‘It’s definitely haunted’: Heritage comes alive in Charters Towers for ‘Great Houses’ event

Some of the oldest houses in Charters Towers are opening their doors to the public on Sunday. See what one owner said about their ghosts.

Mt Alma was built in 1886 by Edward Paradies, a part-owner of the Day Dawn mine.

Old houses are coming alive this weekend in Charters Towers as the town’s much-loved ‘Great Houses’ weekend gets under way.

This year, three houses are throwing open their doors on Sunday – Ay Ot Lookout, Jemane Cottage and the Mt Alma former hospital building.

John Levitski purchased Mt Alma last year and has spent the past 14 months bringing the 1886 home back to its prime.

“It’s definitely haunted, but not in a bad way,” Mr Levitski said.

“It has a beautiful, peaceful atmosphere.”

Mt Alma: owner John Levitski, who also owns Hoi Polloi Antiques and Collectables on Gill Street.

Mr Levitski said living in a former hospital doesn’t worry him.

“It was only after buying it that I realised how much historical significance it had for Charters Towers,” he said.

“It was built by one of the original Germans who part-owned one of the biggest gold mines. It was a mining villa and later it served as a private hospital and a lot of people were born here.”

Mt Alma: The central hallway, which Mr Levitski said is one of his favourite spots in the house.

Antique lovers might recognise Mr Levitski – he’s the owner of Hoi Polloi Antiques and Collectables on Gill Street.

Mr Levitski said he lived in his shop for three years while waiting for the perfect home to come along.

Mt Alma: A former veranda which was walled and turned into another living area.

When the daughter of the former owner contacted Mr Levitski to sell the house’s furniture, he asked if they were moving.

“She said they were selling and I ended up signing the contract a week later,” he said.

“At the end of the day I’m just the caretaker. Owning a place like this is a conservation exercise.”

Mt Alma: Original glass details around the front door. “It’s called Victorian Ruby glass and to get that colour they used gold,” Mr Levitski said.

One of the great upsides of owning an well-built old Queenslander is the wraparound balcony and breezeways.

“The french doors all open up and you get the cross breeze. I didn’t have to use the aircon at all last summer,” Mr Levitski said.

“My favourite part of the house is the east balcony. It’s beautiful in the morning when you get an orange sunrise bursting through the trees.”

Great Houses of Charters Towers organiser Diana Lynch said it was unprecedented for all three houses to open their doors.

“Up to 500 people come through each house on the day,” Mrs Lynch said.

“This is the fourth year we’ve run the event.”

The three houses are open to visitors from 10am to 3pm on Sunday – $5 cash entry at the gate.

This follows an Antiques Roadshow-style event on Saturday afternoon, where people are encouraged to bring their antiques in for professional appraisals before a crowd at the Charters Towers Civic Club on Ryan St. Tickets to the Saturday antiques event can be purchased here: https://bit.ly/3pcW3he

Originally published as ‘It’s definitely haunted’: Heritage comes alive in Charters Towers for ‘Great Houses’ event