Ghosts of Willow Court Asylum

Willow Court Asylum

Willow Court Asylum is the oldest mental health facility in Australia. The site, which is located in New Norfolk Tasmania, was formerly known as the Royal Derwent Hospital and dates back to 1827.

Willow Court became a necessity for the area after it was realized that many convicts were suffering from mental health issues. The asylum was to see a lengthy life, becoming the longest continually run asylum to operate in Australia, remaining open until late 2000. Today, the asylum sits largely empty and abandoned. Though some of the spaces have been repurposed by local businesses, others have been left empty and to rot. Many say, that spirits are the only ones to still roam their halls.

Willow Court and the Paranormal

Willow Court Asylum is a fascinating place with a great deal of historic value. It is also a place that many believe to be haunted by its past. One area where people claim to have had various unexplainable experiences is the Criminally Insane Men’s Building. This area housed some of the asylum’s most dangerous individuals. So, it is unsurprisingly a place where some people have reported seeing shadow figures in hallways. The Criminally Insane Female’s Building is also said to have its fair share of activity. Here, many people have heard disembodied voices and even what appears to be footsteps running down the main hallway.

Some people also claim to have had paranormal experiences within one of the site’s morgues, as well as within the stunning Ladies’ Cottage. The Ladies’ Cottage is said to contain a number of spirits ranging from former staff, patients and sadly even children.

Visiting Willow Court Asylum

Willow Court Asylum is a truly fascinating place to visit. Although many of its former buildings are unable to be visited, you can still explore some of these Wards by attending a Ghost or Paranormal Investigation Tour by Tasmania’s Most Haunted. They will take you around some of the buildings, which still remain at the Willow Court site, and you will hear vivid stories of mystery and madness while discovering intriguing history.

Each and every tour is conducted with care and sensitivity, therefore this has resulted in Tasmania’s Most Haunted being one of the leading tour operators in the State. Tasmania’s Most Haunted have been operating Ghost and Paranormal Tours in Tasmania and the Willow Court Asylum since 2014.

I also recommend checking out the Willow Court Antiques Centre during your visit to the site.

If you enjoyed this article you might also like to learn about the haunted Bush Inn, which resides a short distance away from WIillow Court Asylum.

Thanks for reading!

xoxo