Stepping into Z Ward is like entering a different era. The exterior's polychromatic brickwork and ventilation flues hint at the building's original purpose – a maximum-security facility for South Australia's "criminally insane" from 1885 to 1973.
Inside, the corridor stretches out with single cells on either side, some still with original doors and fixtures. The "Ha Ha Wall" is a striking feature – a clever design for security without a prison-like appearance. Guides share stories of infamous patients like John Treffene and the harsh treatments they endured, like lobotomies and electroconvulsive therapy.
The atmosphere's heavy, with a sense of the desperation and despair that once filled the ward. Yet, there's also a sense of history and a glimpse into the evolution of mental health care. The National Trust offers guided tours, bringing the stories and architecture to life.
A WARD SET APART
Built by W. Pett & Son between 1884 and 1885, Z Ward was completed for £8,960-a significant investment in the era's approach to mental health and public safety.
Opened in 1888 as part of the Parkside Lunatic Asylum, Z Ward (originally called L Ward) was purpose-built to hold patients considered criminal or dangerous. Positioned at the rear of the site, it kept these individuals separated from the wider asylum community.
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
Z Ward was designed by South Australia's Architect in Chief, E.J. Woods the same architect behind Adelaide's General Post Office and Parliament House. His signature polychromatic brickwork, using contrasting colours to create intricate patterns, is clearly visible on the ward's exterior.
Surrounding the building is a rare example of a ha-ha wall: a six-metre barrier formed by a high outer wall and a deep inner trench. The design restricted escape while preserving views from inside the grounds. Z Ward's ha-ha wall is the last complete structure of its kind in Australia.
BUILT FOR SECURITY
Inside, small cells line both levels of the building, reflecting its role as a secure institution. Patients were locked in their cells at night but could spend time during the day in a shared dayroom or exercise yard. Security features - from barred steel entry doors to reinforced windows - ensured constant containment.
Throughout most of its history, Z Ward housed up to 45 male patients considered dangerous or linked to serious crime. While the wider Parkside Asylum included many people convicted of minor offences - from drunkenness to disorderly behaviour - Z Ward was reserved for those viewed as a threat to themselves or others.
WHO STAYED IN Z WARD?
People were sent to Z Ward for three main reasons:
- They were judged too dangerous for the general asylum population
- They became mentally unwell while serving time in gaol
- They were acquitted on grounds of insanity and detained "at the Governor's Pleasure"
Criminal records show a wide range of offences among those admitted, from receiving stolen property and larceny to indecent assault, shooting with intent, and even murder.
Life inside Z Ward must have been quite bleak. The Cells are small, poorly lit and would have been cold in winter.
A day room with a fireplace allowed patients to meet and socialise, while an airing court or exercise yard at the rear enabled patients to go outside and walk around the building.
Inside the ward, cells on both the ground and upper floors give indication of the types of patients that Z Ward housed. While restricted to their cells at night, the dayroom on the ground floor and an outside courtyard gave space to move and interact. Attention to security can be seen through the two barred steel doorways on entrance to the ward, and the use of steel framed windows.
DIAGNOSING THE MIND
When patients arrived, doctors recorded their symptoms according to the limited medical understanding of the era. Many were given broad diagnoses such as "general weakness of mind" or "general paralysis of the insane.
More specific behaviours were sometimes noted, offering a glimpse into both the patients' experiences and the attitudes of the time:
- "Delusions connected to religion"
- "Wants black clothes to go to a funeral"
- "Leans out of bed to listen to people under the floor"
- "Delusions as to being pursued by the other prisoners"
These records remind us that behind every diagnosis was an individual - confined within a system still learning how to understand and care for mental illness.
