Ayslum's temporary closure labelled an 'economic catastrophe'

Businesses say closure of Ararat asylum an 'economic catastrophe' In short: Parts of the abandoned Aradale asylum at Ararat in western Victoria have been closed due to safety concerns. The historic site has become a popular tourist attraction, and local businesses say the closure will have a devastating effect on the region's economy. What's next? Melbourne Polytechnic, which leases the property from the state government, says it is undertaking further assessments of the site. Business owners in regional Victoria say the closure of their town's abandoned asylum will be an "economic catastrophe". The Aradale asylum was a psychiatric hospital that operated until 1993 in Ararat, about two and a half hours north-west of Melbourne. The state government owns the popular tourist attraction and leases it to Melbourne Polytechnic, which shut down the site on Friday due to safety concerns. Ararat, population 8,000, is the only Australian town that is home to two former mental asylums. The town's other asylum, J Ward jail, remains open. Dark history of gruelling treatments The Aradale asylum opened in 1865 and housed the state's mentally ill for 126 years. The patients brought to Aradale were deemed either too sick or too dangerous to remain in society and were subjected to gruelling treatments including restraint and electroshock therapy. The abandoned asylum is made up of 64 buildings spread over more than 40 hectares. The hospital closed in 1993 following a decision from the state government to deinstitutionalise patients in the mental hospital system. Since then, Aradale has become a popular "dark tourism" site where visitors learn more about the death, trauma and suffering that existed in its walls. Repair requests ignored Nathaniel Buchanan, the owner of Aradale Ghost Tours, said the closure would cause hundreds of thousands of dollars in economic loss for the town. He said the asylum had been allowed to fall into disrepair despite continual requests for maintenance. "A small hole quickly becomes a big hole and then you get water coming in pretty quickly," he said. He said multiple requests for maintenance through Melbourne Polytechnic had been ignored. "[About four years ago] they ceased communication, pretty much," he said. Mr Buchanan said the town would be devastated by the decision and that Ararat "will suffer". He has suspended bookings and begun processing refunds for tours he cannot honour. "This is an economic catastrophe," he said. "The flow-on effect from that is enormous, because you've got cafes for breakfast, lunch and dinners, shopping and other attractions. "This building is a national treasure." In a statement to the ABC, Melbourne Polytechnic said it had suspended access to affected areas of the site. "The inspection identified a number of safety concerns requiring further investigation and assessment," the statement said. "We recognise the disruption this decision may cause. However, the safety of our community must take precedence." It said the closure applied only to the affected areas of the site and that other areas of the broader Aradale site remained open. Tourism economy anxiety A government spokesperson confirmed Melbourne Polytechnic had closed the site to ensure public safety. "While further assessments are underway, Melbourne Polytechnic is working directly with affected community groups and keeping them informed," the spokesperson said. Labor MP and member for Ripon Martha Haylett said she was not warned about the impending closure and that many people were blindsided. She said she had been working with Mr Buchanan "for years" to improve communications with Melbourne Polytechnic. "They just point-blank ignored me for years. They've been operating in really bad faith for a long time," she said. "I'd gone out there and checked it out and raised it with Melbourne Polytechnic and they just ignored my letter. "It's like they have just cut [Mr Buchanan] off at the knees. "As the caretakers … I just hope [Melbourne Polytechnic] will be able to get it up and running in the long term." The ABC has received emails from other concerned businesses who said Friday's immediate closure had already delivered a "noticeable effect" on business. Tourism businesses said about 80 per cent of weekend bookings were from people wanting to visit the asylum. Ararat Rural City Council said it recognised the heavy toll the closure would have on local businesses. "While safety concerns surrounding the site make this a complex issue, the resulting strain on our tourism sector is very real, and we remain fully committed to supporting our local business community," the council said.