Zetland Masonic Lodge
KYNETON, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
“We made contact with an agitated spirit who did not want us to touch an apron we found in the room … ”
The history
It’s a rare opportunity to be invited inside a working Masonic Lodge. But even rarer still, is being able to host a paranormal investigation inside a working lodge.
But that’s exactly what Kyneton Paranormal has managed to secure; virtually unlimited access to each room inside the marvellous Zetland Masonic Centre in Piper St, Kyneton – after dark!
Zetland Lodge No.25 celebrated 150 years of Freemasonry in Kyneton on 23 May, 2009, and was one of the first lodges opened in the region. It was inaugurated in 1859 under the English Constitution by a bloke with the illustrious title of R.W.D.P.G.M (Right Worshipful, Deputy Provincial Grand Master) Francis T. Gell, and presumably ably assisted by Brother W Lowry. During the inauguration Brother George A Mockler was installed as W.M (Worshipful Master) of the Lodge for the following 12 months.
The Lodge was the 32nd inaugurated under the English Constitution in the Colony at the time, and meetings were scheduled to take place monthly on the first Wednesday after the full moon from then onwards. Unlike some other Lodges, the front facade – formed by additions made in 1905 to the original building – make it less closed off, and even welcoming in comparison.
Meetings were held at the Manchester Unity Hall from 1866 to 1890 in Kyneton and in 1904, Zetland Lodge purchased the Hall. Over time a number of rooms were added to the building including a large hall constructed at the rear of the building in 1927. A stunning example of Egyptian Revivalism that become popular in Australia from the mid 1800s to mid 1900s, Zetland and is the only Egyptian revivalist Lodge left in Victoria.
Inside the Lodge
In keeping with Freemasons’ fascination with ancient Egyptian mysteries and ritual, the interior of the Hall was originally decorated with a strong Egyptian theme, and this theme continues today.
The model for the interior was a temple similar to that of the Temple of Isis at Philae, which is also represented by one of the canvases in the room.
Over a number of years a series of four canvases by local painter and art teacher Thomas Fisher Levick were fitted between the pilasters in the main hall. One canvas was altered by Levick to accommodate an Honour Roll of members involved in the 1914-18 war.
It’s a grand building with even grander fixtures and fittings, so it’s little wonder it has been added to the Victorian Heritage Register. As the Lodge is right next door to a funeral home, Kyneton Paranormal founder Dolly Adamson says it sometimes has “visitors” from there so it can be a little tricky to know who you’re talking to at times!
Our investigation
The Hallozween Paranormal team visited the Zetland Masonic Lodge in Kyneton on February 3, and did a two-hour investigation there.
We arrived at the location shortly after 9pm and met other members of the small group. Some had investigated before, and others were first timers which usually helps in bringing some fresh energy to an investigation. We started off with a quick run through of the equipment before Dolly showed us around the location. There’s SO much space to investigate here, and the energy is heavy, but not dark, in parts, particularly in the rear rooms.
The main hall is simply stunning and we turned on the lights to have a good look around, and marvel at the incredible canvases which adorn the walls. The Lodge is still a working Lodge, so there’s various instruments and equipment used in ceremonies and rituals placed all over the main hall.
The centrepiece is a large colourful carpet, and a large, somewhat ominous “G” which hangs directly above it. Some believe the G represents geometry, a critical field to the first Freemasons, while others believe it represents God, the “Grand Architect of the Universe.”
We started the night with a human pendulum session, which brought some interesting results, but it’s a method which can easily be contaminated so we quickly moved on to conducting some EVPs and an Estes session conducted by a female investigator sitting right on the “sacred” carpet. She didn’t get many results, but that could be because the male spirits of the Lodge refused to make contact through a woman – who are not traditionally welcomed into the Lodges – or, as it’s a new location to investigators, the spirits are still learning how to communicate through the equipment. We then had the main hall to ourselves as others moved on to investigate other areas, but we didn’t get much through, so moved out to the smaller rooms towards the front of the Lodge. Dolly has had some activity in these rooms, and so did we!