Toowong Cemetery Ghost Tour – The Other Side

Toowong Cemetery: The Other Side takes you beyond ordinary sightseeing and into Brisbane’s most unsettling old burial ground. The route brings together Jack the Ripper lore, hungry Chinese ghosts, Governor Blackall’s remains, a crypt, and the strange rise known as Spook Hill.

I like the tour’s built-in value: your $39.45 ticket includes a copy of Jack Sim’s Ghosts of Toowong Cemetery, worth $25, plus a donation to the Haunted Heritage Fund. I also like the small-group limit of 26, which should make it easier to hear the guide and take part in the interactive moments.

The main drawback is practical rather than supernatural. Finding the meeting point can be tricky after dark, and the walk includes steep hills, so you need an enclosed pair of flat shoes, a torch, and a moderate level of fitness.

Key points to know before you go

• Jack the Ripper connection: Visit a possible grave and decide how much of the story you believe.
• Two hours after dark: Expect a guided cemetery walk beginning at 7:30 pm and ending back at the meeting point.
• A book included: Take home Jack Sim’s Ghosts of Toowong Cemetery, with a listed retail value of $25.
• Steep sections: The route involves uphill walking, so sandals, thongs, and high heels are not accepted.
• Bring your own torch: A proper torch is useful, but a smartphone torch app is allowed.
• Not for young children: The tour is not suitable for children under 10, and anyone 15 or younger must be with an adult.

Why The Other Side feels different

Many cemetery walks rely on atmosphere alone. This one has a stronger historical frame, using local stories, old graves, unusual burial details, and Brisbane legends to build its evening route.

The big hook is the possible Jack the Ripper grave. The tour does not ask you to accept the claim as fact. Instead, you visit the possible burial place and make up your own mind. That approach suits you if you enjoy mysteries with loose ends rather than a neat answer handed over at the start.

The tour also moves into less familiar stories, including hungry Chinese ghosts and the bones of Governor Blackall. These subjects give the walk a wider reach than a standard ghost tour focused only on European-style hauntings.

Jack Sim, the operator behind Brisbane’s original historic ghost tours, is also the author of Ghosts of Toowong Cemetery. The book included with your ticket gives the stories a useful second life after the walk. You can use it to revisit names and legends later instead of relying on memory from a dark cemetery path.

Walking through Toowong Cemetery after dark

The meeting point is at 26 Richer Street, Toowong, with check-in set for 7:30 pm. The tour finishes back at the same place, so you do not need to arrange a second pickup point.

Allow extra time to get your bearings. The meeting area can be difficult to spot in the dark, and one poor experience came from confusion over where to meet, including a guide waiting under a tree on a side road. I would arrive early, keep your phone charged, and use the address carefully rather than turning up at the cemetery gate and hoping to find the group.

Once the walk begins, the setting does much of the work. Toowong Cemetery is quiet at night, and the darkness changes how you read ordinary details such as gates, stones, slopes, and old structures. The guide’s voice and pacing matter a lot here.

The feedback is mixed on presentation. Some people found the host entertaining, warm, and highly informed, while another found the dramatic voice too forced. You should expect theatrical storytelling, not a dry academic lecture. If you prefer a natural speaking style, that may affect your enjoyment.

Jack the Ripper and the possible grave

The Jack the Ripper section is the tour’s clearest headline attraction. You visit a grave linked to the idea that the killer may have ended up in Toowong Cemetery.

That claim is presented as a question, not a settled fact. I like that you are given room to judge the evidence and the story for yourself. The uncertainty is part of the appeal, especially if you enjoy historical puzzles, disputed identities, and tales that sit between record and legend.

You should also keep your expectations in check. This is not a forensic investigation or a confirmed criminal-history tour. The value comes from the location, the telling, and the chance to consider how a local cemetery became connected with one of the world’s most famous unsolved mysteries.

Hungry ghosts and Brisbane’s wider past

The stories of hungry Chinese ghosts add an important change of tone. They bring cultural beliefs and burial traditions into the walk instead of treating the cemetery as a backdrop for one kind of haunting.

That part of the tour can be especially worthwhile if you want something beyond familiar British or Australian ghost-story material. The exact detail and depth will depend on the guide, but the subject gives the evening a wider historical range.

This is also where the tour’s title makes sense. The Other Side is not simply a repeat of one graveyard route. It takes you to a different part of Toowong Cemetery and uses a mix of local history, folklore, and supernatural belief to shape the walk.

Spook Hill, the crypt, and Governor Blackall

Spook Hill is another unusual stop. Its name suggests a place where the physical setting itself becomes part of the tale. You will want to pay attention to the slope and your own sense of movement rather than treating it as just another pause for a story.

The creepy crypt adds a more classic haunted-location feel. Old cemetery structures work well at night because the guide can focus your attention on details you might walk past in daylight. Still, the atmosphere depends heavily on delivery, and the walk is not designed as a theatrical haunted house with actors or special effects.

The route also visits the place associated with the bones of Governor Blackall. This gives the tour a direct link to Queensland’s political and public past, balancing the more fanciful ghost stories with a figure from documented history.

Because the supplied schedule lists Toowong Cemetery as the single tour stop, think of these as story locations within one continuous cemetery walk, not separate attractions reached by vehicle. You remain on foot throughout, with no transportation included.

How much walking and what to wear

The tour lasts roughly two hours, with the overall booking information giving an approximate duration of two hours and 15 minutes. The difference is small, but I would keep your evening flexible rather than scheduling something immediately afterward.

A moderate amount of walking up steep hills is involved. You do not need elite fitness, but you should be comfortable walking over uneven cemetery ground at night. If hills are difficult for you, this may not be the right tour.

The shoe rule is strict. You must wear flat-soled, enclosed shoes. Thongs, sandals, and high heels can lead to refusal at check-in without a refund, so do not treat footwear as a minor detail.

Bring your own torch. A smartphone torch app is acceptable, though a handheld torch may be easier if you want both hands free for walking or taking notes. The cemetery will be dark, and your phone battery also needs to last through the tour and the journey home.

The guide makes or breaks the evening

The best comments focus on the guide’s storytelling, helpful attitude, and ability to make the walk interactive. People who enjoy the tour tend to value the mix of information and performance, especially when they are invited to take part rather than simply stand and listen.

Andrew is named as one of the guides associated with the wider tour program, and Jack Sim is the author and historic ghost-tour operator behind the experience. Your actual guide may vary, so I would not book on the assumption that a particular person will lead your date.

The less positive feedback points to two issues: a rude interaction at the cemetery gate and a speaking style that felt overdone. That is worth knowing before you pay. Ghost tours need some drama, but the line between lively and theatrical is personal.

The group limit is 26 people. That is not a private walk, but it is still manageable compared with a large coach-style group. A smaller number should help when the guide stops at a grave or narrow site, though your position in the group can still affect how clearly you hear.

Is $39.45 good value?

At $39.45, this is not the cheapest way to spend an evening in Brisbane, but the included book changes the calculation. With a stated retail value of $25, the physical book accounts for much of the ticket price, leaving the guided walk, GST, and heritage donation as the rest of what you are paying for.

That makes the tour a stronger deal for people who like local history and will actually read the book afterward. If you have no interest in taking home a cemetery guide, the value rests mainly on the storytelling and atmosphere.

The donation to the Haunted Heritage Fund is another small plus. It gives the ticket a preservation angle, though the practical benefit to you is still the two-hour guided walk and the included book.

The tour is usually booked around 13 days ahead, so I would not leave it until the last night of a Brisbane visit if the date matters to you. The maximum group size is 26, and a minimum number of participants is required for the tour to run.

Who should book this cemetery walk?

I would recommend it to adults and older children who enjoy local legends, unusual history, and walking tours with a spooky edge. It is a good fit if you like forming your own opinion about stories such as the Jack the Ripper connection.

It also suits you if you want a distinctly Brisbane activity after dark rather than a standard daytime sightseeing stop. The included book makes it appealing to readers, history fans, and anyone who likes collecting local stories.

I would think twice if you dislike steep walking, dark outdoor settings, theatrical narration, or uncertain meeting points. It is not suitable for children under 10, and all children aged 15 or younger must be accompanied and supervised by an adult.

Service animals are allowed. Everyone attending must also meet the vaccination or valid exemption requirement stated for the tour, unless under 16, and proof must be shown at check-in.

Weather, cancellations, and planning your night

The walk requires good weather. If poor weather forces cancellation, you can choose another date or receive a full refund. The same applies if the minimum number of participants is not reached.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the tour are not refunded or accepted, so keep the local cut-off time in mind.

The mobile ticket is useful, but it does not replace the need to plan the meeting point. I would save the address, charge your phone, bring a torch, and arrive early enough to identify the group before the cemetery grows fully dark.

Should you book The Other Side?

Book it if you want a guided night walk built around Brisbane stories rather than a polished stage show. The possible Jack the Ripper grave, hungry ghosts, Spook Hill, the crypt, and Governor Blackall give the route plenty of variety, while the included book makes the $39.45 price easier to justify.

Skip it if you want a confirmed answer to every mystery or a gentle, flat stroll. The presentation can be dramatic, the meeting point needs care, and the hills and footwear rules are real practical concerns.

For the right audience, this is a well-priced way to see a different side of Toowong Cemetery and take home a useful piece of its story.

FAQ

Where does the Toowong Cemetery Ghost Tour begin?

The tour begins at 26 Richer Street, Toowong, Queensland 4066, Australia.

What time does the tour start?

The start time is 7:30 pm.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately two hours and 15 minutes. The cemetery walk itself is described as about two hours.

Where does the tour finish?

The activity ends back at the meeting point.

Is a torch provided?

No. Each person must bring their own torch. A torch app on a smartphone is suitable.

What shoes should I wear?

You must wear flat-soled, enclosed shoes. Thongs, sandals, and high heels are not accepted.

Are children allowed on the tour?

Children under 10 are not permitted. Children aged 15 or younger must be accompanied and supervised by an adult.

What is included in the ticket price?

The $39.45 price includes GST, a donation to the Ghost Tours’ Haunted Heritage Fund, and a copy of Jack Sim’s Ghosts of Toowong Cemetery, listed at a $25 retail value.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the experience are not refunded.