SA's historic Gladstone Gaol reopens with ghost tours

Following a period of closure, one of regional South Australia’s historic landmarks has reopened its doors to the public, with new caretakers leaning into the site’s dark heritage. 

This year Lantern Ghost Tours licensed the Gladstone Gaol site from the Department of Environment and Water. 

This weekend, just in time for Halloween, the company opened the doors to the public for the first time, with sold-out ghost tours welcoming thrill-seekers and history enthusiasts alike to the now 145-year-old facility. 

Naomi Bailey, the project coordinator for Gladstone Gaol, said it was exciting to have people back.

"The community really wanted to be here as well, they were showing it through booking of the tours, and the takeaway was the interest. We sold out," Ms Bailey said. 

"We had to open additional tours, and we've got really strong bookings every Saturday night."

Local tourism asset

Locals also shared Ms Bailey’s excitement to have the Gladstone Gaol’s gates open once again. 

Gladstone Community Development and Tourism Association president David Catford said it was a surprise when the previous operators retired in 2022.

"I think that the community has come to realise what it means not having it open," Mr Catford said. 

"I have described it as the 'jewel in the crown' of the Southern Flinders tourism area because really, it's a unique site and it's an important part of getting people to come here and be tourists and see and enjoy our region."

A once-off open day in 2025 was attended by some 1,300 people, which Mr Catford said proved interest in the prison was still there. 

Dark history to bright future

Sitting on the cusp of the Southern Flinders Ranges and Mid-North regions, authorities in 1879 at the time determined that Gladstone would become home to a new prison, aimed at taking pressure off jails at Port Augusta and in Adelaide. 

The jail operated in its intended capacity for just shy of 100 years. 

Opening in 1881, its prisoner intake varied over the years, going from an all-gender prison to male-only, to a military prison during World War II, and later took on a focus more to reintegrate inmates back to society. 

By 1975 – and still not having plumbing in the building – the government of the day closed the facility.

Gladstone local and tour guide Steve Schultz said the community acted quickly at the time to preserve the site and its history. 

"It's been a long battle ever since then to keep it open and at least have it accessible to the public basically," he said. 

In the years since, the jail's uses have varied, from previous ghost tour iterations, to hosting accommodation and events.

Citing a downturn in volunteers after the COVID-19 pandemic, the previous caretakers hung up the keys in 2022. 

A spooky reopening

Lindi and Shelley made the trip from Clare on Friday night, with the hope of experiencing something paranormal. 

Both having fond memories of visits to the jail in its time as accommodation and an events venue, Lindi said its return to the community was "awesome". 

"I think this is fantastic," she said.

Ms Bailey said the company planned to launch a café on the site, and restoration works that would allow for events and visitors’ further exploration of the site’s history. 

"We really want to balance the heritage nature of the site and really complement it with events and activities that are coming through," she said. 

Among the visitors on Friday was Anthony Van Zeventer, who stopped by while travelling from Philip Island to Darwin, without realising it was opening night.

"I think it's great that the community's got behind it and that they're reopening it again," Mr Van Zeventer said.