Granite Island Hauntings: The Spirit of Ethel – Part One

Granite Island: Where Beauty Meets the Unseen

Granite Island, just off the coast of Victor Harbor in South Australia, is celebrated for its sweeping ocean views, weathered rock formations and untamed coastal beauty. Yet beneath this picturesque exterior lies a darker legacy – one steeped in tragedy, lingering energy and reports of unexplained phenomena that continue to draw the attention of paranormal investigators.

Over the years, Granite Island has earned a reputation as one of South Australias most quietly haunted locations. Strong winds whip across the cliffs, shadows seem to move where no one stands and an uneasy stillness often settles after dusk – an atmosphere that suggests the island remembers more than it reveals.

Among the most compelling presences associated with the island is Ethel, a young girl who tragically lost her life on February 8th, 1892. After dropping her pocketknife near the western cliffs, Ethel attempted to retrieve it and fell as estimated 80 feet to her death. Her life ended in an instant, but many believe her story did not end there.

More than a century later, visitors and locals alike report hearing a childs scream across the rocks – especially in windy conditions – believed by some to be the final haunting reverberation of Ethels fatal fall. It is this enduring presence, combined with our own experiences on the island that makes Granite Island a location where history and the paranormal appear to intersect.

A Brief History of Granite Island

Granite Island has long been a place of significance, both culturally and historically, well before it became a tourist landmark. The island is part of the traditional lands of the Ramindjeri people of the Ngarrindjeri nation, who held a deep spiritual connection to the coastline and surrounding waters. Like many places of natural power, Granite Island was regarded with respect – its isolation and rugged terrain setting it apart form the mainland.

European settlement in the 19th century transformed the island role. It became a vital waypoint for maritime navigation, with structures built to assist ships entering Encounter Bay. The causeway connecting Granite Island to Victor Harbor was completed in the 1860s, bringing increased foot traffic, tourism and industry – but also accidents, injuries and loss of life along the cliffs and surrounding waters.

Throughout its history, Granite Island has been marked by tragedy. Sudden storms, unstabe rock faces and unforgiving seas claimed lives long before modern safety measures were introduced. These incidents, though often briefly recorded, left a lasting imprint on the islands narrative – one shaped by human vulnerability against a powerful natural environment.

Today, Granite Island stands as both a preserved hsitoric site and a place where stories persist. For paranormal researchers, its layered past – indigenous significance, colonial expansion and repeated loss – creates the conditions often associated with reported hauntings. Whether viewed through a historical lens or a paranormal one; Granite Island carries the unmistakable weight of memory, setting the stage for encounters that feel anything but coincidental.

My First Encounter with Ethel

My personal connection with Ethel began years ago, during an early investigation on the island. While walking one of the rocky paths, i suddenly felt a distinct pressure – as though someone was holding my hand. It wasn’t just a random sensation; it felt real, deliberate and innocent.

I told the team what I was feeling, and one of our investigators quickly turned and took a photo using our old digital camera – a model we still use because it lacks the modern image processing that automatically filters out what it considers “imperfections”. We prefer older cameras because they capture raw data – and sometimes things that shouldn’t be there.

When we checked the image immediately afterward, our jaws dropped. Right next to my hands, exactly where I said I felt someone touching me, was a bright, defined orb of light. It wasn’t a lense flare or dust. It looked purposeful, positioned as though it were reaching for me.

We were convinced that moment marked our first physical contact with Ethel – a young spirit reaching out for comfort after more than a century of isolation.

Reuniting With Ethel

Years later, we returned to Granite Island hoping to reconnect with her. This time, we brought a K2 EMF meter, which detects changes in electromagnetic energy – a common method for real-time spirit communication.

Once we had confirmed communication with Ethel, we began asking her a series of yes/no questions:

“Ethel, were you the one holding my hand in that photo?”

The K2 meter immediately lit all the way up to red – the highest possible reading. It was an instant, powerful confirmation.

To verify it wasn’t random, we asked “Ethel, if that was you, can you stop lighting up the device?”
Within seconds, the lights faded back to nothing.

The timing was perfect. Intelligent. Unmistakable.

The Doll Offering

We then placed a doll on the ground and set the K2 meter on top of it. Before officially offering it to her we asked “Ethel, do you like this doll?”
The K2 lit up again to red.

Then we asked, “Would you like to get off this island?”
Once more, the K2 surged to red, faster than before.

It was a heartbreaking realization – she was aware of her confinement and wanted to leave. That was the moment we offered her the doll as a vessel, hoping it could give her a way to move beyond the island. As soon as we did, the atmosphere shifted – colder, yet calm, almost grateful.

The Male Spirit

During our review of the EVP recordings later, we discovered something we hadn’t heard at the time of the recording – a male voice, faint but clear, saying:

“Take my sister with her.”

Moments later came another EVP:

“Somebody almost dropped the fucking thing.” followed by a faint scream and then the whispered word “Ethel.”

The tone in the male voice was filled with emotion – longing, desperation or perhaps protectiveness. It left us questioning whether he was connected to Ethel or another restless spirit trying to reach out through her energy.

Convict Voices from the Past

As we continued reviewing the audio, we found more voices layered throughout the recordings – whispers, fragments of sentences and emotional tones that didn’t match any member of our team.

One particularly chilling response came after we asked “Does anyone have something to tell us?”
A deep voice replied:

“We were bad.”

We believe this EVP came from one of the old convicts. Historical accounts suggest that Granite Island was once used as a temporary prison encampment, housing those who had fallen out of favor with the law. The remorse in that voice felt genuine – not threatening, just sorrowful, as though the spirit was burdened by guilt even in death.

This revelation opened a new chapter in our research. It’s possible that Ethel Isn’t alone on Granite Island – she may be surrounded by the trapped energies of those who lived and died there long before her fall.

Inside the Cave: Digital Photos

During that night, while we were taking shelter in a small cave at the top of the island to escape the cold wind. I asked another team member to take some photos with our digital camera. We got distracted for a moment, and when she asked what she was about to do, I said “Uhh, digital photos.”

When reviewing the EVP recorder, we heard something astonishing – another disembodied voice repeating the phrase immediately after me:

“Digital photos.”

It sounded like someone else – not from our group – trying to remind her too. Moments later, another EVP was captured saying:

“Get in the Picture.”

The voice seemed to carry intent and awareness, as though one of the spirits wanted to be captured in the image themselves. Whether it was Ethel or another entity, it was clear that they were aware of what we were doing and actively engaging with us.

The Unexplained Heat at the Monument

As the night went on, we climbed to the monument at the top of Granite Island, where the atmosphere felt noticeably charged. Using the Mel-meter to measure both EMF and temperature, we began taking readings.

The temperature started normally at around 15 degrees Celsius – consisten with the cool night and coastal wind. But without warning, as we approached the monument, the reading spiked dramatically, climbing to 50 degrees celsius, then up to 60 degrees celsius instantly. Normally a spike would climb up, this was an instant spike straight up to those over the top heat temperatures.

The air around the device felt unnaturally warm, radiating in stark contrast to the surrounding chill. Even more unsettling, the metal plaque on the monument itself was hot to touch. There were no logical sources of heat nearby – no power boxes, lights or equipment that could explain the sudden surge.

It was as if something unseen had manifested energy directly into the environment, manipulating the temperature around the monument.

The Island That Holds Them Still

Every moment of that night – from Ethel’s intelligent K2 responses to the convicts remorseful EVP, the unseen voice in the cave and the impossible heat spike at the monument – pointed toward one undeniable conclusion: Granite Island is alive with trapped energy.

Ethels spirit, and possibly others bound by guilt or grief, still linger on that rocky island. Our mission is to understand their stories and ultimately, help them find peace.

We continue to work on freeing Ethel – and whatever binds her there – so that she might finally leave the island she’s called home for over a century.

What’s Next

This is Part One of our granite island investigation. In Part Two, we’ll share what happens when we follow up with Ethels doll, the strange changes we noticed afterward and the unexpected new voices that came through.

If you ever visit Granite Island and feel a sudden warmth, hear a faint childs laughter, or sense unseen eyes watching from the cliffs – you might just be standing where Ethel still lingers.