Larundel Mental Asylum
Take a 360-degree look around the abandoned Larundel Mental Asylum in Australia with this amazing set of images by our friends at Hidden Melbourne. There are thirteen images so make sure to explore them all. Do you like urban exploring? Here is a map with tons of GPS locations for you to get out and explore.
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About the abandoned Mental Asylum
Just outside of Melbourne, the few buildings that remain of the Larundel Mental Asylum loom as a remnant of the dark history of mental health treatments in Australia. The asylum was originally constructed in 1938 in response to the overcrowded mental health facilities throughout the country. Many of the existing facilities were known to house an environment with too many patients and staff who felt unmotivated to treat them.
The asylum housed hundreds of patients, many of whom were some of Australia’s most severely mentally ill criminals. With nothing short of an abundance of supernatural and ghost stories, the remaining wards of the asylum are a unique place for urban explorers, adventurers, and paranormal investigators to explore.
The Larundel Mental Asylum History
Construction of the Larundel Mental Asylum began in 1938, but the construction plans were put on hold due to the beginning of WWII. The half-finished buildings were put to use during the war. They housed a military hospital for the RAAF and US Military and was a training depot for WAAF operations. During the years after the war ended, from 1946 to 1948, the buildings were briefly used as a temporary housing facility and school for displaced families who returned after serving the country.
The construction of the asylum was resumed, and 15 years after construction began, the Larundel Mental Asylum started to take in patients. The asylum took on a number of patients dealing with a wide variety of illnesses. The Larundel Mental Asylum is well known as the first center to begin treating the infamous Australian serial killer, Peter Dupas. It’s also known as the birthplace of lithium which was used to treat people with bipolar disorder.
The Larundel Mental Asylum officially closed down in 1999 due to a worldwide movement toward deinstitutionalization. The government began to move patients out of large state-run institutions and put them in the care of doctors and pharmaceuticals. The asylum, soon after, fell victim to vandalism with graffiti covering every wall, shattered windows, doors broken and splintered, and the shell of the buildings falling into disrepair.
Over the years, the buildings of the asylum have been slowly demolished to create new homes and centers across the former grounds. Very few of the buildings remain. However, there are plans in the works to renovate them in the coming years. The remaining buildings of the Larundel Mental Asylum may be closed to the public, but ghost stories and intrigue keep people coming to explore, whether to admire the remains or hunt for evidence of ghosts.
This virtual tour was captured by our friends at Hidden Melbourne, go check out their website for some cool abandoned locations throughout Melbourne, Australia. You might also like the Jupiter Dungeon, Jarvis Palmer House, the Blub Swimming and Leisure Center in Germany, or the abandoned assisted living facility in Florida.
A 360-degree panoramic image inside the Larundel Mental Asylum captured by our friend Barney Meyer of Hidden Melbourne.
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