'Haunted' Brisbane theatre investigated by ghostbusters

GHOSTBUSTERS are set to move in on a Brisbane theatre believed to have been haunted for nearly half a century.

IT COULD have sprung from a script itself - a team of paranormal investigators outfitted with infra-red technology will bunker down at one of Queensland's allegedly most haunted sites tomorrow, looking for signs of the ghosts that have made actors jumpy.

But there will be no dress rehearsal when Paranormal Paratek Queensland shuts down Spring Hill's Brisbane Arts Theatre for 12 hours in an effort to pick up evidence of supernatural activity - the first time the theatre has been surveyed.

"We are going to try and find some fact to the claim that this place (the Arts Theatre) is the most haunted," president Darren Davies said.

"We don't know what we will get ... it could be nothing or it could be mind-blowing."

Mr Davies said rumours of strange happenings had plagued the theatre for 47 years, with actors and crew reporting footsteps, items being moved, things appearing where they shouldn't, and one woman who claims she was physically moved from the gallery.

"Jean Trundle (who founded the theatre with her husband Vic Hardgraves in 1936) is a legend and there have been claims of her apparition being seen inside the theatre, particularly during a play's final rehearsals," Mr Davies said.

Three investigators, and the theatre's manager, would set up full spectrum visual and audio surveillance, including infra-red and ultra-violet technology and electro-magnetic pumps to "increase activity".

"We've done an electrical check of the building to ensure the place is sound and there are no potential draft areas," Mr Davies said.

"We've also been doing a lot of local research (for the past two weeks) through the council and state government and library departments to chase up the claims that are out there.

"There have been a number of (groups) that claim it is haunted but so far there have been no facts to back it up. That's what we are hoping to do, we are going to try and re-write the mistakes made and work with the historical societies."

The group has already investigated Maryborough's Customs House and Criterion Hotel and Mr Davies hopes one day to survey another supposed haunt: Queensland's Government House.