Mount Egerton community gathers for annual Halloween party

HUNDREDS of people gathered at the Mount Egerton Recreation Reserve for this year’s annual Halloween Party last weekend.

Recreation reserve committee member Kathryn Long estimated the attendance at more than 200 and described the event as “absolutely brilliant”.

“It was great, it was the best ever,” Ms Long said.

Ms Long said the party, held for the third year at the recreation reserve, raised close to $2000 towards the committee’s push for a playground at the facility.

“We had a sausage sizzle, we did a gold coin donation for a trick or treat walk, we had some craft activities and things like that,” she said.

Ms Long said the always-popular haunted house was set up with nine themed rooms in the reserve building, and a disco was held in one of the other rooms.

Other activities included a costume parade and the trick or treat walk as darkness fell.

Ms Long said the party was primarily a community event and an opportunity for locals – both children and adults – to spend time together.

“We don’t have a shop in Mount Egerton and there’s not really anywhere for people to congregate,” she said.

“A lot of the kids go to school in Gordon or Ballan, and the teenagers tend to go to Ballarat and schools around there.

“So it’s a good way to get (reserve) management and the community together so the kids can hang out and meet each other, and for the adults to have a get-together.”

Ms Long said the focus this year was to raise money for a playground at the reserve.

The Halloween party has been running for many years and was started by the local playgroup at the Mount Egerton hall, but has since developed into a major community event at the reserve.