On a wintry, wet Friday evening in June, a number of us boarded the coach for a trip back in time. Despite the Friday evening traffic, we had a good run through to Rose Hill where the Bowling Club provided us with a sumptuous, smorgasbord spread.
Back on the coach for the short trip to Old Government House. We were made welcome by the Friends of OGH - a group of dedicated volunteers who devote much of their time to raising funds for the restoration and maintenance of the house. We were lead into a small, bare room which was thought to have once been the servants' quarters. A short history of the house, from its inception, through the various Governors of NSW, a stint as a boarding house, and its use as dormitories for the nearby King's College, was effectively illustrated by slides. We learnt of its neglect towards the turn of last century, when a considerable amount of work was carried out, and which is continuing still.
Our guides then split the gathering into smaller groups for the house tour. Along the candlelit corridors, up the gracious cedar staircase and into the Blue Room. Here we heard some of the stories reported by both visitors and guides of ghostly sightings, noises and unexplained phenomenon. In fact, a group of psychics were invited to help explain some of these reported experiences. Our own guide, told us of her experience when she was doing a last minute check before locking up the house one night. A mysterious figure in grey, who stayed around for several minutes, before vanishing. At this stage, it was noted that some of our party felt an overwhelming need for 'togetherness', and didn't stray far from the torchlight at the front of our little procession.
As the house is undergoing major internal renovations, some of the rooms were closed off. However, we managed to see most of the major ones. Of particular beauty was the dining room, with its magnificent cedar and mahogany furnishings. With the silver candelabras and the flickering candles set around the room, one could get a true feel for some of the magnificent dinner parties that were held there.
Of course, our guide couldn't resist one more story. During the recent renovations in that room, a painter was setting up his brushes and paints one evening when he glanced out of the window. There was a mysterious face staring right back at him, which vanished a moment later. Our group definitely started to drift towards the other side of the room from that window.
The evening was completed by a more than adequate supper, where we had a chance to ask questions of our guides and thank them for giving us a very special evening.