The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

A vampire hunter has hit town to uncover those unruly creatures, which he says are more interested in your energy than drinking your blood. And Kate Johnstone discovers there may be plenty of them in our city.

Every soul in Geelong knows at least one vampire - or victim - or they may themselves be a vampire.

Drew Sinton is a ghost hunter and Australian Ambassador for the Transylvanian Society of Dracula.

He's been in Geelong searching for human blood drinkers and psychic energy drainers who attack sleeping victims.

"Everything you imagine does exist," Sinton says, his pale skin illuminated by the sun setting behind a large gothic church.

"People don't ask priests for help any more. They call me."

For three years Sinton has run vampire workshops attended by a broad cross-section of the community, from Geelong gothics to Melbourne business people.

Vampires can be psychic energy drainers - people who intentionally or unintentionally drain your energy, or spirit vampires - ghosts who become parasitic and drain energy from the heart of sleeping victims.

"Geelong has its fair share of psychic vampires and they are relatively easy to find," he says.

"Basically you can tell if a person is a psychic vampire because you feel emotionally or physically drained after they have left your presence.

"Most people have a Hollywood idea of the vampire's nature, but the vampires I describe are the occult or psychic ones - energy drainers rather than blood drinkers."

The first vampires mentioned 5000 years ago were psychic vampires or ekimmu, meaning evil gust of wind.

The ancient Sumerians believed vampires drained the life force from people by absorbing their psychic energy.

There are several classic types of vampires and Sinton says most of us know at least one.

The first type are people who talk to you on the telephone until you feel absolutely drained.

"That is a classic vampire strategy. They feel good because they've soaked up your energy, whereas you feel worn out and tired."

Another vampire is the "pity me" or "poor me" type who drains energy by being constantly depressed or depressing.

This type attaches itself to strong people until that person is drained of energy. This happens constantly in many relationships, he says.

You might have a couple where the man is depressed but the woman is vibrant and full of life.

Six months later the roles are reversed and the man becomes stronger at the expense of the woman - who becomes depressed.

Another type likes to make people angry. Sinton says the best way to deal with this type is to stay calm and not emit energy.

People who constantly arrive late and know you are waiting can be another form of vampire because you send them energy by waiting for them to turn up.

Those who constantly need to be on show or around others can be psychic vampires as they need to feed on the energy of others to make them 'high'.

Sinton says few people realise Dracula was written as a parody of Christianity which author Bram Stoker saw was a vampire religion.

In July 1998 Sinton was run out of Shepparton after telling the local newspaper Jesus Christ was history's most successful vampire.

"After all, who else but a vampire god would have his disciples drink his blood and eat his flesh in return for everlasting life?" he says.

Sinton first became interested in vampires and hauntings years ago when he worked as a journalist.

He now runs the Haunted Bookshop in McKillop Street Melbourne and lectures about vampires and ghosts throughout Australia.

He also guides tours through Transylvania which trace the history of vampires.