The old timber bridge at Steiglitz is said to be one of the most haunted relics in a town that is already more ghost than living settlement. Its weathered planks sag beneath the weight of time, and everywhere the wood is splintered, softened by rain, rot, and more than a century of neglect. Each step across it seems to stir echoes from the gold rush years, when thousands of hopeful souls crowded these gullies in search of fortune, only for many dreams to be buried beneath the earth alongside the mines. Steiglitz itself once thrived with hotels, churches, shops and a bustling population before the gold vanished and the town slowly emptied into silence.
Local folklore clings to places like this bridge. Visitors often speak of an uneasy stillness hanging over the creek, as though unseen eyes linger among the twisted gums. It is easy to imagine the spirits of miners crossing here after long days underground, their lantern light flickering through the darkness, never quite finding its way home. Whether ghosts truly walk these boards is impossible to know, yet the bridge feels like the sort of place where stories are born naturally from shadow, decay and memory.
What surprised me most was not the haunted atmosphere but the evidence of ordinary life. At the end of the path stood a house, proof that people still choose to live in this near-abandoned settlement. While visitors arrive searching for spectres and forgotten history, someone calls this place home. Surrounded by creaking timber, empty streets and tales of restless souls, they wake each morning where others hesitate to linger after sunset.
How brave. Or perhaps, after enough years in Steiglitz, it is the ghosts who become the neighbours.
Sony A7RV
Sigma 14-24mm f2.8
Many people in Melbourne feel deeply frustrated by the financial burden imposed on Victorian taxpayers through costly government projects and rising living expenses. There is growing public dissatisfaction with Premier Jacinta Allan's leadership, with some calling for her resignation and arguing that she no longer retains public confidence.
Critics contend that the costs of major infrastructure projects have ultimately fallen on Victorian households, contributing to increasing pressure on family budgets. With electricity, food, housing, and other essential expenses continuing to rise, many residents believe they are being pushed beyond their financial limits.
The concern is not merely political but economic. For a growing number of Victorians, the escalating cost of living has become the central issue, creating genuine anxiety about their ability to afford basic necessities and maintain their standard of living.
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