A self-proclaimed paranormal investi­gator, Sharmaine Mansfield is owner and director of Tasmania’s Most Haunted, known for their spooky tours of Tasmanian historic sites.

You’re a paranormal investigator. How did your fascination with the para­normal begin? My fascination with the paranormal began as a child. Growing up, I was always drawn to spooky stories and local legends. It wasn’t until I had my own unexplainable experience that I decided to dig deeper into the world of the supernat­ural. That experience sparked a lifelong passion for investigating and under­standing what lies beyond the everyday. This also led me to become the owner of Tasmania’s Most Haunted, hosting ghost and paranormal tours for the public.

What are some of the most haunted places you’ve been to in Tasmania, and why are they so? Tasmania has a rich and dark history, making it a prime location for haunted sites. Willow Court Asylum in New Norfolk and the Port Arthur Historic Site are commonly known to be some of the most haunted places in Tasmania. Hobart’s Anglesea Barracks, the oldest operational barracks in Australia, has also seen its fair share of paranormal activity, especially in the old military gaol. The belief that sites become haunted often stems from the idea that places or even objects associated with intense emotions, trauma or significant events can retain energy from those experiences. People may have experienced pain or suffering and some believe spirits remain to resolve unfinished business, while others believe that intense emotions create imprints of the environment, leading to paranormal activity.

Do you ever still get scared? Absolutely! No matter how experienced you are, the paranormal world is unpredictable. It’s not always fear of the unknown, but sometimes it’s the sheer intensity of a moment—when something happens that defies explanation. That sudden chill or sound you can’t place will always stir something primal inside.

What’s the most convincing paranormal event you’ve witnessed? One of the most convincing events happened during 2018 when I was sitting alone in one of the old Wards at Willow Court during the day, sitting on the steps of a beauti­ful old Blackwood staircase, scrolling through my phone, checking my emails and messages for the day. Something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention when I looked up and witnessed an apparition of a nurse in period uniform slowly “glide” right in front of me and disappeared into a room on my right. The vision of this nurse still lives with me today.

Tell us about the equipment you bring with you on paranormal investiga­tions. We use a range of tools to capture evidence. Electromagnetic field (EMF) detectors help us pick up on electro­magnetic fields, which can indicate the presence of spirits. Voice recorders are crucial for capturing electronic voice phe­nomena (EVP), and night-vision cameras allow us to film in complete darkness. We also bring temperature sensors to detect cold and hot spots and motion sensors to alert us to unseen movements. Each piece helps us document the unexplainable.

What’s one thing you wish everyone knew about your job? I wish people knew how much patience is involved. Paranormal investigations require hours of waiting and listening for just one small piece of evidence. It’s not always like what you see on TV—it’s a methodical and often slow process. But when you do experience something, it makes all the hours of preparation and waiting worth it.

Does Tasmania’s Most Haunted have anything planned for Halloween? Yes! We’ve got an exciting Halloween event lined up at the historical Fitzpatrick’s Inn in Westbury this year, featuring Victorian spiritual parlour games like table tipping, pendulum dowsing and glass divina­tion. It’s going to be a night filled with eerie fun, perfect for anyone wanting to experience the supernatural up close! We always try to plan a different Halloween event every year and we are excited to be bringing Halloween to the North West of Tasmania this year.