J Ward Museum Complex provides a historical glimpse at the Australian penal system. Starting in 1859 as a jail for miscreants of the local goldfields, J Ward started housing the criminally insane when the gold ran out less than three decades later. Today, you can tour the defunct prison and hear stories about its inmates from local volunteers. A visit provides a break on the Melbourne-Adelaide road, if you're passing between the two cities. Put J Ward Museum Complex at the forefront of your travel plans using our Ararat online trip builder.
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J Ward Museum Complex reviews
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Finally got to go on a tour of J Ward and really enjoyed every minute of it. Robert was very knowledgeable and took his time taking us around and telling us the stories about the history and the...
Finally got to go on a tour of J Ward and really enjoyed every minute of it. Robert was very knowledgeable and took his time taking us around and telling us the stories about the history and the... more »
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Anne was our guide for the day and she is a lovely lady. She is so knowledgeable and had many stories to tell. There is so much information to read on the walls as well. We thoroughly enjoyed our..... more
Anne was our guide for the day and she is a lovely lady. She is so knowledgeable and had many stories to tell. There is so much information to read on the walls as well. We thoroughly enjoyed our..... more »
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Fantastic tour through a beautiful premises with stacks of history. Our tour guide Harry was extremely enthusiastic and friendly he was happy to give an extensive answer to any questions we had. He was even happy to show us extra as he had no more bookings for a while! Highly recommended.
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Absolutely amazing place to visit for anyone interested in the darker side of Victorian history its a must visit. The whole experience was fantastic and the tour guide was extremely knowledgeable. I highly recommend
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