From new year to boo scare By Yazmine Lomax

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While many people think Halloween is an American tradition, it’s actually a Celtic celebration dating back almost 2000 years. What began as a way to ring in the New Year on November 1 has now evolved into a night of dressing up, trick-or-treating, and scoffing the entire contents of a jack-o’-lantern. Australia has been slow to adopt Halloween but it seems like it’s finally found a home Down Under – so, what’s it like on the Peninsula and Frankston?

It’s all aboard Mornington Railway’s Halloween Spook Train! Each October, the famous traditional steam train undergoes a ghoulish transformation to celebrate the scary season.

“We have a resident ghost or spook who rides the trains, music, platform decorations, train decorations, and face painting on the platform,” says Mornington Railway event co-ordinator Marg Ffrench. “We encourage our volunteers and passengers to dress up in Halloween outfits.”

Marg says more and more passengers are flocking to the spook train every year, reflecting the growing popularity of Halloween on the Peninsula. And for those seeking an extra thrill, there’s even talk of adding a twilight or night train in the future.

Abracadabra Fancy Dress Hire in Frankston is also a big fan of Halloween and has noticed a rise in customers each year. So what are the most popular costumes for those dressing up around the Peninsula?  “Vampires, devils and witches,” says shop owner Tanya. Year 12 dress-up days, which fall around Halloween each year, mean there’s more than one opportunity for many trick-or-treaters to wear a costume.

Abracadabra is also involved in the Frankston Spooky Adventure Path, a trick-or-treating trail of Frankston businesses for children, proving just how popular Halloween has become in our neck of the woods.