A vintage police cell was craned over the walls and installed in an exercise yard at the old hospital.

Despite the cell that was introduced not having come from J Ward, it is believed very similar ones to it once stood at the site.

"In the jail days nearly 20 of those cells were in one exercise to deal with the overflow of prisoners from the cell block," Friends of J Ward's Ken Richie said.

"They were there until about the 1920s before they were taken away."

The cell that was introduced was originally from Marnoo.

"There was a police house at Marnoo we believe this was part of," Mr Richie said.

Mr Richie said Friends of J Ward members were on the hunt for the cell to give visitors a more realistic idea of the site from decades and decades ago.

"We located this one in Bendigo and we had it transported to Ararat," he said.

"We are just about certain it would be exactly the same sort of cell block as what was at J Ward in those days."

Mr Richie said the cell needs a new roof but it is "quite usable" for people to look inside.

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