Kambah resident Michelle Smith has put up Halloween decorations two months early. Photo: John Lomnicki.
It may only be the first week of September, but for Kambah resident Michelle Smith, it’s the perfect time to get the Halloween decorations out and start spreading some mischief.
Filling up almost all of her front yard, Ms Smith’s spooky installation on Downward Place is already attracting visitors (as well as some critics).
Unlike Christmas and Easter, Halloween has yet to establish a strong, regular presence across Australia, much to Ms Smith’s dismay.
The lifelong horror fan said part of the reason she has put her installation up around 60 days before 31 October was to change people’s perception of the holiday and expose as many people as possible to the positive side of Halloween.
“I love Halloween more than Christmas and Easter. I love a beautiful disaster,” Ms Smith said.
“I always have this joyous feeling when I see something that is a little bit scary. There’s a strange beauty to it, and I don’t think enough people see that.
“It feels like people are scared of being scared. I like showing people that it can be fun to be jumpscared or see things that are a bit spooky.
“By having all the decorations and things up now, it means families can come by, see all the cool stuff in a safe place without too many people around.
“I’ve done this a couple of years now. When it comes to Halloween night, it is always so busy, and it can be a bit off-putting for some people.
“By having it early, people who want to come see it can do so without that large crowd. The only downside is I won’t have lollies until Halloween,” Ms Smith said with a laugh.
With a collection that includes a giant skeleton welcoming visitors on the front lawn, a demon on a motorbike, creepy portraits and pumpkins galore, it has taken some time for Ms Smith to gather all the pieces needed to get her display to its current state.
“I’ve picked up a lot of the costumes for the props from Vinnies and places like that,” she said.
“It can be quite expensive to get a lot of the decorations, so you do have to think of some interesting ways to make it work.
“I think I’ve been quite lucky with a bit of it. I’ve had some friends and relatives who wanted to throw some of the props here away. I asked them if I could take them off their hands and I’ve found a way to put them on show.”
While the display is up, Ms Smith asks that visitors also consider donating to charity.
“We have a poster here that will be up the entire time the decorations are up; it just asks that people consider donating to Iron Dog Rescue in Bethungra,” she said.
“It’s currently run by one lady, and she looks after around 30 Rottweilers that have been surrendered.
“Rottweilers are always abandoned, but the work Iron Dog Rescue do means that they avoid being put down. I’ve personally fostered a dog from there, and she’s been absolutely lovely.
“With the Halloween decorations up, I hope that not only can I show people how much fun being scared can be, but also bring some attention to a good cause.”
Ms Smith’s installation will be on display every night until 9 pm, all the way through to Halloween, and can be found on Downward Place in Kambah.
