Maitland Halloween: Chisholm's Julie Trevasinut invites the community to enter her Halloween house, if they dare

Preparation starts six weeks out for the Halloween fanatic, who adorns her home with skulls, shiver-me-timbers pirates and all things spooky for anyone brave enough to trick-or-treat.

"We started about eight years ago, we like watching people's expressions - some come out crying and others come out laughing," she said.

"The first time I got into it was for my husband's 42^nd birthday, I went and bought Halloween props and it's gone mad now.

"The garage is chockers."

On Halloween, her normally unassuming Arrowtail Street home is completely transformed, decked out with a 'psycho ward', sideshow alley, pumpkin hollow and graveyard.

Her latest addition is a nine-foot pirate ship with none other than skeletons at the helm.

"It takes us nearly six weeks, I do after hours on weekends to do all the animatronics up, I take two weeks off work and I still feel like I'm running out of time," she said.

"I just like watching the community get together - I don't know, I just like watching people's faces, just the reaction.

"It's one day of fantasy really, if you want to be a pirate you can, if you want to be a ninja you can, your inner child really comes out."

It's not hard to spot her house come October 31, with long lines often snaking down the street with little witches and vampires excited to head inside.

Her home is open to anyone from zero to 100, she said, as long as they can walk, be carried or dragged out.

"I'm hoping for a lot of laughter, I don't want people to be scared, I don't like being scared myself," she said.

"It's just a lot of laughter and joy really."

Mrs Trevasinut's Facebook page Halloween Hits the Hunter has grown a loyal following of its own for those who dare to enter.

And, she couldn't do it without the support of her family, who all pitch in to make sure the spooky season is a success.

"They're family so they understand, they know I'm mad," she said.

"But they all get involved, my mum and dad are in their late 70s and every year they dress up and help out."

Asked how much she's spent over the years to make her home so spine-chilling, Mrs Trevasinut said she'll reveal that when her husband's not around.

"He'd be able to buy his Mustang by now," she said.

The Halloween experience is at 21 Arrowtail Street, Chisholm from 4pm to 7pm today.

Entry is free, dogs and prams aren't permitted.

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