#aradale

Hauntings and paranormal phenomena are well-known at Aradale Mental Hospital in Ararat, Victoria, Australia. It was one of three huge 19th-century mental health institutes, initially named Ararat Lunatic Asylum and opened in 1867. It treated thousands of patients, many of whom never left. The hospital closed in 1998, but its history of pain, death, and mystery has made it a ghost story and paranormal adventure location. Hospital history is full of tragedy and grief. Aradale, capable of accommodating 1,000 patients, experienced an overcrowding of individuals with severe mental illnesses, social outcasts, and even those involved in promiscuity or alcohol consumption. Early treatments were violent and experimental, including electroconvulsive therapy and lobotomies. Some say restless spirits remain from the trauma of many patients who died in the facility and were buried in unmarked graves nearby. Due to great sorrow, Aradale's walls are supposed to be haunted.

Aradale visitors have claimed to have heard disembodied voices, felt cold places, seen mysterious figures, and heard eerie footsteps throughout its abandoned hallways. People often mention the ghost of Nurse Kerry, a former staff member who guards the women's ward. While some find comfort in her realm, others experience a sense of scrutiny. The men's ward has a darker vibe, with visitors reporting feeling dreadful. Former patients have reportedly wandered these halls, their translucent bodies a disturbing reminder of the hospital's dark past. Paranormal activity also occurs at the previous superintendent's office. Some visitors report an oppressive, heavy mood at this location, which they attribute to the power and authority of the institution's officials. People report doors closing and objects moving without explanation. People have heard ghosts laughing and clattering plates in the kitchen, where numerous patients and workers formerly ate. It appears that the spirits of the past are still living their daily lives. Aradale's ghost story centers on the hospital morgue, the site's most disturbing. This cold room once held deceased people awaiting transit to their ultimate resting place. Although there are no windows or drafts, many visitors have heard whispering or felt cold air. Some EVP recordings from this chamber contain faint cries or requests for aid, according to paranormal investigators. Since it's the last stop for so many patients, the morgue is especially creepy in an already uncomfortable facility. What makes Aradale even more compelling is the consistency of these reports over time. The facility hosts ghost tours and paranormal investigations, with many participants reporting unexplained happenings. Skeptics say the spooky atmosphere and suggestion make individuals envision things. Even seasoned skeptics have left Aradale with unexplained tales.

Aradale - 1863 - 1997 

Here we take a brief glimpse into the world of Aradale Mental Hospital, situated in Ararat, VIC. This Asylum is by far my favourite to explore and research. 

Aradale is an E-Plan barracks style Asylum, similar to sister asylums, Kew and Beechworth. This style of Asylum was based on the 1850′s model in Colney Hatch, England. There are two seperate wards, separating women from men to prevent obvious mingling. 

Aradale, much like Kew and Beechworth, was home to some horribly unfavourable treatment towards patients that we would find barbaric today. Such treatments involved isolation, starvation, electroshock therapy (ECT is still commonly used for effective treatment of mental illness today, although far less invasive and far more comfortable these days), and of course... the lobotomy. I have to say how humbling, devastating and incredible it is to walk the same hallways and be present in rooms where these techniques took place all those many years ago. 

Aradale is mostly untouched by vandalism, unlike sites such as Larundel Asylum, where large amounts of vandalism can be seen from quite some distance away. I like to think that people visiting Aradale can respect it for what it is, and the historical significance that she bares. 

I will never quite be able to capture these buildings in a way that conveys the epic magnitude of each and every inch of the 63 structures that all once stood harmoniously together on Mad Mans Hill. Unfortunately, not all 63 are still standing. Some have been removed due to safety concerns (e.g- the infectious diseases building was burnt down deliberately to remove all traces of contaminants that may have remained after the hospital closed), and some have been remodelled by Melbourne Polytechnic to suit their study plans. 

I would absolutely recommend visiting Aradale to anybody interested. Please either book a tour via Eerie Tours, or a day tour via the Jward website. Remember to respect the grounds and the contents inside. 

Hey, I’m Abi. I’m 22 years old, residing in Ballarat, VIC. This blog is going to be designated for all things Asylum/Sanitorium/Abandoned places related. 

A little about me, and why I’m interested in the aforementioned.  Both of my maternal grandparents (now deceased) were psychatric nurses at Ballarat Asylum (Ballarat Hospital for the Insane- before changing its name to Lakeside Mental Hospital shortly before its closure in 1996), as well as both my Aunt and Uncle being nurses there too. My Grandma was in charge of Ward 17, which I have been told was reserved for the more “severe” lunatics that were housed in the asylum. My Grandpa, as well as being a psych nurse, was in charge of Dana Street House, a home for young men who were intellectually disabled. This is now known as McCallum Disability services. 

From a young age I have been told stories of the patients involved with places such as Lakeside and Dana Street. Whether or not these stories were age appropriate, well, without them I’m unsure I would’ve found this love for history. 

Late in June, my partner and I were on our way back from a Funeral in Stawell (ironically), heading through Ararat when my partner asked me if I had ever been to Jward or Aradale. I had sudden flashbacks of my first and only time visiting Jward, although I had never been to Aradale. We decided to take a slight detour and suss out the heritage listed lunatic asylum for ourselves. It didn’t take much spotting to see this beautiful building peering down over the trees surrounding her, still standing as proudly as the day it was constructed in the early 1860′s. Immediately, I was intrigued. I had to get close. I had to explore. We sussed out the grounds, found a way to get as close as possible and ventured up to the front door. I’m confident in saying that from that very moment, I was hooked.  Fast forward two weeks, we have visited Aradale 5 times, and several other asylums/sanitoriums/hospitals that I will be documenting on this blog. 

This is my passion, and I look forward to sharing it with anyone else who may be interested in knowing about these places.