J Ward Lunatic Asylum Ghost Tour
4.4

J Ward Lunatic Asylum Ghost Tour

By Lantern Ghost Tours
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Ages 16-99, max of 25 per group
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More

Highlights

  • Local guide
  • Live commentary
  • Entry/Admission - Ararat
What's not included
  • Food and drinks
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off


Start:
  • Girdlestone Street, Girdlestone St, Ararat VIC 3377, Australia
    Please meet at JWard Old Gaol , Girdlestone Street Ararat Victoria
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Stroller accessible
    • Near public transportation
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6024P6

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • 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
    • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6024P6

    From
    $26.18
    per adult
    Select date and travelers
    Itinerary
    • Girdlestone St, Ararat VIC 3377, Australia
      Please meet at JWard Old Gaol , Girdlestone Street Ararat Victoria
    • 1
      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.
    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Lantern Ghost Tours
      3.7 of 5 bubbles158
      Australia
      Joined in January 2010
    • helenwQ767XN
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Ghost tour
      Had a great tour. Wazza was informative and knowledgeable. Walk was at a great pace. Even had the back of my hand tingle under the bridge!!
      Written March 6, 2025
    • Rwd181
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Ghost and history in one!
      Done a few ghost tours and this one was hands down the best so far. Charlotte was our amazing guide who not only shared amazing stories of historical facts about Melbourne.
      Written February 8, 2025
    • sunshinesasha
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Incredible Ghost Tour
      We LOVED the tour we went on. Thor was our AMAZING guide. He had an incredible presence and a wealth of knowledge about the history and the lives of the people that lived and their spirit that remains at The Rocks. We learnt new and fascinating stories, we cannot wait to wander around The Rocks again and think of those that were there before us.
      Written February 3, 2025
    • Camper40854974778
      0 contributions
      2.0 of 5 bubbles
      More of a Nighttime City Tour Than a Ghost Tour – Disappointing
      We were really looking forward to a thrilling and spooky ghost tour in Melbourne, but unfortunately, there was nothing scary about it. Instead of chilling ghost stories, we got more of a nighttime city tour with a few local anecdotes—nothing that would send shivers down your spine. Our guide was friendly, but unfortunately quite difficult to understand, making it even harder to get into the atmosphere. The stories themselves weren’t particularly exciting or well told. A quick glance at the faces of the other participants said it all: most looked more bored than entertained. If you’re expecting a real ghost or horror tour, you’ll likely be disappointed. However, if you’re simply looking for a casual city walk at night with some local stories, this might still be okay. But for the price, we definitely expected more.
      Written February 1, 2025
    • A6890MMandrewh
      0 contributions
      1.0 of 5 bubbles
      Poor Information from trip advisor
      We booked this several days ahead for my son and I. Trip Advisor sent us a confirmation email stating the meeting place for the Williamstown tour was 1 Swanston Street at 8.30pm. No one was there at that time so I called the number provided. A lady stated that I was at the correct place. A minute later a tour guide called and asked if we were still coming on the tour. I stated yes but no one was at the meeting point. She asked where we were and I advised we were at Swanston Street, Melbourne as per instructions. The tour guide then said the meeting point was in Williamstown, not Melbourne. We had received incorrect information from Trip Advisor and we should ask for a refund. I immediately rang Trip Advisor and requested this. 30 minutes later I was told my refund was declined as they could not substantiate that the tour operator had tried to call me. I won't ever be using Trip Advisor again. I'm sure the tour would have been great.
      Written January 3, 2025
    • 588alanam
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fun night out
      My son (12) said it was scary! A fun night out and Georgia was a great storyteller and very generous with her time. The Rocks is a very atmospheric place for a nighttime walking tour. Bring a jacket!!
      Written November 16, 2024
    • Getaway789981
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Wonderful tour!
      Wonderful tour! So much fun! Guide was great, lots of historical information. Highly recommend for teens that love the macabre, my daughter loved it!
      Written September 13, 2024
    • Whensvacay
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fun night out.
      Thor was our guide. He was wonderful and kind. He has good stories to tell and points out where ghosts have been seen. He was a good host, and took the extra time to wait five minutes for a group that was confused about where to meet. Then also made a stop where people could use the toilet.
      Written July 20, 2024
    • Toowoombatourist
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      FUN, NOT SPOOKY, GHOST TOUR
      Definitely not a spooky "ghost" tour if that's what you're after but a nice way to explore the back streets of The Rocks and hear some interesting stories of events that are part of The Rocks colourful history. The archaeological dig of the homes demolished during the years of the plague was an unexpected addition and probably worth a revisit in the daylight, if time permitted. Our guide Georgia was very enthusiastic and quite theatrical in her delivery of the tour. She allowed plenty of time at the photo-opportunity spots and kept the walking to an appropriate pace taking into consideration all of the group. There were some stairs involved and plenty of cobblestoned streets, but overall the tour should be manageable for both old and young.
      Written March 24, 2024
    • 619jeffry
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Altona ghost tour is entertaining
      This Altona Homestead ghost tour, with bright lanterns, is very entertaining. Altona Homestead was built in 1842, a pioneering property that has since served many useful purposes. Altona is an outer suburb. The bluestone residence has much to see at night. The homestead is near Port Philip Bay, almost on the waterfront. These days, it is the headquarters of the Altona Laverton Historical Society. Altona Homestead is 20 km (12 km) from the Melbourne CBD by car. By the way, a fee is charged, you can book on-line. It's popular with younger visitors.
      Written March 3, 2024
    • craigz255
      0 contributions
      1.0 of 5 bubbles
      Don’t waste your money on this tour
      Not recommended,tour guide walked to fast,left group to find own way,history stories were to long and boring,This tour is just a money maker,don’t waste your money on this tour.
      Written November 24, 2023
    • Z2665VJfrancot
      0 contributions
      3.0 of 5 bubbles
      Good tour, shame about the "spoilers"
      Beautiful homestead, history and surrounding land. Great host, well guided. Shame for the group of disrespectful idiots that decided to "party" halfway through that ruined it for the rest of the group. If I knew this demographic were on the tour I would not have booked and was on verge of demanding my money back or move my booking to another session.
      Written August 20, 2023
    • eimaj174
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Very good!
      Jake was a very good guide. The sites were all very interesting. Not a super spooky ghost tour if that is what you're after, but the stories that were told were all told wonderfully. We unfortunately took our tour during Vivid which meant that the area was very crowded and sometimes it was hard to hear. Another family bought a lot of light up flashy sword with them that their kids waved around the whole tour as well which did kind of kill the vibe for our group but booking this tour during Vivid was our mistake so no points off the tour group for that one. I would recommend that items such as those are turned off or asked to be turned off out of respect for other tour goers though. Lots of walking through interesting alley ways in the rocks and overall an enjoyable experience on the tour groups part 😊 would definitely recommend.
      Written June 17, 2023
    • lisamN9668TT
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Enjoyable walking tour for most age groups!
      My 79 year old Mum, 11 year old nephew and I did the Ghost Tour in The Rocks last Saturday night, and we all really enjoyed it! Jake our guide was excellent and explained every story really well, and answered any questions that the group asked him. We saw a fair bit of The Rocks and just for the history side of things alone, it was really interesting (not to mention the spooky stories which were great, too!) Luckily for us it was a clear night and no rain, and the views from up on Observatory Hill were spectacular! There's quite a bit of walking and some stairs involved, so wear comfy shoes and take water with you. My nephew was fascinated with some of the stories and is still talking about it. Great fun for anyone aged 10 or above, and Jake is an excellent guide.
      Written April 3, 2023
    • friday0206
      0 contributions
      3.0 of 5 bubbles
      Nice thing to do in the evening
      It’s an interesting perspective to Sydney history and night scene. Though, if you are looking for a really haunting and creepy experience, it’s not that.
      Written January 18, 2023
    See all 158 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

    Popular mentions

    4.4
    4.4 of 5 bubbles19 reviews
    Excellent
    11
    Very good
    6
    Average
    1
    Poor
    0
    Terrible
    1

    Kon D
    1 contribution
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2022
    I loved learning about J Ward from a historical perspective. It's history and the role it has played in terms of housing the "criminally insane" is in itself both sad and compelling. I think that the preservation of the buildings, cells and surrounding structures is paramount to Ararat and it represents a key tourist attraction. I also felt that the building itself is both claustrophobic and disturbing, making the additional "ghost related" activities somewhat unnecessary. The use of diving rods and so on, was I felt a little gimicky and really didn't add to the experience at all. The hosts were fantastic, very knowledgeable and told the story beautifully. I also thought that the scariest person there was the lady who held the keys, didn't speak a word all night, just threw out the odd smile but didn't engage with anybody. Could this be the one and only true ghost at J Ward?
    Written November 1, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Nadine R
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Aug 2024 • Couples
    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..
    Written August 24, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much for the 5 star review . It's great you enjoyed the tour of JWard and the amazing job the guides do to provide excellent tours Hope to see you again soon
    Written November 25, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Clayton P
    1 contribution
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sep 2023 • Family
    It was definitely an experience for the whole family to enjoy. The 2 hours night tour was very well paced for time. Watching the short video of actual inmates truely bought the moment to life. One of my group was fortunate to feel a spirit in the kitchen area.
    Written September 22, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi Clayton , thanks for your lovely review after attending the JWard ghost tour with lantern Tours. It's always a great night when you get some paranormal activity Hope to see you again soon Happy Haunting!
    Written November 22, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    PhilA
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sep 2024 • Family
    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.
    Written October 17, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hello , we are happy to hear you enjoyed the tour at JWard and found the tour interesting & informative . We hope to see you again on another Lantern Ghost Tour
    Written November 25, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Dee F
    Darwin, Australia6 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Aug 2022 • Family
    Bought tickets, organised accommodation in Ararat, took time off work, drove from Melbourne, turned up early for tour, there was no one there. Tour had been cancelled and we weren’t informed. Really disappointed, rang on return to Melbourne, no one could help, no one would even refund my money!
    Written July 15, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi Dee, oh that doesn't sound right at all. On the rare occasion we need to cancel a tour we are sure to not only email but personal phone all guests on our tours. Please may we ask you to phone our office and we will look into what happened. Detail are on all tickets
    Written November 22, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    thomasab2021
    Cranbourne, Australia1 contribution
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mar 2021
    It was an interesting history lesson. I felt sad for the inmates but then that was how way-wood criminals were treated back in the time. Interesting hearing about some of the characters that were housed in J ward. We caught a couple of apparitions in a couple of photos that we took.
    Written April 4, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi Thomas, thanks for your review. It's great to hear you found the history of the venue interesting and you captured some paranormal on camera. We would love to see your photos , details on tickets Happy Haunting!
    Written April 6, 2021
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Jan T
    Geelong, Australia100 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2020
    Interesting tour, however we were confused with what we had purchased & thought we were meant to be on the Asylum tour. At 9.15 at night we had to drive across town to get to the gaol & then find out even though we had booked & paid, our names werent on the list for that particular night. Another couple that evening also found themselves in the same situation.Guides were knowledgeable,and while its cold & dark , not a spooky evening if thats what your after.
    Written April 2, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Good morning Jan , thanks for adding your review . Lantern Ghost Tours staff are not volunteers at all, all staff are paid employees who are trained to host our tours. It can get confusing regarding the two different venues in Ararat , Victoria . At Lantern Ghost Tours we always add all details and send our guests maps to help avoid this happening. If you can please contact our office with more details we would like to see what happened on the evening you attended , details are on your tickets Happy Haunting.
    Written May 21, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Somapesu
    Melbourne, Australia62 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2021
    Our group of 14 did the ghost tour on a Saturday night. We had 2 great guides who were very knowledgeable and really brought the stories from the asylum to life. Everything does seem eerier at night! Highly recommended if you are staying in or around Ararat.
    Written April 11, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    JWard , what an amazing venue , so glad your group joined us on tour. Something to add to your bucket list to visit , Hope to see you all again on another Lantern Ghost Tour
    Written April 12, 2021
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Daniel M
    1 contribution
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sep 2024 • Couples
    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.
    Written September 22, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi Daniel , thanks for joining us on tour at JWard . We are pleased to hear you enjoyed the tour and sorry other guests on tour were not as interested , we are happy the guide was able to sort this issue out Happy Haunting!
    Written November 25, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Nooshie2014
    Melbourne, Australia22 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We enjoyed learning the very tragic history. Particularly the absurd treatment of the men who were sentenced.
    The girls who conducted the tour keep close to facts, and had all the tour intrigued with the incidents that have and still occur
    Written October 9, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Showing results 1-10 of 19
    *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

    J Ward Lunatic Asylum Ghost Tour provided by Lantern Ghost Tours

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