Madeleine Prince
2/5
Went to 2021 Halloween event. $60 admission fee for 2 adults 3 kids seemed quite steep so called a week ahead to talk about the event further. It seemed there would be alot of activities. Hundreds of people were interested and sharing the event on social media so my family and I decided to give it a go. We sold the idea to the kids in place of trick or treating.
We waited a long time inline to get through the gate to then jump on the train ride that lapped the paddock. It would have been great addition if some people were hiding in the dark to jump out and give the kids a scream.
There was a long jumping castle but wasn't ideal for the little ones. The petting zoo was a quick visit and then there wasn't much else. A bit of music under the shelter near the bar.
There were 2 food trucks who tried their absolute best to cater for the large amount of people. However we waited in line for 1hr 40min and had only moved 3m in a 20m line up. Our poor children were so hungry we had to leave and get them dinner on the way home. Melvilles themselves have a wood fire pizza oven which wasnt fired up. A BBQ with sausage in bread would have been ideal. A ticket upon entry to get one free sausage in bread when you paid for admission (then charging for additional sausages) or one wood fire pizza per family, would have helped soften the cost.
Certainly not worth $60 entry fee. If it was reduced to $30/$40 plenty of money would still have been made. A mass lolly hunt in a paddock too would have been great addition to entertain the kids or a lolly bag upon entry. Personally, it will be back to trick or treating around the streets for us next year.
