Melbourne Ghost Tour: Hidden Ghosts, Murder & Mystery

The opera singer who plummeted beneath the stage and never left.

A 90-minute walking tour of Melbourne's haunted sites with a local guide, covering Chinatown's hidden opium dens, the Princess Theatre where opera singer Frederick Federici vanished mid-performance, Jack the Ripper's rumoured hideout in Hosier Lane, and Collins Street's dark Parisian quarter. The tour includes a live English-speaking guide. Dinner is available as an add-on option at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Hosier Lane15m
2. Collins Street15m
3. Princess Theatre Melbourne15m
4. Chinatown Melbourne15m

Explore Melbourne's dark history and ghosts

• Visit the infamous Chloe painting
• Explore graffiti alley and Jack the Ripper sites
• Learn about Melbourne's Parisian quarter
• See Melbourne's famous ghost at Princess Theatre
• Explore hidden opium dens in Chinatown

The experience

The walk covers five stops across Melbourne's oldest quarters, each one tied to a story the city keeps half-buried. You'll stand in Hosier Lane where Jack the Ripper is rumoured to have hidden from the Metropolitan Police, then move through Chinatown to see where opium dens operated behind the scent of spices, their existence masked from the streets above. The guide walks you through Collins Street's dark side: the Parisian quarter where the city's poorest were sacrificed in the name of science, their bodies sold from poorhouses to medical schools under cover of night. You'll see the infamous Chloe painting, a work that made grown men blush when it first arrived.

The Princess Theatre is where the tour reaches its most chilling moment. Frederick Federici, a famed opera singer, gave his final performance there and plummeted beneath the stage in front of a stunned audience. Some say he never left. The guide tells the story of his vanishing and what witnesses reported that night, grounding the legend in the actual space where it happened. Hosier Lane doubles as a stop for its graffiti art: famous in its own right, but also home to the darker history the guide unpacks.

The tour runs 90 minutes with a local guide speaking English. Comfortable walking shoes are essential. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and the route works for all fitness levels. If you want to extend the evening, you can add a two-course dinner to your booking at checkout. It pairs with the ghost tour but is optional. The tour is suitable for ages 15 and up.

What’s included

• A local guide speaking English.
• all five stops (Chinatown Melbourne, Princess Theatre, Collins Street, Hosier Lane and the Chloe painting).
• a two-course dinner if you select that option at checkout.

Options for this experience

2 options

Ghost TourGuide in English · 20:30Ghost Tour

Dinner with 2 courses and a ghost tourGuide in English · 20:30Dinner and ghost tour: meet at the Young and Jackson hotel for dinner at 6:30 pm, followed by the 8:30 pm tour

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesFriday and SaturdayDeparts at 20:30

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (15 to 86 years) · Under 15: can't be booked

GroupUp to 25

Live guideEnglish

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

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.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 today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Lantern Ghost Tours

Is this one for you?Book the ghost tour alone if you want the stories and the walk without adding time to your day. Add the two-course dinner at checkout if you'd rather spend the evening in one place and hear the darker history over a meal.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the story behind Frederick Federici and the Princess Theatre?

Frederick Federici was a famed opera singer who gave his final performance at the Princess Theatre and plummeted beneath the stage in front of a stunned audience. The guide covers what happened that night and why some say he never left the building.

Will I see Jack the Ripper's actual hideout in Hosier Lane?

Hosier Lane is where Jack the Ripper is rumoured to have hidden from the Metropolitan Police. The guide walks you through the alleyway and explains the connection, though the lane is also famous today for its graffiti art and street culture.

What can I expect to learn about Chinatown on this tour?

Chinatown Melbourne was home to hidden opium dens that operated behind the scent of spices. The guide uncovers how the dens were concealed and what life was like in that part of the city during that era.

Is dinner included in the ghost tour, or is it separate?

The ghost tour stands alone and takes 90 minutes. A two-course dinner is available as an optional add-on at checkout if you want to extend the evening. You choose which option suits you when you book.

Do I need to be fit or have any special ability to do this walk?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels and all areas are wheelchair accessible. Wear comfortable walking shoes, as you'll be walking through alleyways and city streets for the full 90 minutes.