J Ward Museum

This high-level security prison in regional Victoria once held criminals and those said to be criminally insane. Although decommissioned in 1991, haunting tours reveal that perhaps not everyone has left the building.

Opened in 1861 in response to crimes on the nearby goldfields, the gaol housed a number of prisoners and executions, before turning into the Ararat Lunatic Asylum in 1886. Paintings of sailing ships on the stone walls reveal an artistic side to the inmate’s lives. Meanwhile, markings on other sections of the walls reveal the location of vertically buried inmates, who are rumored to still haunt the grounds.

The prison housed famous prisoners including Mark “Chopper” Read, who was transferred to the site after cutting off his ears, and Gary David/Gary Webb, whose criminal life started at age 11, resulting in a lifetime of prison sentences. During his time at J Ward, he became known for his extreme self-mutilation, which allowed him to “escape” a cell and spend time in the hospital wing. As an asylum J Ward was also home to non-criminal members of society, including one of the first victims of Aids in Australia.

The prison is also well known for a number of hauntings, including a young kitchen aid who often holds hands with visitors in the basement kitchen, as well as a potentially demonic presence in the old Governor’s bathroom. Ghost tours occur on a regular basis and include overnight experiences for those with true nerves of steel.