New attractions at Ararat’s J Ward

The group behind developing Ararat’s J Ward into a prominent tourist attraction has added new displays designed to add interest to tours of the infamous centre.

Friends of J Ward have included a new Bill Wallace room, based on the world’s oldest incarcerated person, a new ECT or shock-treatment room and another room featuring famous patients such as the Mad Doctor, Chopper Read, Antarctic explorers and more.

J Ward, which overlooks Al- exandra Oval, was Victoria’s hospital for the criminally insane and is now evolving as a significant part of the regional tourism jigsaw.

In 2017 11,000 people visited J Ward and numbers are already up this year.