J Ward Lunatic Asylum Ghost Tour

Overview

Available languages

English

2 hours

Mobile ticket

Visit Australia's former home of the criminally insane, the J Ward Lunatic Asylum, about two hours outside of Melbourne. During this evening experience, check out the museum that now sits here before the 2-hour guided ghost tour begins. The tour introduces you to some of the notorious criminals who resided in the ward, including Chopper Read, as you explore the grounds in search of the souls who still linger here.

Tours run every Friday & Saturday evening.

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Public transportation options are available nearby

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Minimum age is 12 years

Children 12 and over must be accompanied by a supervising adult ticket holder

Flat, comfortable shoes are recommended

The 2-hour tour is mostly indoors with moderate walking and some steps

Tours take place in wet weather; in the case of extreme weather, the local tour operator will contact you directly to offer alternative options

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Live commentary

Local guide

Food and drinks

Hotel pickup and drop-off

What To Expect

Visit Australia's home to the criminally insane, J Ward Lunatic Asylum. Explore the museum followed by a ghost tour of the home of notorious criminals including Chopper Read, Gary Webb and William Wallace. Explore the governor's bathroom, hangman's gallows, original kitchen, showerblock, grave sites, West Wing, J Ward Block, exercise yards and grounds in search of the souls that still linger. Learn of governors whose spirits are still lurking, prisoners buried in the grounds and the many souls trapped within these walls.

2 hours • Admission Included

Options

8pm Departure

8pm departure for the J Ward Lunatic Asylum Ghost Tour

Reviews

4.36

25 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Lear’s ghost tour
Renee G,
Sep 21, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
You get an amazing insight to what heard and its occupants were really about. The history was awesome to hear. The museum had some really awesome items as well.
Keep your money and go to Ballarat Bendigo or the city ghost tours
Samantha R,
Mar 9, 2025
- Review from Viator
1.00
Worst tour EVER ,we were only allowed in one cell not allowed to walk around no activity that couldn’t be debunked there’s definitely no paranormal activity the story of the actual prison would have made it ok except we were only told about one or 2 emf detectors debunked by copper wire in taps etc
Interesting night all round
greghP2836RL,
Mar 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Excellent night. The tour guides were really informative and fun. The stories are interesting and lots of activity while ghost hunting.
Involved very cool Ghost tour J Ward
Meg T,
Feb 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Great tour, great group. Cool to have ghost detection devices as they really worked. Our guides were amazing and were very passionate about the Goal/Asylum so the stories that were told were very interesting. You could imagine what it would have been like. I highly recommend the tour. Thanks guys for the cool experience.
Great time
Catherine M,
Nov 16, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
My daughter and I attended the Ghost Tour on Friday the15th of November. We love the tour our guided was very knowledgeable and great fun.
J Ward night tour.
Flyer8888888,
Oct 17, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This is an interesting and informative tour, which gives a concise and detailed history about J Ward's infamous past. It is a little confronting when you hear about some of the detainees stories, which are well presented by the guides. You receive access into a lot of areas inside the asylum, which itself is a wonderful and historic collection of buildings, including the underground kitchens. We didn't find any ghosts, despite our best efforts with the divining rods, but this makes the two hour tour a bit of fun and lightens the experience which is good.
Great experience, would be better in smaller groups.
danielmY8678GW,
Sep 22, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
This was a really good experience. The host was great, very spiritual but not over the top. It's a shame that there were so many rude people trying to be funny and talk over the top of her, but she definitely handled it well.
Amazing
K7702BPnadinec,
Aug 24, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Best ghost tour of the town, couldn't recommend this enough, both Sandra and Graham did an amazing job with the tour and shared so much insite into the history of the place. A few ghostly experiences enough to make the hairs stand up. Overall 10/10..
Ararat ghost tour is definitely worthwhile
619jeffry,
Mar 4, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
J Ward was a psychiatric institution in Ararat. J Ward was mainly for the criminally insane. Since the inpatients were transferred to other institutions, J Ward has been opened up for ghost tours. This former "lunatic asylum" is a reminder of the ethical challenges involved in the mental health involved in this forensic mental hospital in Ararat. The ghost tour can be a bit alarming, but it arouses your interest and curiosity; it's definitely worthwhile.
J Ward Ghost Tour
P8085CYkimp,
Oct 6, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
A great history lesson about the place and some people that were there, No scary stuff occurred while we were there but still it was a fun night