Two weeks after formalising a lease, new owner Keenan Quinsee, of Ballan, has started cleaning up the site.

He discovered the site about 18 months ago when he visited the nearby Mitre 10 store on the Western Highway, before sealing the deal this month. 

Mr Quinsee intends to transform the three-hectare property into a business and tourism hub.

He said his first priority was setting up Aradale-like ghost tours in time for Halloween festivities.

“We are just cleaning up at this stage – cleaning windows and pulling up old carpet,” he said. 

“It is not a big a job as what some people think.

“It looks derelict and a heap of work, but structurally the building is good.

“The first thing we are aiming for is the ghost tours to start on October 28.”

Mr Quinsee said he had plans to restore the former board room and operating theatre as they looked in the past, among other ideas to help create a ground-breaking tourist attraction for Stawell. 

“I want to set up a small shop with souvenirs, toys and paranormal gadgets,” he said. 

“The wards will be set up with historical and medical equipment.

“I want to try and get a hold of some hospital beds. It will help set up the wards exactly as they were back then.”

Mr Quinsee said based off figures from Aradale, he forecast about 5000 people would take a ghost tour experience at Pleasant Creek each year.

He said his next priority was to clean up the building closest to the highway, which offered office and retail space. 

The building, which was last occupied by a computer company about five years ago, has 14 different rooms.

“There is a lot of space here. There are rooms which can be used as offices or conference rooms,” Mr Quinsee said. 

“Individuals can trial out these rooms before signing onto a lease- and there is a demand in Stawell for such space.

“Power and water is up and running- so it’s a matter of cleaning up the site.”

Mr Quinsee said the “business hub” could be operational by early next year.