Spooky but all in good spirits at Ghoul Creek

Many joined the ghastly All Hallows’ Eve happenings at Ghoul Creek, taking ghosts, horror characters and witches in their stride, and the 800 wayward youngsters present didn’t allow the sight of a headless child to distract them from their quest for candy.

Isla Dereus recently moved into a haunted Poowong farmhouse and while she lost her head in a sense, at least she was able to carry it in her hands so as not to miss the Ghoul Creek fun.

With many of the 750 adults as delighted as those in their charge, it made for great spirits as everyone followed their maps along the Haunted Highway and Scream Street.

Members of community groups transformed into a frightening array of characters, perhaps no more so than Korumburra Rotary’s new zombie members Phil and Anne, with each group running a different treat station.

By evening’s end the sugar intake of excited kids may have been the most frightening experience for parents, but perhaps they helped themselves to a little of the candy.

It was all in good fun, with no children appearing distressed, although Loch’s Noah Green got an almighty fright when he poked a green apparition in the stomach believing it to be a harmless dummy, only for it to spring into motion.

The recently reopened Devil’s Store was overrun by witches reminiscent of members of the Koringal Women’s Service Club.

In the store, children’s maps hurtled off on a shuttle system once used for change, returning with candy.

Creepy Carriageworks was staffed by an assortment of characters, who on less spooky occasions than Halloween might be found among the ranks of the Korumburra Scouts or Ghoul Creek Venturers.

Learning to be a wheelwright at Ghoul Creek, sometimes mistakenly referred to as Coal Creek, Paul Tivendale is normally right at home in the Carriageworks.

He appeared to have had a small Halloween mishap, with part of an angle grinder blade imbedded in his head and significant blood loss but wasn’t using that as an excuse to slack off.

“I was rushing to get the event ready and I just got too excited for Halloween,” he declared, at least looking in better shape than headless Isla.

Swift justice was dealt out at the Corpse Courthouse, an opportunity relished by the Friends of Coal Creek, and Loch’s Holland family was among those faring poorly in the dock.

While Nicole and her son Hunter of Leongatha took in the questionable surgical efforts at the Doctor Death practice, and studied an eerie greenlit chemist, Hunter said the Terror Train was the scariest experience so far, its strange sounds capturing his attention.

Spooky as it may have been, it was a delight for the old locomotive to return to service, even if it has now become a ghost train.

A troll could be heard under a bridge, and carved pumpkins added to the occasion.