One of Australia’s most haunted homes is searching for a new owner, but before any buyers get scared off, a decades-long resident has revealed there is no reason for concern.
Despite tales of distant footsteps, disembodied voices, paranormal activity and flickering lights, for Noelene Lateen and her family, the infamous Victorian manor was nothing more than their beloved home.
Now, the 18-bedroom estate is on the market for $1.9 million, with its next owner set to acquire more than six acres of land and an extensive collection of antiques.
The mansion was built in 1884 by Christopher William Crawley, who founded the town’s first store, hotel and church.
By the late 1940s, the property had been abandoned and its contents auctioned off, leaving behind a vacant estate that quickly became the subject of ghost stories.
Lateen’s father, Reg Ryan, a tailor by trade, saw an opportunity and purchased the property with his wife, Olive in the 1960s before undertaking a decades-long restoration.
“When he started restoring 1 Homestead Lane, he decided he needed to learn about antiques. He started traveling overseas to England, purchasing items over there, sending container shipments back of furniture that he’d bought,” Lateen said.
As the project demanded, Reg learned to weld so he could repair the collapsing wrought-iron verandahs and taught himself how to build and repair wooden carriage wheels to restore horse-drawn carriages.
It was a family affair, with his daughters helping clean salvaged bricks, mow the lawns and even paint the home’s steep roofline.
In the 1960s, the family opened the grounds to the public for a fete, which attracted so much interest that they eventually began welcoming visitors into their home.
By the mid-1970s, Monte Cristo was open every day but Christmas to show off its extensive collection of antiques, European furniture and restored carriages. The family also held an annual period costume ball.
With more and more people walking its halls, Monte Cristo’s reputation for paranormal activity began to spread.
The property went on to be featured on the ABC program A Big Country in the 1970s, with the mansion frequently visited by mediums and psychics looking to “experience the supernatural.”
Over the years, visitors and family members have heard footsteps in empty rooms, seen the face of a young farmhand peering through the window of the children’s bedroom and witnessing lights turning on without any cause.
For Lateen, the experiences were a fixture of her childhood, though she was never afraid.
“Growing up, I’d feel a hand on my shoulder or hear footsteps when no one was home. But I was never frightened. I always found it quite comforting to know that we were accepted by the past residents of the house,” she said.
The two-storey Victorian manor has retained most of its period character, including ornate detailing, wide verandahs and high ceilings.
The property sits on approximately 2.47 hectares and comes with 18 bedrooms, five bathrooms and garage space for 10 cars.
Aside from its main residents, the grounds feature an original cottage, former dairy, stables, carriage facilities, a restored ballroom and a swimming pool.
Inside, an extensive collection of period furnishings – including an Australian cedar dining table and bookcase, artwork and antiques gathered by the family over decades – will remain with the property as part of the sale.
With the Ryan siblings now reaching retirement age, the family has made the difficult decision to pass the home on to someone new.
The listing, through Ray White Junee, notes the estate could remain as a private residence or potentially be converted into boutique accommodation, a wedding venue or another tourism venture, subject to council approval.
The family hopes that whoever takes over the property will appreciate all of the work their father put into breathing life back into the historic estate.
Nannup home with reportedly haunted bakery listed from $750,000
A renovated home in the picturesque West Australian town of Nannup is offering buyers a paranormal twist, with an allegedly haunted former bakery included in the sale.
What it was like to grow up in Australia's 'most haunted home'
Logan Paul lists infamous ‘haunted’ ranch for staggering price
The YouTuber’s home is known for its notorious past and now it needs a new owner.
The information on this website is intended to be of a general nature only and doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs.
