Unveiling the Haunting History of the Tasmanian Terror
- Alex Wright
- Sep 6, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 15, 2024
Greetings, fellow paranormal enthusiasts! Today, we dive headfirst into the chilling annals of Tasmanian folklore to unravel the spine-tingling legend of the "Tasmanian Terror". This tale, shrouded in mystery and whispered among the locals of a small town, emerged from a series of gruesome murders that shook the community to its core in the 1980s.
Picture this: a quaint town nestled in the heart of Tasmania, where the dense woods hide secrets darker than night. In this seemingly idyllic setting, the legend began to take shape after a string of horrifying murders bearing an eerie similarity in modus operandi.

The first victim, a local woman, was found lifeless, discarded like a broken doll in the heart of the woods, prompting a frantic search by her anguished family. What set this gruesome murder apart was the disturbing detail that both of her kidneys had been meticulously removed. As the news spread like wildfire, investigators began to entertain the possibility of a macabre black market trade in organs.

Tragically, the nightmare didn't end there. A second victim fell prey to this sadistic predator, and the town was plunged into a state of fear and paranoia. The police turned their attention to the husband of the deceased, Michael Page, as their primary suspect. However, Page was eventually exonerated, thanks to a rock-solid alibi and concrete proof of his whereabouts on the fateful evening. This unexpected twist in the investigation led the authorities down a different path, opening doors to more sinister possibilities.
With the discovery of the third victim, the legend of the "Tasmanian Terror" was firmly etched into the town's psyche. Reports of an eerie old lady wandering the woods and strange claw marks on trees added an air of the supernatural to the already unsettling series of events. The police, facing a baffling case, sought external assistance, convinced that a serial killer lurked among them.

It was on October 13, 1983, that the final victim was found in Wellington Park. The investigators honed in on a local woman, Karina Reed, who had a history of suspected mental health disorders. She was last seen fleeing into the woods, prompting a two-week search by the authorities before harsh weather conditions forced them to call off the operation. Although no concrete evidence was ever found against Karina, her sudden disappearance led many to believe that she was the elusive "Tasmanian Terror".

In the wake of Karina's disappearance, the town experienced a lull in gruesome murders, lending credence to the theory that she was indeed the perpetrator. Some speculated that she had either escaped to a neighboring town or met her own untimely end deep within the unforgiving woods. The dense forest terrain, dotted with both legitimate and clandestine cabins, made it nearly impossible for investigators to scour every inch of the area.
While a local man alleged to have had a relationship with Karina was questioned, he was never considered a person of interest in the investigation. The cases grew cold and were officially closed in 1984, leaving the town haunted by unanswered questions and the lingering specter of the "Tasmanian Terror".
Decades have passed since those harrowing days, yet sightings of a woman in Wellington Park persist even today. Astonishingly, no video or photographic evidence has ever been captured, fuelling the belief among locals that the murders and Karina's disappearance were the work of a supernatural being lurking within the woods.
As I stand at the precipice of this eerie tale, I can't help but be drawn into the web of mystery that surrounds the "Tasmanian Terror". The truth remains elusive, and the legend endures, as chilling as ever. Stay tuned, dear readers, for we are about to embark on a journey into the heart of darkness, where the line between reality and the supernatural blurs, and where the "Tasmanian Terror" continues to cast its shadow over the unsuspecting souls who dare to venture into the woods of Tasmania.