Things that go bump in the night

A spate of paranormal and unexplainable activity while she occupied the shop prompted her to recruit the ‘ghost hunters’ after hearing stories of its previous occupants.

According to family, Mrs Crawford, needing something to do and to make money to look after her family, she ran a corner store there during the war; her husband was away and reportedly killed at war.

Mrs Crawford’s son Archie used to help her in the shop until he eventually took over the business.

Many years later, the day after finally selling the corner store, Archie died; no one knows what happened to Mrs Crawford.

Sharon said a lot of little things happened that gave rise to her belief the café was haunted.

“We would be standing at the counter till at the end of the night, and the smell of perfume would waft over,” Sharon said.

“We’d hear footsteps, not creaking floorboards, actual footsteps.

“One night I could hear music, and I thought I’d left the radio on, but when I went to turn it off, it wasn't on.

“It was a different music that I couldn't put my finger on (until) one of the family members said Mrs Crawford used to play the piano accordion; that’s exactly the music I’d heard.”

One room, now an office with an eerie feeling about it, was later found out to be Mrs Crawford’s bedroom.

Rutherglen property, Fairfield Estate, commonly known as Fairview, has also been the site of spectral intervention.

The property has not been the subject of paranormal investigations, but according to local legend and accounts shared by visitors, the estate is haunted by a ghost known as ‘Henry’ or ‘Uncle Henry’.

Henry is believed by locals to be a spirit from the extended Morris family lineage, keeping a watchful eye over the historic 1889 Italianate mansion.

Rather than being described as a frightening or malevolent presence, Henry is traditionally spoken of as a mischievous, gentle poltergeist.

In one notable account, Corowa photographer Sue Davis was conducting a professional photoshoot on the estate grounds with a model and a horse.

As she moved in to take a shot of the Fairfield mansion, a heavily secured camera strap suddenly fell, completely free from her camera equipment.

Sue and the crew attributed the unexplainable glitch to Uncle Henry playing a harmless trick.

Halloween is this weekend, and there’s always an extra focus on paranormal activity during this time of year.

Not because there’s extra activity happening, but because people are more tuned in due to seasonal changes and full‑moon cycles that some investigators say make the “veil” between worlds thinner.