The Round House
Romana, QLD, Australia
November 2005
Whilst trying to find the History of the ? Talley Ho Pub’ in Sthwest Qld that Cobb & Co used to stop at in the 1800’s, l was enlightened by the tale below. This Story is told by ?Whitey’ a resident of Eromanga in Sthwest Qld. 2005.
The Town was First called ?Opal Opolis’ and then Erounghoola, then Eromanga. This was in the 1870’s.
?Whitey’ believes his house to be built near or on the site of an old pub,called the ?Round House’ or Round Pub, it existed in Eromanga around the days of the first Opal Miners, it was a shanty place, and local legend has it that it was maybe a place of ill repute.
?Whitey recites’
Before l bought my house in Eromanga Queensland, a young chap l know, Scott, told me that he had stayed and slept overnight in the house, ?he was awoken by a Lady trying to awaken him, she was shaking him by the shoulders’. When he fully awoke he realized that there was no one there.
My Wife and l bought the house some time later, as all was forgotten as time passed. One night l arrived home from the Royal Hotel in Eromanga, l had only had a couple of beers, and sat myself down to dinner at a table beside some sliding doors, whilst eating l swear l heard the doors open behind me and then close, and l felt the presence of a person walk past me, but no one was to be seen, l called out to my wife, and all she said was that ?You’ve been drinking, it’s ok’ or words similar to that!!
On another occasion a young fellow that had been working for me, stayed overnight. He told me that whilst he slept, ?someone was jumping on him, when he awoke - no one was there’.
We never took any of this very seriously until, one night -
--
I was away; my wife rang me at Longreach and said ? ?I woke up last night in a terrible fright, from my sleep, there was a Lady standing there by the bed, trying to wake me up, as l focused, l called out to our daughter, and she came into the room, no one else is here, she said’! This last occasion happened only a couple of years ago. 2002/3.
Little is known today about what happened to the ?Round House’ or where it exactly stood, or what happened to it, did it burn down?, some say it may have, and the Lady that tries to woke people up is trying to warn people about something.
I am sending this to you, as I know the gentleman who told me this would be quite touched to know that someone listened to him in earnest.
I wrote this from notes l took as he spoke. Of course some folk local folk will take this as hogwash, and others also stand by it.
All old records of this area are lost to a fire at the Shire Office, many years ago.
If anyone knows anything about Eromanga’s past, please drop me a line.