I recently returned from a 9 day stay in Malta. I've visited before but this was my first visit as a self-proclaimed dark tourist.

The History of Malta

In reality, a lot of dark tourism stems from the roots. So, here are a few notable facts about the history of Malta.

• Malta has a rich history that stems back to 5000BC. Malta was built on its farming industry. When visiting, you can still see that farming is still a very active part of Maltese culture. In this blog post you will see a brief glimpse of historic settlements on this small but thriving island.
• In the early 1800's, Britain ruled Malta for just over 100 years. Today, you can see flakes of British culture scattered across the island. However, Malta still retains its strong heritage.
• What about the Maltese Language? It is very interesting! The Maltese language is a Semitic language that was originally Arabic but it has since developed with influence from its western neighbours, Sicily. It is also the only Arabic language to be written in Latin.

A Wide View of St Paul's Catacombs in Malta

Discover: The Catacombs of Malta

What is a Catacomb?

List of Catacombs in Malta

1. St. Paul's Catacombs, Rabat - Visited - You can find real bones here. (€6)
2. St. Agatha's Catacombs, Rabat - Located over the road from St. Pauls - this was unfortunately closed when we visited. However, many reviews state that these are the best! (€5)
3. Salina Catacombs - Situated in Naxxar (according to its address, but it's actually just outside St. Paul's Bay); this was the first one I visited, it is FREE.
4. St Augustine's Catacombs – Rabat, Malta. (€4)
5. Tal-Mintna Catacombs – Mqabba, Malta. - Normally closed, organized tours only.
6. Ta' Bistra Catacombs – near Mosta, Malta.
7. St. Cataldus Catacombs – Rabat, Malta

Edit: 10/12/2025 - After a recent visit back to Malta, I can confirm that St Agatha's Catacombs was an incredible visit. Without spoiling too much (nothing can be too spoilt, as photography isn't allowed!), you are taken on a 20 minute tour where you learn about the history of the Catacomb and you're able to not only see the incredible original paint work, but you can also see 2,000-year-old skeletal remains!

The only downfall is that, due to their age and relocation from many years ago, nobody knows who these people are. 

Modern Burials in Malta

The island has a collective range of cemeteries decorated beautifully with statues and wonderful architecture. I have visited various cemeteries around the world - with Italy being the location of the first cemetery that fascinated me.

With Malta's rich connections to the England and Italy, I was intrigued to see the connections of both countries and just how it influenced their burial process.

I was very surprised to see that Maltese graveyards were like nothing I'd ever seen before. The cemeteries that I visited were all walled - this is similar to those in Italy. However, the difference was that each family grave was decorated with their own family headstones containing portraits (another common theme in Italy). 

This was very interesting to see - most of these were guarded by an angel or statue.

Cemeteries I Visited:

• Ta Braxia Cemetery - This cemetery had a lot of English people in it that were mainly buried here during the war. The cemetery was beautifully accompanied by lots of beautiful palm trees and water fountains, all surrounded by a central church - a common theme of Maltese burial sites.
• Mellieha Cemetery - A well kept but small cemetery for local burials. Accompanied by a small chapel.
• St George Cemetery - Located in Naxxar, this quaint village cemetery is home to a curious feline, who I was lucky enough to get a photo of, whilst he/she was resting on a grave that had probably been warmed by the sun. In this graveyard in particular, I noticed a lot of the same statue.
• Santa Maria Addolorata Cemetery - I was lucky enough to visit by far the most grand cemetery on the island. This cemetery is huge, its historic, it oozes with character, and it you absolutely need to put it on your list if you are planning a dark tourism visit to Malta. Oh, and just an FYI - The toilets are located in front of the cemetery gates, and it's quite difficult to get to by foot, but we managed it... legally... just about.

General Tourism of Malta

If you are looking for other tourism hot spots, great eateries, bars and picture spots - head on over to my other blog, where I went into detail about other aspects of my trip!

Most Haunted is a TV Show that some would say is a British staple. When I found out that Yvette Fielding and the gang were attending the famous City Varieties - an iconically historic venue - on the ominous night of Halloween... I knew I had to go.

**May Contain Spoilers**

The Venue

The City Variety music hall has a history that dates back to the 1760's. To put that into context, Napoleon Bonaparte was born at the end of this decade, and Mozart was just a 10-year-old child. That is something I simply can't wrap my head around!

However, it wasn't a theatre back then; that era came later. It was first a coaching in, known as the White Swan Coaching Inn, a name that was later adopted by a local pub up the road. It became a performance hall 100 years later in 1865. Some notable names include, Charlie Chaplin, Houdini, and The Chuckle Brothers.

It must be noted that you have to put City Varieties on your bucket list before you die. This place is breath-taking. Although the exterior looks all swanky and new, stepping foot inside is like a time machine. I felt like I was in the same era as the Titanic.

Most Haunted

The Show

Little did I know that this show has been going for years. I would say that the venue was the perfect place on this occasion, though I can't speak for others.

Leading up to showtime, we were displayed old photos and video footage of City Varieties - which I thought was a lovely touch and something that was unique to that show.

The cast came out, introduced themselves - showed us some clips from over the years, and had a laugh with each other. Although some reviews stated that the comments were crude, which they were, I also felt like I was having a laugh with friends and joining in conversation - which I wasn't, but it was a very relaxed atmosphere. 

My Honest Opinions

Have you been to see Most Haunted? Or, have you been to the City Varieties? Let me know your thoughts below.

1 - Old Ingham Cemetery

2 - Walhalla Cemetery

3 - Leonora Cemetery

4 - McLeod Street Pioneer Cemetery

5 - Fremantle Cemetery

6 - St Mary's Busselton

7 - West Terrace Cemetery Adelaide

8 - Bendigo Cemetery

9 - Pinnaroo Cemetery

• A section for natural burials
• A beautiful pond
• Lots of beautiful gardens
• A memorial space for murder victims
• ...and most importantly, at least 100 kangaroos.

10 - Shalom Cemetery

I couldn't put this list together without mentioning Shalom Cemetery. This was the first pet burial ground I have ever visited. I initially thought I would just find dogs here, but to my surprise there was also cats, ferrets, lizards, just to name a few! 

11 - Karrakatta Cemetery

Regretfully, I never had the chance to visit Karrakatta Cemetery, but it is on my list for when I return. I think this cemetery popped up when I had left the country. I noticed just how incredible it was, and the most heart-breaking of all is that it was only a 30 minute walk from Kings Park in Perth!

Do you have any graveyards to add to the list? Leave a comment below!

Don't forget to include a notable grave!

The name Gwalla is a title given to the new town of Northampton, and it seems only the residents may know of its history. However, this remote little town holds an interesting history.

A Quick History of Gwalla

Not to be confused with the ghost town of Gwalia, Gwalla, or Northampton, is located North-West of Western Australia, 52km North of Geraldton. When visiting the town, you may see signs diverting you to the location of the old cemetery. This, of course, drew me in. However, why can't you find this place on maps? I haven't quite figured that one out yet - but, I have put a request in!

Gwalla was an old copper mining town that first opened in 1859. In the grand scheme of things, that ain't too long ago. Upon visiting the graveyard, I noticed the large tomb of Joseph Horrocks. He provided the funding for the mine along with George Shenton. The mine provided a large population of workers from Cornwall, England.

In 1864 the nearby Wanerenooka Mine joined together to create the larger residential town of Northampton. Gwalla mine was closed for many years. However, it was opened again in 1907 to provide water for the town, and continued to thrive until the 1980's when it was closed again. 

Gwalla Church & Cemetery Ruins

I mentioned earlier that a large tomb rested on the cemetery grounds. Of course, the cemetery was the first place I visited here, and I had no idea who it was at first, as there was no inscription on the tomb! However, upon exiting the graveyard I noticed an information board, so I went to have a look to find out that it was the grave of Joseph Horrocks. Horrocks also built the church in 1864 in an effort to cater for 'all religions'.

The tomb of Joseph Horrocks in Gwalla Cemetery

Unfortunately, the church closed its doors for the last time in 1917 and sadly fell to ruin soon after.

Further research from a Tripadvisor review tells me that a plaque once stood on the wall of the tomb, in a picture taken in October 2020.

Who was Joseph Horrocks?

Lancashire-bred Joseph Lucas Horrocks was born on November 18th 1803. He was the first son of William Horrocks and Jane Smith. Joseph had 5 sisters and 3 brothers. He was known to be a father of 3 with a wife named Mary, though it seems his family did not join him in Australia.

Working Life

Later in his life, in the 1850's he was listed as a businessman in Manchester, under the name of Horrocks, Schaer and Co. The nature of this business was producing and selling chemical products. 

On March 22nd 1851, Horrocks pleaded guilty in a defrauding attempt of £430 9s 7d. This would amount to over £34,518.45 today. In fact, this wasn't the only time Horrocks was caught for forgery. To make it a bit easier, I've made a table below.

During his business-man era, he also went into partnership with a London-based company, Gustav Kober and Co. Unfortunately I couldn't find any information on this.

The Move to Australia

Joseph Horrocks was convicted to 14 years in prison. On October 30th 1851 he boarded a ship called The Marion, with 280 other convicts heading to Western Australia. He arrived on January 30th and somehow convinced people that he was a medical professional. This resulted in him securing a job in the medical field at Fremantle's Prison. 

Settling in Gwalla

In 1859 he met with George Shenton Sr to discuss the possibility of building a mining town on 100 acres of land. It was in this discussion that Gwalla was born.

Joseph's last commission was to build a schoolhouse and garden. Construction started in 1863. Sadly, Horrocks wouldn't be around for the completion after he passed away in Wanerenooka on October 7th 1865 at the age of 61. The school was completed in 1866 and the town was later renamed Northampton.

If you're following my Instagram, you'll know that I recently made the decision to spend a year in Australia. We have been spending the first part of our trip in Perth. Before setting off, I already knew I wanted to go to Fremantle. My partner had been before and he told me all about it. One of the places on my bucket list is New Orleans and this is pretty much the next best thing! 

The Round House, on the other hand, is a whole different kettle of fish. Mind you, they could have something similar in New Orleans... who knows!

A Brief History

This iconic building was first opened in January 1831, making it Western Australia's oldest standing building. It took just 5 months to build! In its early life, it served as a prison before all prisoners were later moved to the larger Fremantle Prison in 1886. 

The Execution of John Gavin at The Round House

I'm not entirely sure if this was a single occurrence, but in April 1844 a 15-year-old boy was executed here. Mr. John Gavin* was responsible for killing his boss' son, George Pollard. John's body was apparently laid to rest in the sand hills south of the round house. Who knows, his body may be lurking beneath you whilst you're casually enjoying the views at the beach! 

* The link above takes you to a various historic recollections quoted by the families of George Pollard and the police.

George Pollard is buried at Pinjarra Saint John's Cemetery. I haven't been there yet, but stay tuned on my Instagram... I'll put it on my list to pay my respects. 

Fun Fact: This building cost £1,603 in total to build. I didn't even know Australia used to be funded by pounds! Nevertheless, this would roughly amount to $3,392,000 in 2021.