By Casey Neill
Supernatural forces are rumoured to be behind the Drum Theatre clock chime ticking back into action.
Power surges are an alternative explanation, but there are plenty of spooky stories about Dandenong’s old town hall to support the ghost theory.
Theatre co-ordinator Cheryl Rush said it started chiming about Tuesday 6 March.
“It’s very interesting that it chimes the right amount of chimes for the hour,” she said.
But the bells ring out at odd times, like 4.25pm, 12.23pm and 6.24pm.
Ms Rush explained that there were two separate mechanisms at play – one to control the clock hands and the other the chime.
“We’ve spent a lot of money to get them to work really well since Drum reopened,” she said.
“The longest it ever chimed for was for one week after we got it fixed.”
City of Greater Dandenong community programs officer Bridget Flood said the clock had never worked properly.
It chimed 117 times in a row when it was installed in 1934.
Ms Flood said it created bother even when it did work correctly.
“Because Dandenong was flatter, someone would be sleeping at the house and he would have to come and turn it off in the middle of the night because it was keeping up Dandenong, basically,” she said.
It hadn’t chimed for about five years before its recent return, which coincided with the ninth anniversary of Paul Streefkerk’s death.
He was the Drum Theatre director when it opened and died suddenly on 2 March 2009.
The Journal reported last year that the spirit of former Dandenong Town Hall caretaker Edward Potter could be he heard walking the corridors at night, checking that the doors were locked.
Ms Rush has personally heard the eerie sounds while working late at night.
“Sometimes from upstairs we hear the voices of children,” she said.
“Every night your hear footsteps and stuff.
“Often someone will try to lock the door when you’re in there.
“There’s something about how much we love this place.
“Maybe they loved it just the same and they’re looking after it.”
People can check out the ghost story first-hand at this year’s Open House Melbourne event, on Sunday 29 July.
Greater Dandenong participated in the annual event for the first time last year and welcomed 1000 people to the Drum, Heritage Hill and the Dandenong Civic Centre.
Organisers hope to add a ghost expert to this year’s Drum tour.
The Drum Theatre started life as the Dandenong Town Hall in 1890 and has a varied history, from hosting court hearings to town dances and armed forces enlistment.
