Ghosts Of The Past: The East Oakleigh PoltergeistNew!

9th November 2024. Reading Time: 4 minutes General, Ghosts Of The Past. 356 page views. 0 comments.

In this series, I take a look at some historical accounts of ghostly encounters published in newspapers. In this edition, I look at one of the most famous cases stemming from the little suburb of East Oakleigh in Melbourne Australia.

In this series, I take a look at some historical accounts of ghostly encounters published in newspapers. In this edition, I look at one of the most famous cases stemming from the little suburb of Oakleigh in Melbourne Australia.

Every town seems to have its claim to paranormal fame. The suburb of Oakleigh here in Melbourne Australia has quite a few connections. On top of several UFO sightings and being just next door to the infamous Westall UFO encounter (which happened a few months beforehand), it is also known as the location of the infamous East Oakleigh Poltergeist. Hot on the heels of the famous UFO case, the media descended on the small suburb all hoping to experience the noisy poltergeist (who seemed to only perform when they all went home!)

The following article was published in the Bulletin Vol 88 No 4513

Oakleigh Ghost

Now, if it were Bacchus Marsh, Boydtown, Bathurst, or Bourke, the thing would seem more credible, but a ghost amongst the double and triple-fronted weatherboards of Melbourne’s East Oakleigh is the year’s most unlikely story. The Mathrick family became acquainted with a mysterious power a couple of weeks ago when they heard strange knocking noises on the outside of their house. Mr. Mathrick was driving his truck interstate, so his wife rang the police, who came and heard but could not trace the source of the noise. Constable Sherlock, of Oakleigh Police, said he spent five hours listening to the noise, but could not trace its origins: “It seems like some supernatural force.” The next night the wireless patrol came, and whilst they were making the rounds with some neighbors there were five violent raps on the wall two feet in front of them. The following evening the 1000 onlookers arrived along with numerous TV and news cameramen, radio and Press reporters, who filled up the lounge room, trampled in garden, filled the gutters with litter, and blocked the street. They also scared off the ghost, who refused to start knocking until after midnight, when the crowd had gone home. When it started it woke the neighbors, but won no concessions from Mrs. Mathrick, who refused to believe “in this supernatural business,” and plumped for a physical explanation, However, she did admit to believing in flying saucers. There has been no shortage of advisers offering their own physical explanations, which range from a faulty water tank (suggested by a Mitcham plumber) to loose-fitting aluminium insulation (a Rosanna housewife), to snakes banging their tails against the floorboards and walls (anonymous female well-wisher), Meanwhile, as the ghost knocks on, Mr. Mathrick says he is now more “haunted” by the spectators than by anything else: “The whole thing has got out of hand and I only wish everyone would go home and let us get some sleep.”

Before I move on, is anyone else a little bit freaked out not about the ghost, but the explanation that the noises could be snakes banging their tails on the floorboards and walls? As an Australian, I am accustomed to the freakishly large spiders, but snakes? I have seen a few in my time but I would rather not think about them in my walls and in this case, a poltergeist is a much less scarier option!

The case was in the media at the time and by the sounds of it caused quite a nuisance for the residents. Due to the media attention it received, it is one of the more famous poltergeist cases in Melbourne. It was even featured in a 1980s documentary Haunted. Interestingly there is an interview with one of the police called to the house. What we need to unpack here is that this was in the 1980s, some 14 years after it occurred. Now the 1980's was not like it is now in terms of acceptance of the paranormal. To put yourself out there on TV was asking for ridicule. He sticks to his guns and vividly accounts his experience. A neighbour who concealed his identity basically out of fear of ridicule also came forward with his own accounts talking not just of the sounds but of bright moving lights inside the house. It is certainly an intriguing story and I really recommend you take a few minutes to watch the case featured in this documentary. It goes for about 7 minutes.

It is wonderful that resources such as Trove which keeps digital records of magazines and newspapers and that platforms such as YouTube can also help us keep alive these older television programs. Some of you will not have known of the East Oakleigh poltergeist, but at the time, it was quite the media sensation! What happened to the ghost? The family eventually moved away and the ghost didn't follow them. Some say it was faulty plumbing, others are convinced it was supernatural. I will take any explanation at this point, except the snakes!!

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