The following books and souvenirs are available for sale at J Ward. Payments can be made via cash or EFTPOS.
The perfect compliment to tours within J Ward.
A compilation of the information panels and photos on display at the former Old Ararat Gaol and J Ward.
By Jill Giese
Gold-fuelled Melbourne was booming, but dwelling in the fault lines of the proud young colony was an alarming fact – Victoria had the highest rate of insanity in the world. Was it the antipodean sun, gold mania, excessive masturbation, the heady pace of modern life?
The true story of colonial Victoria’s quest to cure insanity unfolds through the lives of three English newcomers – a gifted artist, exiled from his homeland for his madness; an ambitious doctor, bringing enlightened treatment ideals to his post in charge of the overflowing asylum; and a mysterious undercover journalist, who sensationally exposed the lunatics’ plight in Melbourne’s press.
Amid the clamour of fraught endeavours and maddened minds, the story reveals unexpected hope, creativity and ennobling humanity – and surprising contemporary relevance as we continue to grapple with this ancient human malady.
Jill Giese is a clinical psychologist and writer, whose extensive career in mental health encompasses many years of clinical practice and executive roles in policy and advocacy.
by Graeme Burgin
A history of J ward with interesting prisoner and patient stories.
By Graeme Burgin
A history of the Ararat Lunatic Asylum in the 19th century.
An ex-patient of J Ward, this book tells a real life story of a modern day miracle.
By Thomas Varney
Thomas Varney was born 26-11-1940 in Bairnsdale, Victoria, a town close to the beautiful Gippsland Lakes. Tom married Barbara, a former Paynesville girl and the couple lived in Bairnsdale in the early years of their marriage. They then moved to Ballarat where they lived for some years with their five children, Jennifer, Pamela, Christine, Ruth and Thomas. The Varney family now reside in Brisbane Valley, Queensland.
Tom has ministered widely throughout Australia since his conversion, sharing his testimony of how God set him free from his rebellion against authority.
