Beechworth Asylum, once known as, Mayday Hills Psychiatric Hospital is a decommissioned ‘lunatic’ Asylum nestled on the outskirts of the rural Victorian town of Beechworth. The 200-acre site was chosen based on the belief that its altitude held the power to purify patients of their ailments. Beechworth Asylum was established in 1867 under Superintendent Thomas Dick. Over its 128-year existence, this ominous institution swelled to its peak, housing a total of 1,200 patients, alongside a […]
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Welcome to the Melbourne Quarantine Station, a site nestled on the Mornington Peninsula in Portsea, Australia. Initially established in 1852 as a defence against the invasion of infectious diseases, it was once known as the ‘Sanitary Station’ and harbours a dark history steeped in despair. The arrival of the Ticonderoga, also referred to as “the plague ship” in 1852, increased the need for a Quarantine Station as sickness ravaged its passengers, some were even left […]
The notorious Beechworth Gaol looms large over the historic town of Beechworth in Victoria, Australia. Construction with stone and iron began in 1859, but the history of this grim fortress extends far beyond mere imprisonment. Within its walls once dwelled some of Australia’s most notorious figures, including the infamous bushranger outlaw Ned Kelly, his family, and the members of the Kelly gang. The gaol’s original wooden gates were replaced with iron barriers in 1880, due […]
A grand old railway station remains etched in time along the borders of Victoria and South Australia. Long abandoned and disused, the Serviceton Railway Station is an epic reminder of both the opulence and the darkness a station of its time could provide. Built in 1889 and remaining in service until 1986 the station is an important historic landmark within the small town of Serviceton. With the occasional freight train still passing by the empty […]
The Australian state of Victoria saw rapid population growth after its goldfields prospered. To keep order amongst this growing community a prison was necessary and 1861 saw the Ararat Country Gaol open. The gaol would function until the 1880s when it would eventually close as the goldfields saw their own demise. Later, in 1887, the facility would be repurposed, becoming a part of the Aradale Lunatic Asylum. The gaol was renamed to J Ward and […]
The Old Geelong Gaol is a foreboding memory of dark moments in Australia’s past. Today, the notorious building remains mostly intact and casts a historic shadow over Geelong. The prison was built between 1849 and 1864 and remained open until 1991. Officially opening its doors to prisoners in 1853, giving Old Geelong Gaol 138 years to accumulate dark events and hauntings. Unlike other Australian jails of the time, the Geelong Gaol lead a colorful and […]
Perched on what was formerly known as “Mad-Man’s Hill” is one of the most notorious asylums to ever exist within Australia. Aradale Lunatic Asylum was a psychiatric hospital built in Ararat, Australia during the 1800s, which operated within the community right through to the 1990s. Aradale was constructed at a time where other asylums were also being built within the state of Victoria. They were thought essential to deal with the crisis of increasing numbers […]
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Just outside of Melbourne’s CBD is an abandoned set of buildings with the ability to strike fear into the hearts of many. The old Larundel Mental Asylum now lies empty and has been deteriorating for some time. But not everyone believes the old buildings are empty, and instead, occupied by spirits of the past. The Larundel Psychiatric Hospital was built to replace another nearby establishment that was causing issues for the local community. Construction began […]