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| Location | 1-7 Girdlestone Street Ararat, Victoria |
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| Status | closed as a prison, open for tours |
| Security class | high security criminally insane |
| Capacity | 52 |
| Opened | 10 October 1861 |
| Closed | January 1991 as a prison, Reopened as a museum in 1993. |
| Former name | Ararat County Gaol |
| Governor |
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| Website | www |
J Ward originally the Ararat County Gaol, was an Australian prison, of the latter a psychiatric facility to house the criminally insane, located in Ararat, Victoria, Australia.
Construction of the gaol commenced in 1859 and the facility was opened in October 1861. In 1887, it was converted for use as a maximum security psychiatric ward for the criminally insane. J Ward officially closed in January 1991, and in 1993, it was re-opened as a museum providing tours.