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. Aradale, also known as the ararat lunatic asylum and the ararat hospital for the. J ward is an historic building and as such might appear to be unwelcoming to mobility impaired visitors. A short photo board story about j ward ararat information and photos collected from the internet. 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. J ward, ararats old gaol and lunatic asylum attraction. J ward historical day tour friends of jward reservations. Aradale mental hospital was an australian psychiatric hospital, located in ararat, a rural city in southwest victoria, australia. The following books and souvenirs are available for sale at j ward. It is a subgenre for romance and speculative fiction which involves elements beyond scientific explanation. J ward paranormal investigation, tour, grampians, victoria. Hear stories of murderers, ghosts and mistreatment of mental illness. Take a guided day tour, evening ghost tour or paranormal investigation of ararat s premier tourist destination. In 1887 it was converted for use as a maximum security psychiatric ward for the criminally insane.
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. Australias most haunted building, melbournes ararat. If this eventuates, the friends of j ward will notify all online customers and. J ward, asylum for the criminally insane goldfields guide. 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. Jward is the premier tourist venue in the victorian town of ararat, visited by more than 10,000 persons per year. In 1886, the old ararat gaol was proclaimed j ward of the asylum. The ararat lunatic asylum haunted place in ararat, victoria. Closed in 1991, jward is now a museum preserving the living conditions and the stories of the men lost to society.
Free wifi is offered throughout the property and free private parking is available on site. 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. Victoria to know more about the dark history of this town. Today, you can tour the defunct prison and hear stories about its inmates from local volunteers. Ward is actually a pseudonym used by jessica rowley pell bird. It consists of twostorey blocks around a central arched gateway which has some fine detail in the masonry. Your night starts with a 2 hour ghost tour of the home of notorious criminals including chopper read, gary webb and william wallace. J ward officially closed in january 1991 and in 1993 it was reopened as a museum providing tours. 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. 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.
J ward housed criminal and dangerous male patients under maximum security. Aug 24, 2019 j ward asylum ghost tour renz bulseco. 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. In the ararat lunatic asylums j ward three prisoners were hanged while the asylum was a jail. Jacqui sanders explores the lives of the women who were imprisoned in old ararat gaol and the j ward asylum during the nineteenth century. Please send us a message via the form below, or call 1800 657 158. Although macabre in places the history of j ward is generally not disturbing because of its simple truth. A rare insight into the unique history of victorias first. Visitors will gain a greater understanding of the history of the victorian mental. Book your visit to j ward take a guided tour of j ward, ararats old gaol and lunatic asylum. Bus tours, schools and clubs etc are all most welcome at j ward. In the 1970s, j ward still housed more than 40 very disturbed and sometimes dangerous patients. 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.
You will see where their bodies are buried in unconsecrated ground, supposedly in unmarked graves. The county gaol turned lunatic asylum j ward, ararats. Media in category j ward, ararat asylum the following 2 files are in this category, out of 2 total. Today you can book daylight tours of j ward and learn about the early history of.
J ward originally the ararat county gaol, was an australian prison, of the latter a psychiatric facility to house the criminally insane, located. You will see the place where murderers breathed their last. Allegedly, people have reported hauntings of nurses in white uniforms, moaning, crying and hearing footsteps. Ararat local kim kerr initiated the concept and worked closely with many volunteers and organisations to get it off the ground. Visit australias home to the criminally insane, j ward lunatic asylum. 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 explaining the early history of the goldfield times and later, the incarceration of the criminally insane. J ward lunatic asylum ghost tour, tour, grampians, victoria. 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 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. Each of the guides is knowledgable in the history of j ward but each has a wealth of favourite true stories to tell.
Book your visit j ward, ararats old gaol and lunatic asylum. Ward is famous in the literary world for writing paranormal romance. A special deal is offered were a ticket can be purchased for a combined j ward and aradale tour. J ward is open to the public and tours are held daily. The complex served as the ararat county gaol until 1887. Ararat heritage booklet to assist visitors the ararat. It was also difficult to care about any of the characters. A history of the ararat lunatic asylum in the 19th century. Take a guided tour of j ward, ararat s old gaol and lunatic asylum. 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. J ward by margaret burin j ward the institution for those deemed criminally insane housed some of victorias most dangerous men up until it closed in 1991. Ward s first book, leaping hearts, was published in 2002. Ararat was a christopher golden book that i eagerly awaited, but i was disappointed with the novel in the end. 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.
J ward was decommissioned in 1991 and opened as a museum to the public in 1993. 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. Ararats premier tourist attraction with a unique blend of infrastructure and history. Ararat, victoria simple english wikipedia, the free. Lantern ghost tours, j ward lunatic asylum, ararat. J ward museum complex ararat 2020 all you need to know. A history of j ward with interesting prisoner and patient stories.
However, out of the asylums 60 buildings, the j ward was known for housing ararats most infamous patients, with one of its most prominent being bill wallace. The premise was great, but i thought it was handled rather poorly and unconvincingly. We went on the j ward tour the day after our aradale investigation it was a. Visit j ward museum complex on your trip to ararat or australia. The ararat lunatic asylum was massive with 63 buildings and 500 employees. May 11, 2012 a short photo board story about j ward ararat information and photos collected from the internet. Book your tickets online for lantern ghost tours, j ward lunatic asylum, ararat. 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. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you. 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. J ward started its life as a goldfields prison in 1859. J ward is the premier tourist venue in ararat, visited by more than 10,000 people annually greater than ararat s population. 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. Combined jwardaradale historic day tours friends of jward.
She worked in healthcare administration, including the position of chief of staff at beth israel deaconness medical center in boston. J ward was intended as a temporary solution, but it nonetheless continued for more than 100 years. J ward museum complex provides a historical glimpse at the australian penal system. Take a guided tour of j ward, ararats old gaol and lunatic asylum. See more ideas about australia, history and j ward. Join us on the ultimate overnight paranormal investigation. J ward was built between 1860 and 63 as the ararat gaol, to a design based on the pentonville concept by the public works department.
The 10 best hotels close to j ward museum in ararat, australia. Lantern ghost tours, j ward lunatic asylum is located in ararat. Ghost tours j ward, ararats old gaol and lunatic asylum. The friends of j ward tell the story of j ward ararat, victorias s. The county gaol turned lunatic asylum j ward, ararats old. View all attractions near j ward museum complex on tripadvisor. J ward, ararats old gaol and lunatic asylum, attraction, grampians. J ward, ararats old gaol and lunatic asylum visit grampians.
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