Beazley Court is a short cul-de-sac in the suburbs. There is a basketball hoop on the footpath and it has a tight-knit neighbourhood feel.
But there is one house that is a little bit different.
The front yard has a graveyard on one side and a crashed spaceship on the other, there is fog, a dark cave tunnel and a giant glowing vine creature looming over the carport.
Born from Troy Hill’s imagination, he has turned his Collingwood Park house into a Halloween wonderland.
“I tried Christmas lights but that was boring,” he said.
“I grew up on a farm so we had to make do, if something broke down it could usually be fixed with fencing wire,” he said.
“I am still constructing the tunnel, then I will cover it with cave panelling. Each cave panel takes a couple of hours to make. I work on the displays all year around, then take a couple of weeks off leading up to Halloween to assemble it.”
Mr Hill has been decking out the house every year for the past five years. Each year the display gets bigger and better.
“I was sitting in the lounge room and I remember wondering what all the fuss was about. Mum was at the door handing out candy to a gaggle of children. She had a prop she called Maryanne, who is a nurse who stabs itself. The children were freaking out. I thought ‘I could do better’ so I did,” he said.
“The following year I did a display in the garage. But now it’s the whole yard, plus a hut I built in the back yard.”
Last year Mr Hill had more than 1200 people on Halloween night. Due to demand he decided to have the display on the previous weekend on both Saturday and Sunday night and will do that again this year.
POLICE TIPS FOR TRICK OR TREATERS
If you are heading out trick or treating this Halloween, Queensland Police have some tips to keep kids safe.
• Be accompanied by a mother or father monster at all times (or another responsible witch, ghost or vampire); Black cats love to slink around, but you should walk, not run, between houses and stick to the footpath rather than the road.
• Black cats don’t want to be seen, and for good reason, but if you wear black, it will reduce your visibility to passing motorists;
• Never enter a stranger’s house, even if they have invited you in after knocking on their door; and
• Consider joining your friends on your neighbourhood adventure – there is safety in numbers.
Not everyone wants to celebrate Halloween. Queensland Police have created downloadable posters you can display on your door to thwart the witches and wizards.
“This year we are raising money for the Alannah and Madeline foundation which is a children’s charity for the care of children who have experience or witnessed serious violence.”
The charity was started by a father, Walter Mikac, after his two girls and their mother, were murdered in a mass shooting at Port Arthur in 1996.
Kids are always a big focus at Halloween. Mr Hill’s grandson, Ricky, 6, is his biggest helper.
“He enjoys coming and helping me build. He also comes along on Halloween night to help me hand out lollies, he likes to give one the kids and keep one for himself,” he said.
Head along to 2 Beazley Court, Collingwood Park Saturday 27 October, Sunday 28 October and Wednesday 31 October from 5pm to 10pm for a Halloween treat.
524 Junction Road
Blackstone
85 High Street
Brassall
1 Bottomley Street
1/70 Atlantic Drive
38 Heritage Drive
1/2 Sovereign Close
Bundamba
4 Banbury Close
Camira
43 Wilson Drive
Churchill
28 Churchill Street
Collingwood Park
Burrel Street
2 Beazley Court
Deebing Heights
21 Kowari Street
106 Sovereign Drive
9 Currawong Street
13 Piccadilly Court
Ebbw Vale
17 Whitwood Road
Flinders View
37 Jonquil Circuit
14 Olive Street
One Mile
71 Vineyard Street
Peak Crossing
25 Goolman Place
For an up-to-date map see Brisbane Halloween Lovers
A good local resource is also: Halloween in Ipswich and surroundings
14 Mark Court
93 Cemetery Road
Redbank
8 Bloodwood place
Redbank Plains
66 Stormbird Street
20 Neal Street
7 Gilgai Court
Silkstone
8 Rodney Street
164 Blackstone Road
Springfield
16 Hillview Street
Springfield Lakes
6 Forest Ridge Court
1 Zen Court
Kirkwood Terrace
12 Moonbeam
Spring Mountain
10 Tallowood Street
Tivoli
12 Wood Street
West Ipswich
43 Omar Street
Willowbank
34 Dolben Street
Woodend
21 Macrae Street
Wulkuraka
33 Caspian Court
Yamanto
2 Berber Court
104 Equestrian Drive