
Take Paranormal Night Tours at Z Ward Glenside Hospital (Image: Haunted Horizons)
The 130 year old Z Ward for the criminally insane at Glenside Hospital has been in the news a lot. After its sale by the state government to Beach Energy, the new owners of
Z Ward quickly agreed to allow the National Trust SA to hold two spectacularly successful free open days for the public.
Around 4,500 people queued to see this historic building on the
first open day, and many had to be turned away. A further 3,000 people booked to attend the
second free open day, but fortunately most did not need to queue.
It soon became clear that there is an ongoing demand to see Z Ward, and Beach Energy have agreed to allow the National Trust to operate a
variety of paid guided tours until building renovations start.
Photographers will be keen to gain exclusive access to Z Ward at a
Photography Lock-in, but there are also tours for heritage enthusiasts and people interested in the paranormal. The two hour
daytime heritage tours are being led by David Buob from the Glenside Hospital Historical Society who has an extensive knowledge of Z Ward and Glenside Hospital. The proceeds of all these tours is being used by the National Trust to research and document oral histories from people who once lived or worked in Z Ward Glenside.

Who Knows What the Paranormal Investigations Will Uncover (Image: Haunted Horizons)
Countless people have been asking us questions like "Is it really haunted?", "What are the bones?" and "Are those rumours true?" - now is your chance to find out.
This building has long been a fascination for those interested in the paranormal, and the Facebook page for Z Ward has been inundated with people submitting photo of eerie things that were seen at the open day. Imagine what things would be like in this asylum for "mental defectives" at night!
You can now join in a unique opportunity to explore those burning questions. The National Trust has asked Adelaide's Haunted Horizons Ghost Tours to operate night tours, and they are already proving to be enormously popular.
I spoke with Alison from
Adelaide's Haunted Horizons, and she said
Are we excited? You bet!
Can we promise a ghost? No, and we are not going to even pretend we can.
Is it haunted? Let's find out!
The tours on offer are a 4 hour paranormal investigation (ghost hunting) with equipment (supplied). It lasts for four hours from 8pm until midnight, and costs $80 per person, and is only suitable for ages 18 and over. These are available Fridays and Saturdays, although the tours are available other nights if there's enough demand.
There is also a two hour ghost tour which costs only $38 and is suitable for anyone 15 and up. A new addition to the range of tours is the combination two hour Adelaide Gaol and Z Ward double ghost tour at a discount price of $66 for both. These are available from Sunday to Thursday evenings.
To book your tour, please email alison@adelaidehauntedhorizons.com.au and check the
Haunted Horizons Facebook page for the latest information.
Important notes:
Z Ward is an old building with minor hazards including dust, sharp surfaces, and uneven surfaces in the grounds.
There are stairs but no lifts or wheelchair access to the first floor.
Food is not permitted inside the building. Visits to the local service station are allowed during the tours.
Car parking for the Paranormal Night Tours is available just south of the building, the entrance is located at 63 Conyngham St, Glenside then drive/walk 100m west.