A Ghost Town Called Steiglitz

Tucked into the rugged Brisbane Ranges, about an hour west of Melbourne between Geelong and Ballarat, Steiglitz is a remarkably well-preserved remnant of Victoria’s gold rush era.

Gold was discovered here in 1854, and the settlement grew rapidly. By the 1860s, Steiglitz had more than 1,500 residents, four hotels, shops, churches, a newspaper and an undertaker. By 1863, the population had reached around 2,000, including a significant community of Chinese miners.

But the boom didn’t last. By the late 1870s, the easily accessible gold had been exhausted and the population began to disappear. The last mine closed in 1941, leaving Steiglitz to gradually become the near-ghost town it is today.

Much of the former township is now protected within Steiglitz Historic Park. The remaining buildings include the 1875 courthouse, which contains photographs and artefacts from the goldfields era, while the old cemetery on Maude–Steiglitz Road offers another reminder of the people who once lived and died here.

Steiglitz would feel particularly isolated after dark. There is no electricity throughout the historic township, and late-night visitors have reported strange sounds and an unsettling stillness among the buildings and bushland.

Some believe the paranormal atmosphere may have something to do with the town’s violent history. Goldfields life was dangerous, and people died through accidents, illness and violence. The Old Steiglitz Pioneer Cemetery, used between 1854 and 1860, contains just one remaining headstone — that of 27-year-old Robert Duncanson, who “lost his life by accident on the Steiglitz Goldfields” in 1857.

There are also more unusual theories. Quartz was once extensively mined beneath Steiglitz, and in paranormal circles the mineral is believed to amplify energy and spiritual activity.

I visited Steiglitz Ghost Town during the day in 2023, when the town was peaceful rather than frightening. But with abandoned buildings, open mine shafts, a forgotten cemetery and a history steeped in tragedy, it’s easy to understand why some believe the old goldfields settlement hasn’t been entirely left behind.

Read more about Steiglitz in Issue 14 of Unknowing.