21 March 2023
Warwick is a thriving and attractive rural town situated on Queensland’s Southern Downs, renowned for historic buildings. From humble shepherd’s slab huts where Australia’s greatest shearer, Jackie Howe was born to grand public buildings and homesteads of sandstone, her streetscape is still dominated by heritage architecture.
The physical presence, sheer beauty and grandeur of these historic buildings is one thing, but there’s something else many of them share. It’s not until you enter these grand old dames that the stories of past emerge, where sometimes their presence can really be felt.
Some call this presence and experience a paranormal event beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding.
Glengallan Homestead is one such building. Uninhabited for more than half its lifetime, it remains frozen in time.
To enter Glengallan is a time-warp experience of the solitary sandstone mansion residing, as it has since 1867, over the fertile Glengallan Valley to Cunningham's Gap in the Great Divide.
“Restored from ruin in 2001, the iconic Glengallan Homestead emerges from the ruins of the 1867 mansion as a unique heritage experience,” explains Glengallan Homestead Trust Chairperson, Donna Fraser. “The building is a traditional Victorian style built of sandstone to last the testament of time, with the addition of the Queensland wrap around verandas.”
Glengallan Homestead General Manager, Jonno Colfs recalls his first-time being in the homestead alone, “I definitely felt something, a little bit spooked, a little bit eerie. I scooted out in quite a hurry. It’s probably 100% my imagination and reading too many Stephen King novels.”
Another standout of Warwick’s heritage assets is the Abbey Boutique Hotel. “Originally built as a convent in 1891,” explains owner and self-confessed building custodian, Mark Cairns. “In its hey-day it had some sixty girls boarding here and being taught by the nuns.”
“We instantly fell in love with the property and originally purchased it as a residence, but decided to renovate it to a boutique hotel,” said Mark. “We do Murder Mysteries, where you and up to 25 to 30 friends can book out the entire property and we’ll host the Murder Mystery for you, including dining and spending the night.
“So are we haunted?” asks Mark. “Well, you definitely can hear everything in Warwick, it’s nice and quiet here and lots of things do happen here, but my wife definitely thinks not. It’s really up to people to experience for themselves. We’re just here to look after this magnificent historic building for the next generation and hopefully preserve her forever.”
Walking through Warwick’s CBD, you’ll easily spot another grand dame, the Criterion Hotel. Built in 1917, the hotel was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992.
The hotel's publican Valerie Prentice explains, “I call myself the Spiritual Guardian of the Criterion Hotel, a custodian of the hotel. Back in 1917, Warwick was going to be the financial capital of the Outback, and Mrs Allman, a widow with three sons, invested a substantial amount of money rebuilding the hotel to be one of the most imposing and finest hotels in Queensland.”
“You need to remember this happened at a time when women couldn’t even vote. Being a publican was one of the only ways a woman could have power, it was a way to have status,” says Valerie. “The hotel is a beautiful expression of that time, she embraces you, and she’s a rather demanding lady that needs attention and respect. You know when Mrs Allman is happy, and when she is not. Her presence can mainly be experienced in the kitchen and the Allman Room.”
Southern Downs Mayor, Cr Vic Pennisi further adds, “We certainly have some tales to tell and share. I invite visitors to come and see for themselves, and explore this intriguing, beautiful location just west of the Great Divide, from the rainforests of Queen Mary Falls to our villages and farming lands through to the wine country of the Granite Belt. I encourage visitors to explore ahead of their visit by downloading the free Southern Downs and Granite Belt App from the App Store or Google Play.”
Last edited date 21 Mar 2023