Investigation Dates: Friday 21 April – Saturday 22 April 2006
Location: Amigos Restaurant, Ruthven St Toowoomba
Investigators: Kevin G , Karen B-G, Kevin W & Zowie C
Background of Location
The building where Amigos Restaurant is currently located has seen a number of businesses operate there over its’ history. The investigation team was not able to confirm the exact age of the building. It was thought to have been the location of a picture theatre in the 1930s. Therefore, we would estimate that the current building may be at least 80 years old.
Previous to opening as a restaurant the location was home to Zone 3 in the 1990s. Zone 3 was an interactive games and entertainment centre.
Prior to this period the building was occupied by a lighting and electrical business called Town Lighting and Electrical. This business is thought to have operated at this location throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
Alleged Paranormal Activities
The staff at the location have reported a number of unexplained activities believed to have occurred over a period of months.
Alleged sighting of an apparition of very young girl
The restaurant manager, Peter, claims that there is the presence of a very young girl around the building. Peter claims that he can feel her presence more when his own small children are in the location.
Peter alleged that on one occasion a friend went up to the 3rd floor storage room on his own. Peter claims that his friend saw the apparition of a small girl huddled in the corner of the room. The girl was not there when he returned with Peter.
Alleged sighting of an apparition of a man in a flannelette shirt in the Restaurant
Peter claimed that he saw the apparition of a tall, dark male figure one morning when he was set up the restaurant. The figure was alleged to have been seen near the archway in the middle of the restaurant.
Feeling of a presence in various locations around the building
The staff claim to experience cold spots and feel uneasy when walking along the hallway in the back area of the restaurant. This hallway is a staff only area which leads to the rear entry.
The staff have reported feeling the presence of the young girl in the office area located in the back of the building.
Katrina, a staff member claims to feel as if she is being watched from time to time when she is in the office area working.
Date and Time of Investigation
The investigation was conducted on the evening of Friday 21 April 2006. The investigation of the location commenced at approximately 9:30pm and concluded at approximately 2am on Saturday morning 22 April 2006.
Equipment Used During Investigation
The following equipment was used for the investigation:
Digital Thermometer
Application: Determine room temperature. Determine if any cold/hot spots in location
Infrared Thermometer
Application: Check for any unusual cold/hot spots from a distance
Electro-Magnetic Field Meter
Application: Check for electro-magnetic fields in location.
Check for unusually high readings
Tri-Field Meter
Application: Check for ‘natural’ electro-magnetic fields.
Check for EM fluctuations(EM fields are emitted by humans and animals among other things)
Anemometer
Application: Check for any drafts coming from doors, windows or any cracks or cavities.
Infrared Camera and Video Recorder
Application: Recorded location under very low light.
Infrared Spotlight
Application: Increase lighting for infrared camera
Digital Camera
Application: Still photos of location
Camcorder
Application: Recording progress of investigation for record of any unusual occurrences.
Polaroid Camera
Application: Instant photos around site.
Equipment Readings The following readings were recorded during the investigation:
During the investigation the restaurant area, office, rear hallway, kitchen and 3rd floor storage rooms were monitored.
Equipment: Digital Thermometer
Comments
No unusual change in temperature was recorded during investigation.
The hallway area was slightly colder than the other areas of the building. This was due to a considerable draft coming from large holes in the wall towards the rear of the hallway. The draft was made more significant by the difference in air pressure created by the air conditioning in the restaurant area located at the front of the building.
Equipment: Infrared Thermometer
Comments
No unusual change in temperature was recorded during investigation.
Equipment: Electro-Magnetic Field Meter
Comments
A fluctuation of 0.5 – 1.5mg reading occurred in the top storage room at approximately 10:30pm.
There were no further unusual readings throughout the building during the investigation.
Equipment: Tri-Field Meter
Comments
A fluctuation of 0.5 – 1.5mg reading occurred in the top storage room at approximately 10:30pm.
There were no further unusual readings throughout the building during the investigation
Equipment: Anemometer
Comments
A significant reading was recorded in the hallway area. This confirmed the cold airflow occurring in this location due to large holes in the wall towards the rear of the hallway and the change in air pressure due to the air conditioning at the front (restaurant area) of the building. This created a ‘wind tunnel’ effect.
Conditions at Location
Restaurant Area
Normal airflow from this open area.
Creaky floorboard.
No wind noises (e.g. howling, swishing, voice like)
No noisy plumbing
No noisy/faulty electrical. Including surges.
A few creaks & cracks were heard. This would probably be Movement of old Building.
Office Area
No drafts from windows, doors, etc
No creaky/noisy floorboards, doors, etc
No noisy plumbing
No noisy/faulty electrical. Including surges.
Refrigerator made quite a noticeable whirring noise from its motor.
No general movement of building (creaks, cracks, etc)
Hallway Area
As mentioned above, a significant draft occurs from holes in the walls towards the rear of the buildings. A ‘wind tunnel’ effect is created by the change in air pressure from the air conditioning in the restaurant area at the front of the building.
No creaky/noisy floorboards, doors, etc
No noisy plumbing
No noisy/faulty electrical. Including surges.
No general movement of building (creaks, cracks, etc)
3rd Floor Storage Area
No drafts from windows, doors, etc
No creaky/noisy floorboards, doors, etc
No noisy plumbing
No noisy/faulty electrical. Including surges.
No general movement of building (creaks, cracks, etc)
Location: Amigos Restaurant, Ruthven St Toowoomba
Investigators: Kevin G , Karen B-G, Kevin W & Zowie C
Background of Location
The building where Amigos Restaurant is currently located has seen a number of businesses operate there over its’ history. The investigation team was not able to confirm the exact age of the building. It was thought to have been the location of a picture theatre in the 1930s. Therefore, we would estimate that the current building may be at least 80 years old.
Previous to opening as a restaurant the location was home to Zone 3 in the 1990s. Zone 3 was an interactive games and entertainment centre.
Prior to this period the building was occupied by a lighting and electrical business called Town Lighting and Electrical. This business is thought to have operated at this location throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
Alleged Paranormal Activities
The staff at the location have reported a number of unexplained activities believed to have occurred over a period of months.
Alleged sighting of an apparition of very young girl
The restaurant manager, Peter, claims that there is the presence of a very young girl around the building. Peter claims that he can feel her presence more when his own small children are in the location.
Peter alleged that on one occasion a friend went up to the 3rd floor storage room on his own. Peter claims that his friend saw the apparition of a small girl huddled in the corner of the room. The girl was not there when he returned with Peter.
Alleged sighting of an apparition of a man in a flannelette shirt in the Restaurant
Peter claimed that he saw the apparition of a tall, dark male figure one morning when he was set up the restaurant. The figure was alleged to have been seen near the archway in the middle of the restaurant.
Feeling of a presence in various locations around the building
The staff claim to experience cold spots and feel uneasy when walking along the hallway in the back area of the restaurant. This hallway is a staff only area which leads to the rear entry.
The staff have reported feeling the presence of the young girl in the office area located in the back of the building.
Katrina, a staff member claims to feel as if she is being watched from time to time when she is in the office area working.
Date and Time of Investigation
The investigation was conducted on the evening of Friday 21 April 2006. The investigation of the location commenced at approximately 9:30pm and concluded at approximately 2am on Saturday morning 22 April 2006.
Equipment Used During Investigation
The following equipment was used for the investigation:
Digital Thermometer
Application: Determine room temperature. Determine if any cold/hot spots in location
Infrared Thermometer
Application: Check for any unusual cold/hot spots from a distance
Electro-Magnetic Field Meter
Application: Check for electro-magnetic fields in location.
Check for unusually high readings
Tri-Field Meter
Application: Check for ‘natural’ electro-magnetic fields.
Check for EM fluctuations(EM fields are emitted by humans and animals among other things)
Anemometer
Application: Check for any drafts coming from doors, windows or any cracks or cavities.
Infrared Camera and Video Recorder
Application: Recorded location under very low light.
Infrared Spotlight
Application: Increase lighting for infrared camera
Digital Camera
Application: Still photos of location
Camcorder
Application: Recording progress of investigation for record of any unusual occurrences.
Polaroid Camera
Application: Instant photos around site.
Equipment Readings The following readings were recorded during the investigation:
During the investigation the restaurant area, office, rear hallway, kitchen and 3rd floor storage rooms were monitored.
Equipment: Digital Thermometer
Comments
No unusual change in temperature was recorded during investigation.
The hallway area was slightly colder than the other areas of the building. This was due to a considerable draft coming from large holes in the wall towards the rear of the hallway. The draft was made more significant by the difference in air pressure created by the air conditioning in the restaurant area located at the front of the building.
Equipment: Infrared Thermometer
Comments
No unusual change in temperature was recorded during investigation.
Equipment: Electro-Magnetic Field Meter
Comments
A fluctuation of 0.5 – 1.5mg reading occurred in the top storage room at approximately 10:30pm.
There were no further unusual readings throughout the building during the investigation.
Equipment: Tri-Field Meter
Comments
A fluctuation of 0.5 – 1.5mg reading occurred in the top storage room at approximately 10:30pm.
There were no further unusual readings throughout the building during the investigation
Equipment: Anemometer
Comments
A significant reading was recorded in the hallway area. This confirmed the cold airflow occurring in this location due to large holes in the wall towards the rear of the hallway and the change in air pressure due to the air conditioning at the front (restaurant area) of the building. This created a ‘wind tunnel’ effect.
Conditions at Location
Restaurant Area
Normal airflow from this open area.
Creaky floorboard.
No wind noises (e.g. howling, swishing, voice like)
No noisy plumbing
No noisy/faulty electrical. Including surges.
A few creaks & cracks were heard. This would probably be Movement of old Building.
Office Area
No drafts from windows, doors, etc
No creaky/noisy floorboards, doors, etc
No noisy plumbing
No noisy/faulty electrical. Including surges.
Refrigerator made quite a noticeable whirring noise from its motor.
No general movement of building (creaks, cracks, etc)
Hallway Area
As mentioned above, a significant draft occurs from holes in the walls towards the rear of the buildings. A ‘wind tunnel’ effect is created by the change in air pressure from the air conditioning in the restaurant area at the front of the building.
No creaky/noisy floorboards, doors, etc
No noisy plumbing
No noisy/faulty electrical. Including surges.
No general movement of building (creaks, cracks, etc)
3rd Floor Storage Area
No drafts from windows, doors, etc
No creaky/noisy floorboards, doors, etc
No noisy plumbing
No noisy/faulty electrical. Including surges.
No general movement of building (creaks, cracks, etc)
Stairs to 3rd floor storage area
Brief description of construction and condition of building
The building is made of timber and has 3 levels. The condition of the building appears good. Doors, windows and other fittings appear sound and in good working order.
Observations During Investigation at Location
The following observations were made throughout the investigation. The Investigation team continued to remain alert to all sensory perceptions. The purpose of this stage of the investigation was to scan the area under investigation for any activities that may have offered a natural explanation for alleged paranormal activities. The Investigation team noted all activities explainable or not.
No building movement or tremors were detected during the investigation.
There were minimal external noises. The exception was the sounds of vehicles and people in the city street area at the front of the building. The restaurant is located in the inner city area of the town. Therefore, there is a high volume of vehicle and pedestrian traffic around the building. These street noises can be heard in the restaurant area and the 3rd floor storage area.
Vigil
Vigil – 3 floor storage area
Time: 10:30 – 11:30pm
Observations: No unexplainable phenomenon was observed during vigil. Karen and Zowie claimed that a glass of soft drink sat on the ledge in the room shook from time to time. They noticed this movement by the sound of the ice in the glass clinking together.
This may have been caused by movement in the building due to heavy traffic outside.
Vigil definition: Time spent in complete darkness sitting in quiet observation. This vigil was videoed with 1 infrared camera.
General Sensory Observation
3rd Floor Storage Area
Nothing to report for – Visual, Auditory, Olfactory, Tactile or any General Sense/Feeling
Restaurant Area
Nothing to report for – Visual, Auditory, Olfactory, Tactile or any General Sense/Feeling
Office Area
Nothing to report for – Visual, Auditory, Olfactory, Tactile or any General Sense/Feeling
Hallway Area
Nothing to report for – Visual, Auditory, Olfactory, Tactile or any General Sense/Feeling
Findings From Audio and Video Recordings
3rd Floor Storage Area
Nothing to report from digital photo, audio recordings or video taken while at the location.
Restaurant Area
Infrared camera recordings were taken in this area from approximately 12:30am until 4:30am Saturday. Nothing to report from digital photo, audio recordings or video taken while at this location.
Office Area
Nothing to report from digital photo, audio recordings or video taken while at this location
Hallway Area
Nothing to report from digital photo, audio recordings or video taken while at this location
Basement storage area
Summary of Interviews of people at the location
Peter, the manager gave a clear impression that he believed there were ghostly activities in the building. During the interview Peter discussed the spirit of very young girl that he claimed was moving about the restaurant, office and top storage room area. When he was asked had he actually seen an apparition of this girl, he declared he had not. He rationalised the claim that the alleged spirit was that of a young girl because he could feel she was. Peter went on to claim that he had seen what he believes was the apparition of a tall dark male figure dressed in a flannelette shirt in the restaurant one morning when he was setting up for the days business. He believes that this male ghost resides down in the basement area of the building. He had no clear reason for this believe.
Katrina, a staff member, also believes there is the ghost of a little girl in the building. She has not seen anything to confirm her believe, but she claims to have felt her presence. When asked why she believes this presence she claims to sense is that of a little girl, Katrina can only explain that this is how it feels for her. Katrina claims to feel the sense that someone is watching her from time to time when she is working in the office area.
Two bar staff were informally interviewed to determine whether they had experienced anything unusual while working in the building. They both claimed to believe in the presence of the ghost of a little girl in the building, although they had never seen or sensed her presence.
Conclusions From Investigation
Extensive readings and recordings were taken inside the complete interior of the building, including the restaurant area. Equipment used for this investigation included digital thermometer, electro-magnetic field meter, Tri-Field meter, digital still camera and four camcorders fitted with infrared lights.
There were no significant readings from the Electro-Magnetic Field or Tri-Field meters in any of the areas investigated. A fluctuation of 0.5 – 1.5mg in the readings from both the EMF and Tri-field meters occurred in the 3rd floor storage room at approximately 10:30pm. There is no explanation for this variation for this particular time of the night.
During a vigil by Karen and Zowie in the 3rd floor storage room they claimed to see and hear a glass of soft drink moving as it sat on the ledge. They claimed to hear the ice clinking in the glass. This can be explained as vibration in the building caused by heavy traffic around the building. The vigil took place on a Friday night when traffic in the city area would be heavy from time to time.
The claim by staff of the presence of the ghost of a little girl was interesting. There appeared to be an acceptance of this story across the staff without the evidence of 1st person experience of any phenomena. In fact, no one claimed to see her except for the alleged sighting in the 3rd floor storage area by a friend of Peter. Peter claims to have not discussed his believe in the existence of the ghost with his friend prior to the alleged sighting. Without interviewing the friend of the manager to confirm the claims around the alleged sighting in the 3rd floor storage room it is difficult to draw a sound conclusion to this alleged episode.
It would be reasonable to conclude that most of the staff who believe in the presence of ghosts in the Amigo’s Restaurant building have formed this belief through the influence of suggestion. It has been difficult to determine when the belief in the presence of the little girl commenced.
The uncomfortable feeling experienced by staff when they walk along the rear hallway can be explained by the significant draft flowing constantly from the rear to the front of the hallway. This is caused by the air pressure moving through large holes near the rear of the hallway towards the air conditioned restaurant area. The hallway is long and narrow. The cool air flows as a wind along this area. These factors can make this hallway appear unsettling, particularly when the person is alone in the area. The office area is situated directly off this hallway. This may also explain why people report feeling uneasy when they are working alone in the office.
