What do you do on a Friday night in Adelaide? You go and hang out at Glenside: Z Ward. One of Adelaide’s most notorious landmarks for housing the (once referred to as) ‘Criminally Insane’, of course!

Alison Oborn (Author, Radio Personality and Paranormal Researcher) of Adelaide’s Haunted Horizons was kind of enough to not only show me around this amazing building and share it’s history, but also talk about her career in documenting the local history in Adelaide, tour guide operation and her fascination and research in the paranormal field.

This was recorded late on a Friday night in Glenside: Z Ward itself with no one else in the building (hint – or so we thought!). Despite the Asylum being closed since the 70s, the building is still telling stories even to this day, demonstrating it’s importance in Adelaide’s recent history.

It also highlights just how far we’ve come in only a matter of decades when it comes to the approach we take to mental health!

This chat was a lot of fun and being in Z Ward itself for the podcast added an extra element of excitement to our conversation. I hope you all enjoy!

Show notes

Adelaide’s Haunted Horizons and learn about the team HERE.
Grab Alison’s book ‘Ghosts of the Past’, all about Adelaide Gaol HERE.
Historical Crime Tours
Article: Alison Oborn is the Spectre (The Advertiser – Adelaide Now)
Article: Inside Glenside: Z Ward, Adelaide’s Home for ‘Criminal Mental Defectives’ (ABC Adelaide)