THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Step into the shadows of Ararat’s most notorious site with Eerie Tours’ Aradale Ghost Tour. Two hours of after-dark storytelling through one of Australia's best-preserved asylums awaits those drawn to history’s darker side.
Step into the shadows of Ararat’s most notorious site with Eerie Tours’ Aradale Ghost Tour. Two hours of after-dark storytelling through one of Australia's best-preserved asylums awaits those drawn to history’s darker side.
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Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Eerie Tours · Ararat, Victoria
Set in Ararat, Victoria, the Aradale Ghost Tour by Eerie Tours offers a uniquely chilling outdoor experience that stands apart in Australia's adventure scene. This two-hour nocturnal journey takes place at the historic Ararat Lunatic Asylum, a sprawling site just off Western Highway at 13 Heath St, Ararat VIC 3377. Known as one of the most haunting locations on the continent, the asylum’s preserved cell blocks, chapel, morgue, and surgery theatres set an unsettling stage for vivid tales from Australia's dark past.
Operating only after dusk on Fridays and Saturdays, the tour moves through eerie corridors and shadowed rooms where stories of brutal treatments and disturbing personal histories come alive. The intimate group size, capped at 30, ensures a personal encounter guided by theatrical historians who blend storytelling with factual history, making each tale gripping yet credible.
Ararat itself, a small regional center surrounded by open farmland and rugged Victorian bushland, provides a quiet contrast to the uneasy atmosphere lingering within the asylum’s walls. This juxtaposition underscores why Eerie Tours has become a standout attraction—not just a ghost story, but an immersive dive into Australian heritage and human endurance. Visitors should prepare for cool evening temperatures and strict punctuality, as tours set off precisely on schedule.
For travelers seeking an experience beyond traditional hikes or climbs, the Aradale Ghost Tour is a compelling option. It invites visitors to walk through history, illuminated by flashlight beams and the eerie glow of moonlight, where the line between past and present blurs. Perfect for history buffs, thrill seekers, and those interested in psychological and cultural exploration, this tour offers a rare glimpse into one of Australia's most intact historic institutions and its lingering mysteries.
easy.
2 hours.
Suitable for most fitness levels; involves walking and standing for two hours over uneven ground.
Guests must be at least 12 years old to participate in the Aradale Ghost Tour.
Photography is allowed but flash photography is discouraged to maintain the atmosphere and respect other guests.
Tours are canceled on days with Extreme or Catastrophic weather ratings or Total Fire Bans and can be rescheduled.
Bookings can be made through Eerie Tours; changes require 24-hour notice; no refunds are offered for cancellations.
Due to the historic nature of the site and uneven terrain, the tour is not wheelchair accessible.
We recommend sturdy footwear, warm clothing in cooler months, and optionally a flashlight for added visibility.
Ararat Lunatic Asylum was once Australia's largest psychiatric hospital, operating from the 1860s to the 1990s, and remains one of the most intact asylum complexes in the country.
Tours promote awareness of heritage preservation while minimizing impact by limiting group sizes and restricting access on extreme weather days.
Eerie Tours is a specialty tour operator based in Ararat, Victoria, offering immersive ghost tours, cemetery walks, dinner-and-tour evenings, and hands-on paranormal investigations. The company runs a range of experiences in Ballarat and Ararat, including Ballarat Old Cemetery Night Tours, multiple Ballarat Ghost Tours (including dinner-and-tour options), the Aradale Ghost Tour and Aradale Extended Ghost Tour at the historic Ararat Lunatic Asylum, and structured paranormal investigation sessions. Aradale tours explore Australia's largest abandoned lunatic asylum, with theatrical historians guiding intimate groups (just 30) through facilities such as the chapel and morgue during the two-hour Aradale Ghost Tour, while the Aradale Extended Ghost Tour offers a four-hour option into areas not accessible on other tours. Paranormal Investigations and the Ultimate Paranormal Investigation use cutting-edge equipment and expert investigators for two-, three- or six-hour sessions, with the ultimate investigation accessing restricted asylum areas. Ballarat experiences include a 90-minute Ballarat Old Cemetery Night Tour that visits the Chinese and Jewish cemetery sections and stories of the Gold Rush era, plus Ballarat Ghost Tours on Friday and Saturday nights, rain or shine. Select Ballarat experiences pair a spine-tingling tour with a two-course meal at Squires Loft Steak Restaurant. Durations range from 90 minutes to six hours, depending on the chosen experience. Booking secures access to specific sites and time-limited tours at Ballarat and Aradale locations in Victoria.
Book with Eerie Tours