Over the past four decades rumours have circulated intermittently about ghostly appearances in the vicinity of Noraville Cemetery, Jenny Dixon Beach, and a section of Wilfred Barrett Drive on the NSW Central Coast – Australia.

One story, set in the 1950’s, tells of a teenage girl walking home from work. During her walk, she was attacked and raped by five youths. She was later found barely alive, but died as a result of her injuries. On her death bed, she told her father she wouldn’t rest until her attackers were found and punished.

Police never charged anyone with the rape and murder, but five youths, who were frequently in each others company, committed suicide under bizarre circumstances during the following years.

The first ghostly sighting was reported not far from the cemetery shortly after the girl’s burial. The sightings continued with her grave appearing to be disturbed after each of them.

It was shortly after the sightings that the first youth hung himself after complaining of continual haunting by a spirit.

A second youth died after being involved in a car accident. He claimed someone walked in front of his car – but witnesses saw no-one.

A third youth drove his car off a cliff after complaining that an apparition had been taunting him.

The bizarre twist continued when a fourth youth picked up a hitchhiker on Wilfred Barrett Drive. By the time he had reached Noraville Road, the girl had disappeared. He reported the incident, but became a laughing stock, and began showing signs of madness. He later ran his car over an embankment on the Pacific Highway and died.

A similar scenario was in store for a fifth youth. He had complained to his sister of being ‘continually haunted.’ He later left the district to work for a circus and tried to escape the haunting – but it followed him.

He complained of ‘seeing things’ day and night and later ended the nightmare by taking his own life with a shotgun.

The ghostly sightings though, hadn’t disappeared. A large group of youths were camped by a fire on Jenny Dixon Beach soon after the suicide. Each of them told of seeing a pretty young lady walking towards their fire in a flowing white dress.

Some scattered in fright of the ghostly sight, others sat petrified with shock as the figure walked through the crowd and disappeared.

The grave of the murdered girl has never been disturbed since that last sighting.

The ghostly story made headlines again when a visiting doctor picked up a hitchhiker on Wilfred Barrett Drive while holidaying in the area. He knew nothing of the local legend. He told police the hitchhiker disappeared as he approached Noraville Road and later sought psychiatric counselling.

Today, stories of silent spirits still circulate around the Noraville area. Even two police officers told of picking up a hitchhiker on Wilfred Barrett Drive during the early hours of the morning. Again the young female had disappeared upon reaching Noraville cemetery.

The girl’s murder still remains unsolved.