Ararat JWard Excursion

Anoushka De Chelard - Year 10

Under the watchful eye of Miss Cannon and Ms Byron, combined Year 9 and 10 elective classes Making and Breaking the Law, and Crime and Punishment Through the Ages boarded the bus at 9am on Thursday the 16th of June and headed off to Ararat JWard through the overcast conditions. Upon arrival we were greeted by our charismatic tour guide, Ken, who showed us through into the mess hall where we watched a 20-minute video on the history of the gaol before heading out into the yard to view some of the relics from JWard’s past life as a Lunatic asylum. Everything from that moment forth was like taking a step back in time, gaining an insight into what life was like for the prisoners in their cells, in their eating routines, in there showering restrictions and the facilities they could access outside in their recreational areas. Throughout the tour, we were also privy to stories of some prisoners lives within the walls of the gaol, their violent rages, and their treatment routines. 

At the conclusion of the tour, we thanked our guide and boarded the bus, headed for a spot of lunch at KFC before embarking on the trip home. Overall, the trip was a fantastic experience and insight into the history of Ararat as we had never known it before. 

Mairead Elshaug-Beston – Year 10

On the overcast and cold day of the 16th of June, Miss Canon’s Year 9 and 10 combined Humanities Elective classes journeyed to Ararat to visit the old JWard Gaol for the criminally insane. With the supervision of Miss Canon, Ms Byron and our tour guide Ken, we made our way through the various areas of the prison. We saw the rooms where both prisoners and patients slept with their low beds and locked windows. We were told that the rooms were designed specifically to prevent suicide as the gaol was used as a “hospital” for the criminally insane or criminals who became mentally ill while in gaol. There were multiple ways nurses and doctors tried to treat these patients, through electro-shock therapy, different injections and doses of medicine, but there were often accusations of abuse or mistreatment. 

We got to see a recreation of the gaols that were only used three times, the prisoners' bodies that were hung were buried in the recreational yard with plaques above their graves. The recreational yard had toilets that were on full display so guards could keep watch, benches under cover, walls that were often carved into by patients and even an exercise yard with a pool that only some trusted patients were allowed in. We visited the kitchen then wrapped up our tour back in the museum section that had many artifacts, possessions from patients, uniforms of wardens and guards, different materials used by the doctors like needles and the clothes the patients wore.

The day was really fun. I enjoyed learning about the history of the JWard and reading about some of the patient stories. I learned a lot about the form of punishment used for criminals who became mentally ill and about what it’s like to live years and even life in a place like JWard.

Isabelle Pye - Year 9 

Last Thursday on the 16th of June the classes of Making and Breaking the Law and Crime and Punishment, travelled to Ararat for a tour around the J-Ward Asylum. We got to the asylum and met our tour guide Ken. He guided us to the mess hall where we watched a 20 minute video that was filmed in the 1970's as a documentary for people around Australia so they could see what happens in the asylum. We then travelled outside where we saw an old carriage they transported doctors and nurses from Aradale old asylum to J-Ward. We also saw drawings made by patients on the asylum walls. We walked into the west wing which was built as an extension due to an overflow in patients. Ken talked about a patient who was locked in the asylum, a 15 year old boy who the nurses called 'Dummy Dummy'. This boy was unfortunately mute and could only say certain words. Ken then guided us to the outdoor area where patients were let out for certain hours a day. We then walked around the inside of the old jail and saw where the hangings happened. We also saw where electro shock therapy happened. Ken then guided us to the kitchens where the food was cooked. As the tour finished we walked up the stairs from the kitchens into the museum. We then got on the bus and had KFC for lunch. After that we travelled back to School in time for the last period of the day.