More stay-at-home South Australians are reporting paranormal activity

Dirty footprints on the kitchen ceiling, unexplained voices and moving cups – more South Australians are discovering that they may not be alone in their home isolation.

In the past two weeks, the North Kapunda Hotel’s ghostly guests have been making themselves seen and heard a lot more often, says publican Tiani Leis.

She’s not alone, with experts reporting a spike in paranormal reports state-wide since Covid restrictions have forced more of us to be locked down home.

But is it the supernatural? Or just shadows and noises that would normally go undetected?

“I’ve heard lots more banging and crashing upstairs and it’s only me and my husband here and he’s been painting the bar downstairs while we’ve been in lockdown,” said Mrs Leis, co-owner of a Kapunda hotel renowned for its paranormal activity.

Tiani Leis, co-owner of the North Kapunda Hotel, has motion sensor cameras set up in several of the old rooms and halls throughout the hotel, where stories of ghost sightings and strange sounds have persisted for years. Picture Dean Martin

She’s also seen shadowy figures moving across rooms, as well as more footsteps than the norm heard down the “hall from hell”.

Mrs Leis believes the quiet, slower pace of lockdown and increased sensitivity – due to pandemic-related stress and anxiety – could account for the extra action she’s noticed since mid-July.

Ghost stories have been associated with the North Kapunda hotel for decades. Picture Dean Martin

Alison Oborn, SA paranormal researcher and Adelaide’s Haunted Horizons tour operator, said she’s received more reports of suspected paranormal activity from SA residents and those across the border during restriction periods and lockdowns.

“One rang up reporting footsteps and a shadow in the hallway, followed by that feeling of dread,” she said.

Adelaide Paranormal Investigator Alison Oborn at the Gungellan Hotel in Freeling, where the ghosts are said to be friendly and just want a beer and to play on the pokies. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

“Another was worried for her child as she heard a man’s voice when she knew they were on their own. She also reported witnessing doors opening and closing on their own. She was worried her child would be affected.”

Ms Oborn said increased reporting was understandable in the current Covid context. “I think it’s because people have been at home more, but it should be remembered that there has been a lot more stress and mental health impacts during lockdown that could be adding to those reports,” she said.

Laura, from Ghost, Apparitions, Spirits and the Paranormal (GASP) Investigations said: “More people have been reaching out to me on Facebook or in person in 18 months in regards to experiencing more or escalating activity.”

She said of the more unusual cases recently reported was a resident who found unexplained dirty footsteps on the ceiling of her kitchen.

The same resident and her family have shared footage of cups moving on the kitchen bench without any visible human intervention (view below).

Adelaide paranormal historian and author Allen Tiller said winter was often considered the more active paranormal season, not because of the weather, but because more people were stick in indoors.

Mr Tiller said the increase in reports since Covid were more often a likely misinterpretation of the unusual than the paranormal.

“This could be a cold breeze in the house they have never felt before, pipes knocking, seeing ‘orbs’ on security cameras,” he said.

“Things that may happen at the same time every day, but because the person is not normally home all the time, they may misinterpret as ‘paranormal’.”

Allen and Karen Tiller, paranormal investigators, in The Queen Victoria Room at the Adelaide Town Hall. The Room is linked to a bizarre claim it was haunted by Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, our city’s namesake. Picture: Dean Martin