Ever heard of Moira’s House, a house in Wooloowin that was eerily vacant for many years before it was eventually torn down? Find out more about it here.
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People who went to Moira’s House often wondered about its mysteriously abandoned air, like a home that’s frozen in time, whose residents simply left and disappeared.
Prior to its demolition, Brisbane explorers wanted to keep the exact location of Moira’s House a secret, concerned that it might be vandalised and ruined if the address was leaked. Nevertheless, because people couldn’t stop talking about the mystery that came with it, the house became popular among house explorers and even ghost hunters in Brisbane.
Inside the house was a TV set from the ‘80s, a recorder, old letters, and postcards. Pots and pans were still on the sink whilst the kitchen drawers were open. There were still the clothes and even medication for some long-gone patient. Many people claimed that a lot of the stuff in the house could even date back to the 1960s.
People have doubted the existence of ghostly guests, although urban explorers said they had heard strange voices during visits. Everyone agrees on one thing though. There’s a story waiting to be told about the abandoned house.
The Story Behind Moira’s House
Moira’s House was built in 1955 for the Cross family, known to be one of the most prominent families in the area at the time.
For years, it became home to Moira and George Cross. Formerly Moira Catherine Shannon, Mrs Cross is the daughter of Patrick William Shannon, a former member of the Land Court.
Mrs Cross was born in Wooloowin on 5 June 1916. She grew up there and studied at the All Hallows School in Fortitude Valley. Moira became part of many social events from dinners to charity events, given that her mother Annie was the President of the Past Pupils Association of All Hallows.
She married Geroge Cross in 1954 in a ceremony led by his half-brother, Reverend Father Neal Shannon.
Sadly, Moira lost his husband, George just years later after he died at war at 63 years old. Moira got to live until the age of 97. She passed away on 20 December 2013 and was buried at the Pinnaroo Lawn Cemetery and Crematorium at Bridgeman Downs where her sister Nuala was also buried.
After sitting empty for some time, the house was sold and then demolished in 2021.
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Sam and Jesse Harrison, owners of the Facebook page AHDB – Abandoned, Historic, Decayed Buildings confirmed that they have collected and rescued various important family documents before the house was demolished. The documents have since been returned to family members.
Published 15-March-2023