The Dungeon at Chicks
Tragedy, kidnapping, smuggling, murder, ghosts and music. Chicks has seen it all.
Book a Tour"Fact and fiction mix freely when lubricated with spirits. Few pubs have quite as contentious a history as Chick's Hotel in Port Chalmers."
Under the Old Jail
The Dungeon sits where Port Chalmers' original jail once stood, beneath an 1876 harbour hotel built by mayor Henry Dench and later run by the Chick family. In 1879, local carrier George Chick bought the hotel and it became known simply as Chick's, a rough harbour pub for sailors from around the world.
The basement beneath the hotel was used as an overflow jail for prisoners from the local lock-up, with meals sent down from the Chick family upstairs. The thick stone walls that once contained prisoners now echo with the sounds of live music and late-night conversations.
The Smuggling Tunnel
From the basement, a bricked-up tunnel once led towards the docks. Locals call it the 'Smuggling Tunnel', tied to stories of sailors being shanghaied after a heavy night at the bar. Local legend says that drunk patrons were dragged down through the tunnel and 'shanghaied', waking up at sea having 'started a new career as a fisherman'.
"The so-called 'smuggling tunnel' from the basement is now bricked up, but the stories of shanghaied sailors and late-night footsteps live on."
Ghost Stories & Gig Nights
Band members and guests have spoken of unseen visitors talking in their rooms, footsteps on empty stairs, and doors slamming in the dead of night. Over the years, guests and bands have reported disembodied voices, footsteps in empty corridors, doors slamming, and unseen visitors speaking in their rooms late at night.
From 2008 until its closure in 2016, Chick's became a beloved live music venue, hosting influential New Zealand and international acts while the dungeon stories persisted beneath the stage. The building's haunted reputation grew in parallel with its life as a cult music venue, creating a unique atmosphere where history and creativity collide.
Dungeon Artifacts & Stories
Old Jail Ledger
The basement once served as an overflow jail for prisoners when the local lock-up was full, with meals sent from the hotel kitchen above.
Tunnel Marker
Beneath the hotel, a tunnel once ran toward the harbour – bricked up today – remembered locally as the 'Smuggling Tunnel'.
Sailor's Warning
Local lore warns that after too many drinks at Chick's, you might once have woken up halfway out to sea on a fishing boat, conscripted as crew.
Ghost Logbook
Reports include voices in empty rooms, doors slamming, and footsteps pacing the hallways long after closing time.
Investigator's Notes
Modern investigators describe trapdoors behind the bar, keg cellars below, and a heavy, lingering sense of past lives and late-night stories.
Music Venue Era
2008-2016: Chick's hosted legendary New Zealand and international acts, cementing its place in music history while paranormal stories persisted below.
Tour Information
Schedule
- Thursday - Sunday: 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM, 6:00 PM
- Duration: 30-40 minutes
- Advance booking recommended
Pricing
- Hotel Guests: Free
- Adults: $15 NZD
- Students: $10 NZD
- Children under 12: Free
Location
Access through hotel lobby
2 Mount Street
Port Chalmers 9023, New Zealand
Important Notes
- • Comfortable shoes recommended
- • Cool year-round - bring a jacket
- • Limited accessibility
- • Photography encouraged
Timeline
- 1876 – Built over the original Port Chalmers jail by mayor Henry Dench
- 1879 – George Chick buys the hotel; becomes rough harbour pub for sailors
- Late 1800s – Basement used as overflow jail with infamous smuggling tunnel
- 2008-2016 – Beloved music venue hosting NZ and international acts
- Present – Ghost stories persist alongside the music legacy