Halloween, also known as All Hallows’ Eve, is celebrated around the world. While not as popular as some countries, many Australians still enjoy celebrating the spooky season. From candy-free trick-or-treating to carving a Jack-o-lantern head out of a pumpkin, Australia has plenty of ways to enjoy the festive day. Here are some ideas for how you can spend Halloween in Oz!

1. Host A Dress Up Contest

Halloween wouldn’t be Halloween without dressing up in a costume, and what better way to celebrate this iconic tradition by hosting a dress up party. Invite your friends or family to come dressed up in their favourite costume. You could even hold a contest where the person who makes the best statement or costume wins!

You can either choose to be a character from a movie, TV series, book or play, or you can create your own homemade costume. But keep in mind that if you are hosting the party, you need to organise for costumes beforehand as many stores do not sell costumes on Halloween day.

2. Go Trick-Or-Treating

Trick-or-treating is a fun way to celebrate Halloween while getting to mingle with friends and neighbours. This is especially true in Australia where some areas have trick-or-treat friendly neighbourhoods. Last year I noticed an emerging trend of some people putting a red ribbon on their mailbox if they wish to participate in trick-or-treating, so keep an eye out!

You can either hand out candy or give out small treats that you have made, such as chocolate bars or cookies. While you are handing out the treats, try to encourage your children to talk to their neighbours while they are passing out the treats, so they learn the importance of being neighbourly.

3. Have A Spooky Movie Night

While it is fun to dress up and go trick-or-treating, Halloween is still a great time to sit down and relax with some friends.

You could arrange a family movie night where you watch a spooky film. Some popular Halloween films include:

Hocus Pocus (1993) – Three witches attempt to take over the world on Halloween with hilariously disastrous results.
Friday the 13th (1980) – A classic American horror film wherein Jason Voorhees was used to express the demonic side of teenagers.
Scream (1996) – A Halloween-themed slasher film where a group of teenagers are stalked by a masked killer.
The Conjuring (2013) – A chilling horror film about a family who is haunted after they move into a farmhouse.
Escape Room (2019) – An obvious favourite of ours! This is a live-action, psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.

4. Create A Haunted House

Halloween is also a great time to create a walking haunted house! You can either choose to use an existing house, or you can try your luck creating one yourself. Consider hiring some skeletons to walk around the house, or maybe hire some actors who will act out scary scenes. And you don’t even need to splash out on big decorations – it’s amazing the kind of spooky atmosphere you can create with the right lighting and the right music.

5. Take A Ghost Tour

If you are up for an adrenaline rush, why not take a ghost tour? Australia has a rich history and no shortage of ‘haunted’ hot spots. From caves to ships, churches to graveyards, a ghost tour covers a variety of paranormal settings, so there’s something for everyone. You can plan the tour yourself, or you can sign up with an organised tour. For example, in Sydney, there are three popular ghost tours that run throughout October every year.

6. Bake Some Sweet Treats

Another iconic part of Halloween is the candy and other delicacies! So if you love this holiday more for it’s sweets than its scares, why not get together with friends and bake? You could make fake blood cookies, candy apples, pumpkin pie or anything else you like! There are plenty of online tutorials for how to make these treats, so you won’t be short on ideas.

7. Visit an Escape Room

If you’re wanting to enjoy the festivities of Halloween without having to put in loads of effort yourself, why not gather your friends and family and visit an escape room? Escape rooms provide heaps of fun and can get the adrenaline really pumping – plus you can even wear a costume! Whether you’re wanting to try an escape room with your kids or are after a more spooky escape room, we have something for you. To find out more, read our scary escape room guide.

The Final Word

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to enjoy Halloween in Australia. From movies and costumes parties to ghost tours and bake-a-thon’s, there’s no shortage of spook-tacular fun! So get the party started and have a great time on All Hallows’ Eve!

Owen Spear

In addition to a passion for board games, Owen holds a PhD in psychology and is a practicing clinical psychologist, bringing a unique dimension to our escape rooms and experiences. Owen, together with co-founder Ali, have designed and built over 8 exceptional and innovative escape rooms that have been licenced in over six countries worldwide. In addition, Owen was commissioned to create a learning-based installation for Melbourne University (in a thief’s hideout van!), demonstrating his ability to cater to diverse audiences and create engaging experiences in various settings. In 2021, Owen led a successful application for the State Library’s Alchemy program, where ERM was among 14 applicants chosen from over 300 to help support the recovery of Melbourne’s creative industry and breathe new life into Australia’s oldest public library.

Things To Do On Halloween In Australia