Junee Monte Cristo Homestead haunted house annual period ball

The weekend marked 55 years since the historic estate was returned to its former glory under present owners Olive and Reginald Ryan.

Following Reginald’s death four years ago, the event’s running has been taken over by the couple’s youngest child Lawrence Ryan.

Just over a hundred guests dressed in period costumes and gathered in the ballroom on Saturday September 8.

“We usually have between 130 and 200 people. We tend to aim for about 150,” said Lawrence Ryan.

“They travelled from Canberra, Orange, Bathurst, Sydney, Melbourne. We usually have a big turn out of people who have come long distances to be there, and they were saying ‘put us down for next year, we’ll be back’.”

Since its early history in Junee’s Victorian past, the homestead has garnered its share of sinister stories.

After its occupation by the Ryan family, the house became known as the world’s most haunted private residency. 

Locals continue to speak of the home’s unusual sightings in suspicious undertones.

Though the weekend’s celebrations turned out a small number of revelers, guests are adamant there was a larger unseen population among them.

“A lot of people said it was spooky enough with just the decorations, but I’m sure they [the house’s ghosts] were watching over it all,” said Mr Ryan.

“We’ll always stay with the haunted theme, but we’ll just make the ball bigger and better next year.”