Faint screams echo on the wind. These screams hint at the terror awaiting us at Spookers. This isn’t just any theme park. Spookers is Australasia’s number one haunted attraction scream park.
Spookers resides on the grounds of the former Kingseat Psychiatric Hospital. Kingseat Hospital operated from 1932 to 1999. It closed as part of New Zealand’s mental health system reform. The hospital once housed over 800 patients. It included a maximum-security wing and a morgue.
Kingseat’s history seeps into Spookers’ atmosphere. Allegations of patient abuse haunt the location. Ex-patients have claimed systemic abuse. Beatings, sexual assault, and misuse of electric shock therapy were alleged. Drugs were also allegedly misused as punishment.
One high-profile case involves Clement Matthews. The eleven-year-old’s death was reopened in 2004. A fellow patient alleged Clement’s pneumonia diagnosis was a cover-up. He claimed a male nurse threw Clement to the ground. The nurse brutally kicked him in the back. This occurred after Clement took a piece of bread.
Two thirteen-year-old boys vanished from Kingseat in 1967. Bruce Mitchell and Kelly Haydn Collins disappeared in separate incidents. They were presumed drowned in Manukau Harbour. Mitchell’s siblings suspect foul play. They believe he was physically abused. His brother John said he was always covered in bruises.
Paranormal investigators call Kingseat the most haunted place in New Zealand. More nurses reportedly died here than patients. Staff suicide was allegedly common. Over one hundred ghost sightings have been reported. The Grey Nurse is the most prevalent ghost. He apparently dwells in the old nurses’ quarters.
Haunted Auckland investigators claim to commune with Alexis Jackson. She was a nurse who continues to look after patients. Staff at Spookers have reported object manipulation. They have experienced chilly spots. Kingseat villas have poltergeist activity. Shaking cupboard doors, tapping on windows, and moving furniture are reported. Voices have been heard. Sulphur has been smelt. Shadowy figures have been seen.
Spookers opened in 2005. Ex-sheep farmers Beth and Andy Watson started it. The family business has rapidly grown since then. It offers several attractions. There is The Haunted House and The Freaky Forest of Fear. Disturbia provides a three-dimensional psychedelic clown experience. Cornevil is a corn maze open during the summer.
Actors dressed as demented clowns and zombies populate Spookers. They aim to scare visitors. Makeup and special effects enhance the experience. Some effects were created with Weta Workshops’ support. They are known for their work on Lord of the Rings and King Kong.
Spookers provides a safe space for its diverse community of actors. Many are young people finding themselves. They experiment with makeup, costumes, and characters.
Now, are you ready to face your fears? Prepare to enter the darkness of Spookers. Remember the safety word. You may need it.