Old Nunnery, Pomona

The Old Nunnery at 5 Church Church, Pomona was an historic building and part of the towns heritage trail. Reputedly haunted by nuns, the Old Nunnery was sold by the Catholic Church in the 1980’s and was a private residence until it was destroyed by fire in 2007. Mark Fuller wrote two articles on 29th September 2007 for the Sunshine Coast looking at the fire and the haunting.

According to Mark in this abridged artictle entitled ‘Old Nunnery’ destroyed after row’; ‘A man has been charged with arson and deprivation of liberty after allegedly setting fire to The Old Nunnery in Pomona overnight.

A 71-year-old woman, who had allegedly been held captive in her own home at gunpoint for hours, fled the home just after midnight only to turn and see it engulfed in flames……..”It is believed the woman came home yesterday afternoon and was confronted by a man who was known to her. He then allegedly threatened her with a firearm and refused to let her leave,” police said.

“Around 12.20am this morning the woman managed to flee the house and alert police.

“Police attended the Church Street residence to find the house well alight. The blaze completely destroyed the house and the site is now being treated as a crime scene.’

It is understood the man at the centre of the dispute did not live at the home.

Police located a 67-year-old Pomona man at a local caravan park.

The man was taken to a local hospital for observation after he complained of complications to a pre-existing medical condition. The man is in a stable condition.

The woman was not injured during the incident.

Sgt Justin Ward, of Maroochydore Police, said police had been called about 12.25pm by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service to say there was a fire.

“The female occupier of the home has then phoned police to say she had been in a dispute with a male person in her home and he had set the home on fire,” Sgt Ward said.

“She had sought an opportunity to escape from the house (during the dispute) and she has turned around and saw it on fire.”

“The home was totally gutted.”

It was not known exactly how the blaze was actually started.

Police have today charged a man with arson, deprivation of liberty, entering a dwelling with intent, threatening violence, common assault, and breaching a domestic violence order.

Mark Fuller detailed the paranormal aspect of this building in his other piece entitled ‘Old Nunnery had been haunted by ghosts‘.

‘The Old Nunnery’, which was destroyed by fire overnight following an apparent domestic dispute, had been haunted by ghosts, a former resident said today.

John Osmaston, whose former wife bought the historic building from the Catholic Church in the late 1980s, said it was a beautiful place with a closed in verandah and kookaburras flying to the kitchen for a feed.

“Nuns used to give piano lessons on the old altar,” John said.

“My son David actually used to live on the altar. His bedroom was on the altar.”

John said he saw the ghost of a nun after returning from a night work’s at his restaurant, Going Pasta.

After putting the tea towels in the wash, as he did each night, he sat down for his first beer and said he saw the ghost of a nun.

“There was this ghost of the nun walking towards me down the corridor,” John told thedaily.com.au

“I just saw this white figure walking towards me.

“It was the most magical experience. I just wanted her to come and talk to me while I waited for the towels to wash,” he said.

But he said the figure quickly disappeared. A friend also later saw the ghost of a nun.

After about three years, The Old Nunnery was sold to Garth Chapman, who specialised in renovating old Queenslanders.

Mr Osmaston said it had been a beautiful building until more recent renovations by the present owners.

It is understood to have been built in 1920s-1930s, but moved to present site from near the sawmill.