Brisbane: Toowong Cemetery Ghost Tour & Historic Stories

120,000 Graves, One Statue That Moves: Brisbane's Oldest Ghost Tour

You'll walk through Brisbane's largest burial ground with a historian who knows every grave and the real stories behind them, including a statue with a reputation, a governor's tomb, and the graves of murderers and a buried boxer. The tour takes 1.5 hours, covers steep ground, and you leave with a signed book and the kind of local knowledge you can't get anywhere else. Book only if you're comfortable with moderate walking uphill and genuinely interested in the history. This isn't a thrill ride, it's a cemetery.

Step-by-step itinerary

Guided historic ghost tour at Toowong Cemetery

• Arrive at Toowong Cemetery
• Join 1.5 hour guided ghost tour
• Hear stories of moving statue
• Learn about deceased governor
• Discover tales of black widow
• Explore murderers' graves
• Visit buried boxer's tomb

The experience

So you're standing in Toowong Cemetery at dusk, and Jack Sim (the guy who literally wrote the book on this place) is telling you about a statue that apparently shifts position when nobody's looking. Not the kind of thing you expect to hear in Brisbane, but here's the thing: this cemetery holds more than 120,000 people, and the stories attached to them are real. The Mayne Murder, a black widow, a boxer buried in the ground. These aren't invented for effect. They happened, and the graves are still here.

The tour runs about 1.5 hours, and you'll walk up steep hills through the necropolis, so flat-soled enclosed shoes are non-negotiable (they actually turn people away if you show up in thongs or heels). Bring a torch, phone torch apps work fine, because you're moving through a burial ground and the light matters. Jack Sim has been running these ghost tours since 1998, and he's the author of the Ghost Trails series, so when he points out a grave or a crypt and tells you what happened there, it's not theater. It's history that happens to be unsettling.

You get a copy of his book, Ghosts of Toowong Cemetery, included in the price, which normally costs $25. There's also a donation to the Ghost Tours' Haunted Heritage Fund built in. The whole thing is small-group, which means you're not shuffling through with fifty other people. It's intimate in a way that makes the stories land differently when you're actually standing in front of the graves they're about.

What’s included

Your 1.5-hour tour includes entry to Toowong Cemetery, a guided walk with historian Jack Sim through the graves and crypts, a copy of the book Ghosts of Toowong Cemetery by Jack Sim (valued at $25), and a donation to the Ghost Tours' Haunted Heritage Fund. You'll need to bring your own torch and wear flat-soled enclosed shoes.

Before you book

Days and timesFridayDeparts at 19:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (18 to 59 years) · Senior (60 and older) · Child (10 to 17 years) · Under 10: can't be booked

GroupUp to 26

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Historic Australia

Is this one for you?This tour is for people who want to know the actual history of Brisbane's burial ground (the real names, the real crimes, the real graves) rather than a manufactured scare. The steep walking and the 1.5-hour pace mean you're moving at the speed of storytelling, not rushing, which is what makes the detail stick.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (10 to 17 years). Children under 10 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.

How long is the Toowong Cemetery ghost tour?

The tour runs 1.5 hours and includes walking up steep hills through the cemetery grounds.

What's included in the ticket price?

Entry to the tour, a copy of Jack Sim's book Ghosts of Toowong Cemetery (RRP $25), and a donation to the Ghost Tours' Haunted Heritage Fund.

Do I need to bring anything?

Yes, a torch (phone torch apps are fine) and flat-soled enclosed shoes. Thongs, sandals and high heels will get you turned away with no refund.

Who runs these tours?

Jack Sim, a haunted historian and author of the Ghost Trails series. He's been running Brisbane's original ghost tours since 1998.

What are the vaccination requirements?

All travelers must be fully vaccinated or have a valid exemption (or be under 16). Proof must be shown at check-in or entry will be refused with no refund.

What stories will I hear about?

Real historical stories including The Statue That Moves, Grave on the Hill, the Mayne Murder, a black widow murderer, and a buried boxer, among others.

Is public transport available?

Yes, public transportation options are available near Toowong Cemetery.