Peet is one of the lead investigators of APPI, a Sydney based paranormal unit who run tours and investigations for the general public. During an investigation of an old convict hospital, Peet, who thought she was numb to truly frightening experiences, had a wake-up call… one she will never forget.
APPI
Peet Banks - cofounder of APPI. My name is Peet. I am one of the lead investigators of the Australian Paranormal Phenomenon Investigators – or APPI, an all female group of paranormal investigators and ghost tour operators, based in Sydney, Australia.
APPI has been around since early 2011, so not that long in the grand scheme of things. During that time, we’ve conducted approximately 30 investigations (not including the ones we hold for the public to attend), and although I have been startled many times, in a way that has made my blood pump a little faster than normal, I can honestly say there has only been a handful of times when I have truly been scared.
APPI has been around since early 2011, so not that long in the grand scheme of things. During that time, we’ve conducted approximately 30 investigations (not including the ones we hold for the public to attend), and although I have been startled many times, in a way that has made my blood pump a little faster than normal, I can honestly say there has only been a handful of times when I have truly been scared.
An Old Asylum
Hospital / Asylum grounds. One such time was when conducting our first investigation at a building, which was originally constructed to accommodate the sick and injured convicts of the colony of Australia. It is now known as “Liverpool TAFE”. Built initially in 1825, with plans drafted by Francis Greenway, this beautiful building has seen many different lives; as well as the convict hospital, it has been a military hospital and barracks, a home for the unwanted, as well as a State Hospital and Asylum.
During our investigation, we decided to concentrate efforts on the basement, which the staff affectionately refer to as ‘the dungeon’. This ‘dungeon’ is remarkable! It still has the original cells built into it, which were used, apparently, to incarcerate convicts and troublesome patients.
It was also in this dungeon that our contact at the TAFE, a very sensible and logical man, had a paranormal experience of his own. In the pitch darkness of the hallway, he saw a bright, white light, which was human shaped, moving along the hallway. It seemed to stop at the opposite end to which he was standing, and appeared to wait for him. He moved towards it, and as he did so, it flared even brighter, before disappearing entirely.
During our investigation, we decided to concentrate efforts on the basement, which the staff affectionately refer to as ‘the dungeon’. This ‘dungeon’ is remarkable! It still has the original cells built into it, which were used, apparently, to incarcerate convicts and troublesome patients.
It was also in this dungeon that our contact at the TAFE, a very sensible and logical man, had a paranormal experience of his own. In the pitch darkness of the hallway, he saw a bright, white light, which was human shaped, moving along the hallway. It seemed to stop at the opposite end to which he was standing, and appeared to wait for him. He moved towards it, and as he did so, it flared even brighter, before disappearing entirely.
A Session with Ouija
The main building today. Although I generally believe that psychic or Ouija boards are merely parlour games, we decided that we would have a go at using one, down in this dungeon. We set ourselves up inside one of the cells. I am quite sceptical when it comes to this methods of divination. I tend to believe that the planchette is being moved by one of the participants, whether consciously or not. Therefore, we conduct our sessions in the dark, making it harder for somebody to see where the planchette will land, if moved. Once it has stopped moving, one of the participants will shine their torch on to the board, so we can see if where it has stopped has made any sense.
Almost immediately it was obvious that this session was different from other sessions I had been involved in. The planchette moved strongly, with decisive action, and even though it was pitch black, it would always stop on a letter/word/symbol. I recorded the session on a digital voice recorder, and transcribed it into a word document in the days to come.
This session told us so many interesting things, all of which came true throughout the year. For example, it told us that Nic (my APPI partner) and I would be travelling to the USA. We had no plans to travel, and certainly no funds. It told us that in relation to this trip, the number six would be involved. Six days after this session we received an email, asking us to be on the television show “My Ghost Story”, which was filmed in California. Six weeks later, the whole process of screening us was completed, and we received confirmation that we would be flown to the US for filming. And when were we in the States? June, of course - the Sixth month of the year.
But the experience I am writing about is not about the Ouija board in itself. Rather, it is about what occurred while this session was happening.
Almost immediately it was obvious that this session was different from other sessions I had been involved in. The planchette moved strongly, with decisive action, and even though it was pitch black, it would always stop on a letter/word/symbol. I recorded the session on a digital voice recorder, and transcribed it into a word document in the days to come.
This session told us so many interesting things, all of which came true throughout the year. For example, it told us that Nic (my APPI partner) and I would be travelling to the USA. We had no plans to travel, and certainly no funds. It told us that in relation to this trip, the number six would be involved. Six days after this session we received an email, asking us to be on the television show “My Ghost Story”, which was filmed in California. Six weeks later, the whole process of screening us was completed, and we received confirmation that we would be flown to the US for filming. And when were we in the States? June, of course - the Sixth month of the year.
But the experience I am writing about is not about the Ouija board in itself. Rather, it is about what occurred while this session was happening.
Knockings in the Dark
'The Dungeons' When we investigate at the TAFE, we are literally locked into the grounds. Nobody can get in, and nobody can get out. If, for some reason, we need to exit, we call the security guard and he will come and unlock the gates. On this occasion, there were five people locked in. Four of us were in the cell, partaking in the Ouija session. The other person was at the end of the hallway, nowhere near us at the time of my ‘experience’. The length of the hallway was being videoed while the session was proceeding, and you can clearly see him by the torch on his hat, at the end of the corridor.
We had been seated in the same position for maybe about an hour. As mentioned earlier, every time the planchette stopped, Nic would shine her torch on to the board. The rest of the time her torch was pressed into her shoulder, so the light of it would not shine through.
We were all a little bored by now, and even though the way the planchette was moving was exciting, after a while it became a little tedious – not to mention giving us each a sore arm. When suddenly, with no warning, two loud bangs were heard on the table we were leaning on. We know they were on the table, as the whole thing vibrated under our hands.
Before anything else, Nic shone her torch on to the table. The expression on each of our faces was priceless, we were stunned! That’s when the swearing started, with Steph exclaiming “What the f%^$ was that?” etc etc etc. After a few expressive exclamations, Steph saw the torch of another investigator, sitting on the table, switched off. She picked it up and banged it twice on the table, and we all recognised that the sound was exactly the same.
None of us had hands free to bang this torch ourselves, and surely, although it was dark, we would have noticed if someone had moved to the lengths of reaching down to pick up a torch.
It may sound like nothing at all to those of you reading this, but honestly, after spending night after night in reportedly haunted locations, and personally experiencing nothing, it scared the absolute crap out of me! When you listen to the recording, you hear everybody else talking, except me. The only time I speak, is to whisper “oh my god” in a breathy voice.
We had been seated in the same position for maybe about an hour. As mentioned earlier, every time the planchette stopped, Nic would shine her torch on to the board. The rest of the time her torch was pressed into her shoulder, so the light of it would not shine through.
We were all a little bored by now, and even though the way the planchette was moving was exciting, after a while it became a little tedious – not to mention giving us each a sore arm. When suddenly, with no warning, two loud bangs were heard on the table we were leaning on. We know they were on the table, as the whole thing vibrated under our hands.
Before anything else, Nic shone her torch on to the table. The expression on each of our faces was priceless, we were stunned! That’s when the swearing started, with Steph exclaiming “What the f%^$ was that?” etc etc etc. After a few expressive exclamations, Steph saw the torch of another investigator, sitting on the table, switched off. She picked it up and banged it twice on the table, and we all recognised that the sound was exactly the same.
None of us had hands free to bang this torch ourselves, and surely, although it was dark, we would have noticed if someone had moved to the lengths of reaching down to pick up a torch.
It may sound like nothing at all to those of you reading this, but honestly, after spending night after night in reportedly haunted locations, and personally experiencing nothing, it scared the absolute crap out of me! When you listen to the recording, you hear everybody else talking, except me. The only time I speak, is to whisper “oh my god” in a breathy voice.
Peet Banks 2013
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