'I went ghost hunting at "Australia's most haunted gaol". It was not what I expected.'

I have always been interested in ghost stories, spooky myths and weird coincidences, but as a non-religious sceptic, you could say I am more 'para-curious' than a full-on believer.

But this sceptical curiosity was enough to send me, a friend and three paranormal experts to Maitland Gaol on a freezing Sunday for an adventure in ghost hunting. 

Maitland Gaol was built in 1848 and closed in 1998 because of a combination of security issues and unsuitable conditions in the oldest part of the building (the cells are unimaginably tiny). 

Since the last inmate left 25 years ago, the gaol has had a variety of uses. 

It is a regular location for TV and film shoots, an unusual venue for private events and it hosts a company that runs laser tag parties at weekends. During daylight hours, tourists visit for guided tours and on certain nights of the month, the ghost hunters arrive.

And tonight that's me.

I park outside the entrance alongside the imposing locked gates on an otherwise dark and deserted street. Through the bars, I can see a mix of sturdy sandstone buildings, protected by sky-high walls and guard towers topped with razor wire. 

Knowing this vast complex of buildings is dark and deserted is enough to send the first chill up my spine.

I am a guest of the gaol under the guidance of psychic, Renata Daniel from Newcastle Ghost Tours and paranormal investigator Anne Rzechowicz of Oz Para Tech who together make up a spooky duo known as the 'Ghost Grannies'. Our team is completed by my friend and gaol artist-in-residence Rachel Milne, and volunteer paranormal enthusiast, Steve Chandler.

If I am going to come face to face with paranormal activity, I am happy to have Australia's ghost-busting grandmothers (and Steve) by my side.

We start our night by laying out our sleeping bags in the front room of the former governor's house known as The Residence. 

Over the last 175 years and counting, this building has housed several of the gaol's governors and their families, a visitor's centre, and more recently, a textile museum. 

The dusty museum mannequins that litter the now-disused basement sure add to the creepy vibe.

We whip out some chips at 'base camp' and I chat to Anne and Renata about their work as fearless 'ghost grannies' in an industry dominated by YouTube 'bros' who exorcise demons for likes and subscribers. 

"We don't subscribe to the bulls***t most popular channels carry on with," Anne says of their science-first approach to the paranormal.

"It's a hard business to survive in, however, when you stick to the truth and don't exaggerate."

Outside of building tours and teaching people how to hunt for ghosts, the women have two podcasts, and a YouTube channel (without the bulls***t). Anne is also Australia's number one supplier of paranormal equipment. 

Read more about the lives of the 'Ghost Grannies' in our subscriber's only special.

Renata, Anne and Steve at the front entrance to Maitland Gaol. Image: Supplied.

As the temperature drops, we put our woolly hats on and grab our torches while the expert grab boxes of equipment. I feel both excited and petrified.

We are to be treated to a mix of their 'Ghosthunting 101' experience where we tour the facility and take part in a series of paranormal investigations around the gaol, at some out-of-bounds locations AND we are part of some special experiments back at The Residence. 

Our first stop is A-Wing, one the oldest parts of the gaol and Anne, Renata and Steve greet the spirits with a cheery 'hello, boys' as we enter the otherwise silent space. We peer into some of the tiny cells that housed sometimes two or even three inmates at a time, one of which briefly belonged to Australia's worst serial killer, Ivan Milat.

We are plunged into darkness to prepare for our first experiment while Steve sets up a mix of movement and proximity sensors that illuminate or flash with changes in energy or touch. Rachel bravely offers to be the first guinea pig and sits in a cell in the far corner while hooked up to headphones and the SB11 spirit box. 

The spirit box device sweeps through radio frequencies and Rachel must shout out any sounds or words she picks up as Renata, Anne and Steve ask the spirits questions. She can't hear the questions because of all the radio noise so has no context for what she is saying, making it even more spooky.

The first questions asked by Anne are about our visit to the gaol, while Rachel shouts 'two people', followed by 'Phillip' to which they all laugh. 

I am instantly unnerved.

Phillip is a regular, unfriendly voice on their spirit box in A-wing. 

"He seems to hate women," Anne tells me.

"He can be quite aggressive with his language. When asked what he thinks of women, he will start spitting out swear words like 'slut', 'bitch', 'whore' and one night we even had 'bush pig'. We don't have a reference to a particular inmate as files are still sealed and we don't know who was where."

Scenes from the ghosthunting 101 tour at Maitland Gaol. Image: Supplied.

After Rachel's turn in the cell, it's mine and sitting in that darkened space listening to a mix of white noise with odd words is incredibly creepy. While I say nothing revelatory, I'm relieved to get out of that tiny space and have all of my senses back under my control.

As Steve switches the lights on, we hear a loud bang coming from upstairs and I surprise myself by wanting to go towards it.

We wait for more but sadly get nothing else. 

Standing in silence for a few minutes doing nothing but listening, I feel unexpectedly calm. Even knowing how many terrible things likely happened within these walls. 

Sixteen men were executed on the grounds of the gaol for their crimes of rape and murder. 

Many other deaths and violent crimes happened here too, including the suspicious death of Mervyn 'Skulls' Garvie who we try and make contact with whilst in B-Wing.

A-Wing at Maitland Gaol. Image: Supplied.

Rachel and I sit in Mervyn's former cell in darkness, left alone with two KII EMF metres that read changes in energy and a digital recorder for the sound. 

Mervyn was given a life sentence for the brutal murder of Cecil Kelly and the rape and attempted murder of Cecil's girlfriend Mavis Crompton, and had been in gaol previously for sexual assault.

While nothing happens for us, Anne and Renata say they have heard plenty of activity in this cell where Mervyn died from a knife wound to the chest in 1955. Guards initially recorded his death as suicide, but in 1971 an inmate confessed to his murder.

Next up, we visit C-Wing to look at one of the most well-known and dark stories associated with Maitland Gaol – that of cell 4 or 'Satan's cell'. 

The usually padlocked cell, now covered with graffiti, belonged to a prisoner who allegedly conducted 'Satanic rituals' inside. Sadly, he took his own life in a very unpleasant way and the poor guard who had the unfortunate job of cleaning up also (reportedly) took his own life. It is a terrible, sad story and the empty cell certainly doesn't feel like somewhere I would ever want to spend time alone in.

After a visit to the shower block, and enclosed exercise yards with bars on walls AND ceilings, we venture into the inmates' breakout area (still with the original ping-pong table) for the less violent inmates who worked in the kitchen and laundry. 

We peer briefly into the frankly terrifying disused dentist clinic, before we walk to the most secure area of the gaol, 5-Wing. 

The vibe in both the kitchen block and 5-Wing is among the most creepy of the experience. 

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The movement sensors go off repeatedly in one cell in the kitchen block for no reason at all and there is just something about the energy of high-security 5-Wing, only built in 1993, that feels especially heightened. 

I feel my hair stand on end repeatedly while on this part of the tour, and honestly, by the time we stop to eat our cheese plate and pizza dinner, I am very relieved indeed.

We head back to The Residence just before 10pm to start the second part of the experience which includes experiments with night vision cameras, a visit to the spirit child 'Billy's' room, and a seance in the basement which unexpectedly becomes highly emotional for Steve.

To read Part Two of Laura Jackel's experience at Maitland Gaol and the seance in the basement, click on the link below.Read Part TWO

Find out more about the 'Ghost Grannies' Renata and Anne by visiting their Instagram @anneandrenata and book your Maitland Gaol visit here.

Laura Jackel is Mamamia's Family Writer. For links to her articles and to see photos of her outfits and kids, follow her on Instagram and TikTok.

Feature Image: Supplied / Canva.