Originally known as ararat lunatic asylum, aradale and its two sister asylums at kew and beechworth were commissioned to accommodate the growing number of lunatics in the colony of victoria. J ward is an historic building and as such might appear to be unwelcoming to mobility impaired visitors. Ghost tours j ward, ararats old gaol and lunatic asylum. J ward housed criminal and dangerous male patients under maximum security.
A short photo board story about j ward ararat information and photos collected from the internet. Media in category j ward, ararat asylum the following 2 files are in this category, out of 2 total. Hear stories of murderers, ghosts and mistreatment of mental illness. J ward paranormal investigation, tour, grampians, victoria. In 1887, after alterations, the building was transferred the lunacy department and used as a special ward of the ararat asylum for the criminal insane. See more ideas about australia, history and j ward. J ward is now a museum complex within the original prison structure dedicated to recording and preserving the history of the criminals imprisoned and hung here during the life of the goldfields gaol and later as the infamous maximum security housing for victorias criminally insane men in a ward j ward of the ararat mental hospital. Stories j ward, ararats old gaol and lunatic asylum. We went on the j ward tour the day after our aradale investigation it was a. The complex served as the ararat county gaol until 1887. Jacqui sanders explores the lives of the women who were imprisoned in old ararat gaol and the j ward asylum during the nineteenth century. J ward museum complex provides a historical glimpse at the australian penal system. J ward asylum for the criminally insane located on girdlestone street is the classical revival bluestone building known as j ward which was built in 186061. Take a guided tour of j ward, ararats old gaol and lunatic asylum.
Free wifi is offered throughout the property and free private parking is available on site. J ward historical day tour friends of jward reservations. A special deal is offered were a ticket can be purchased for a combined j ward and aradale tour. You will see where their bodies are buried in unconsecrated ground, supposedly in unmarked graves. Starting its life as a gaol to serve the gold rush of the 1850s, jward housed victorias criminally insane men for more than 100 years. In 1887 it was converted for use as a maximum security psychiatric ward for the criminally insane. Ward is actually a pseudonym used by jessica rowley pell bird. The ararat asylum was the first victorian hospital to open for the mentally ill and the last to close and its unique history is being celebrated as it marks its 150 year anniversary.
While never tried or convicted, wallace was a suspected murderer who allegedly shot a friend over an argument about a cigarette and was then declared insane by two separate doctors in 1925. Aradale, also known as the ararat lunatic asylum and the ararat hospital for the. J ward originally the ararat county gaol, was an australian prison, of the latter a psychiatric facility to house the criminally insane, located in ararat, victoria, australia. The premise was great, but i thought it was handled rather poorly and unconvincingly. The county gaol then became a ward j ward of the ararat lunatic asylum where the most depraved and most dangerous men in victoria were housed in horrific conditions under highest security. Combined jwardaradale historic day tours friends of jward. J ward is the premier tourist venue in ararat, visited by more than 10,000 people annually greater than ararat s population, while aradale is now a ghost town that once housed lunatics. Take a guided day tour, evening ghost tour or paranormal investigation of ararat s premier tourist destination. It was also difficult to care about any of the characters. Explore jward, ararats oldest prison which was established in 1859 as a goldfields prison before being temporarily converted into a home for the criminally insane where the most deranged and dangerous men were kept under the highest security of the time. The county gaol turned lunatic asylum j ward, ararats old. J ward was decommissioned in 1991 and opened as a museum to the public in 1993. Lantern ghost tours, j ward lunatic asylum is located in ararat. J ward officially closed in january 1991 and in 1993 it was reopened as a museum providing tours.
J ward, asylum for the criminally insane goldfields guide. Allegedly, people have reported hauntings of nurses in white uniforms, moaning, crying and hearing footsteps. In the 1970s, j ward still housed more than 40 very disturbed and sometimes dangerous patients. J ward originally the ararat county gaol, was an australian prison, of the latter a psychiatric facility to house the criminally insane, located. Relive the past by taking a guided ghost tour conducted by lantern ghost tours, an award winning evening ghost tour or an overnight paranormal investigation with an expert paranormal investigation team. Starting in 1859 as a jail for miscreants of the local goldfields, j ward started housing the criminally insane when the gold ran out less than three decades later.
A history of j ward with interesting prisoner and patient stories. In 1886, the old ararat gaol was proclaimed j ward of the asylum. Victoria to know more about the dark history of this town. Bus tours, schools and clubs etc are all most welcome at j ward.
In the ararat lunatic asylums j ward three prisoners were hanged while the asylum was a jail. J ward is two and a half hours from melbourne, close to the grampians and open daily for tours by passionate friends of j ward volunteers. If this eventuates, the friends of j ward will notify all online customers and. Book your visit j ward, ararats old gaol and lunatic asylum. View all attractions near j ward museum complex on tripadvisor. Ararat was a christopher golden book that i eagerly awaited, but i was disappointed with the novel in the end. The ararat lunatic asylum was massive with 63 buildings and 500 employees. Take a guided tour explaining the early history of the old ararat gaol and incarceration of the criminally insane. Today, you can tour the defunct prison and hear stories about its inmates from local volunteers. J ward, ararats old gaol and lunatic asylum visit grampians. Construction of the gaol commenced in 1859 and the facility was opened in october 1861. J ward was intended as a temporary solution, but it nonetheless continued for more than 100 years. Visit j ward museum complex on your trip to ararat or australia.
Today you can book daylight tours of j ward and learn about the early history of. Your night starts with a 2 hour ghost tour of the home of notorious criminals including chopper read, gary webb and william wallace. Ward s first book, leaping hearts, was published in 2002. Ararat local kim kerr initiated the concept and worked closely with many volunteers and organisations to get it off the ground. Continuing to write for herself, ward earned a degree from smith college in history and art history and received a law degree from albany law school. Book your visit to j ward take a guided tour of j ward, ararats old gaol and lunatic asylum. Visit australias home to the criminally insane, j ward lunatic asylum. May 11, 2012 a short photo board story about j ward ararat information and photos collected from the internet. Dec 24, 20 the 23page book was developed to enhance the previous guide which had been put together by the historical society friends of j ward. It is a subgenre for romance and speculative fiction which involves elements beyond scientific explanation.
The following books and souvenirs are available for sale at j ward. Although macabre in places the history of j ward is generally not disturbing because of its simple truth. Australias most haunted building, melbournes ararat. J ward is open to the public and tours are held daily. J ward, ararats old gaol and lunatic asylum, attraction, grampians. Join us on the ultimate overnight paranormal investigation. While j ward is closed due to covid19 and everyone is under social distancing restrictions, why not purchase one of the books available about the old ararat gaol j ward. J ward museum complex ararat 2020 all you need to know. Book your tickets online for lantern ghost tours, j ward lunatic asylum, ararat. The friends of j ward tell the story of j ward ararat, victorias s.
Closed in 1991, jward is now a museum preserving the living conditions and the stories of the men lost to society. Ararats premier tourist attraction with a unique blend of infrastructure and history. Aug 24, 2019 j ward asylum ghost tour renz bulseco. Ararat, victoria simple english wikipedia, the free.
Visitors will gain a greater understanding of the history of the victorian mental. You will see the place where murderers breathed their last. J ward is the premier tourist venue in ararat, visited by more than 10,000 people annually greater than ararat s population. See lantern ghost tours, j ward lunatic asylum and all ararat has to offer by arranging your trip with our ararat trip maker app. The 10 best hotels close to j ward museum in ararat, australia.
Take a guided tour explaining the early history of the goldfield times and later, the incarceration of the criminally insane. It consists of twostorey blocks around a central arched gateway which has some fine detail in the masonry. She worked in healthcare administration, including the position of chief of staff at beth israel deaconness medical center in boston. Take a guided tour of j ward, ararat s old gaol and lunatic asylum.
Ward is famous in the literary world for writing paranormal romance. The ararat lunatic asylum haunted place in ararat, victoria. Please send us a message via the form below, or call 1800 657 158. Aradale mental hospital was an australian psychiatric hospital, located in ararat, a rural city in southwest victoria, australia. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you. The county gaol turned lunatic asylum j ward, ararats.
Each of the guides is knowledgable in the history of j ward but each has a wealth of favourite true stories to tell. J ward started its life as a goldfields prison in 1859. A rare insight into the unique history of victorias first. Jward is the premier tourist venue in the victorian town of ararat, visited by more than 10,000 persons per year. J ward lunatic asylum ghost tour, tour, grampians, victoria. If a joint ticket holder decides to do the tour on the same day it is recommended that they participate in the 10am j ward tour and then do the 2pm aradale tour.
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