarrad thought he saw someone wearing white within the ruins as we approached in our car.

We also documented a ball moving on its own and some strange responses came through an Estes session and our devices. This place definitely warrants further ingestion and I would be interested to hear others’ experiences.

Visiting Kanyaka Station

The Kanyaka Stations is a fascinating peek into the harsh lives of early European settlers. The ruins are amazingly intact and quite easy to find off the main highway. There are two main areas where the ruins can be found, split between the main homestead and the shearer’s workspace and living quarters. A short walk through the dry creek bed will also take one to the town’s small cemetery. I definitely recommend a visit but please use care and caution when traveling to this location as it is quite remote.

Hugh Proby’s grave can also be located by following the sign pointing off from the main freeway, just before Kanyaka. Be warned that the actual grave is located a fair distance from the main road.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also find interest in Farina, another South Australian ghost town.

Thanks for reading!

xoxo