The spookiest time of year is upon us once more, where for one night the ghouls, witches, and vampires emerge from the shadows and walk throughout the city of Tamworth alongside us mere mortals.
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Residents are getting into the Halloween spirit, as houses and businesses are transformed with cobwebs, ghosts, carved pumpkins, and more.
South Tamworth resident Tracey Slater has spent the last month preparing for the spook-tacular night and has 1000 bags of lollies to give away to trick-or-treaters.
"Who doesn't love a good scare!" she said.
"We love to decorate the whole house, and every year we add onto the decorations."
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Mrs Slater and her family have gone all out, continuing a long-held tradition.
Her Jean Street home has ghouls and skeletons in the front garden and a dungeon in the driveway.
"There is something for everyone," she said.
Over the past few years, Mrs Slater has noticed more and more Aussies celebrating Halloween.
Despite what pop culture would have us believe, the Halloween tradition goes way back; well before the modernised American version.
The day is rooted in a Celtic festival known as Samhain, where participants would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts and other spirits.
The old Northern Daily Leader Building
In the 101-year-old building on the corner of Marius and Brisbane streets they say there is an extra worker who wanders the halls gathering the news of the day.
![The 101-year-old former Northern Daily Leader building, now home to PRD, is also home to the man in the long brown coat. Picture by Peter Hardin. The 101-year-old former Northern Daily Leader building, now home to PRD, is also home to the man in the long brown coat. Picture by Peter Hardin.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/205515339/3754a87d-8b02-4c02-8bc7-55df4d758cdd.jpg/r0_312_6096_3753_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Former Northern Daily Leader journalist Rebecca Gracie said she is unsure of his origin, but she has had a few encounters with him.
"One Sunday, because I was the Sunday reporter, I just saw him headed downstairs, where the female toilets used to be. He was just headed around the corner, and I could just see the swish of his leathery, long, tan coat," she said.
The man in the long brown coat also had a deep love of music.
"I spent a bit of time in the old archive, which was on the third floor, but now on the fourth since they [PDR] added the extension. But, where all the bound copies of the old papers used to be and you would hear music up there,
"The music would stop as soon as you opened the door."
Legend has it the man was killed by being driven through the rollers of the giant industrial printing presses, back in day.
The Lady in White on King George V Avenue
If you have been driving along King George V Avenue on Tamworth's outskirts and encountered something odd, you're not alone.
This is the story of the 'The Lady in White'.
![The Lady in White apparently spends her nights along King George Avenue, Tamworth. Picture by Peter Hardin. The Lady in White apparently spends her nights along King George Avenue, Tamworth. Picture by Peter Hardin.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/205515339/49f88747-2bf3-4dce-8112-aa6db27db7e3.jpg/r0_422_8256_5082_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
After the gold rush of the 1890s, a narrow timber bridge, replaced with a culvert by Tamworth City Council in 1970, was the scene of a murder.
A Chinese man is alleged to have killed a local woman and it is said her ghost returns to haunt the area to this day.
There have been countless stories of strange occurrences, from car batteries randomly going flat, to cars being brought to a full blown stop for no good reason, or even being forced to swerve to avoid a woman standing in the middle of the road.
The spirits of Tamworth Town Hall
And finally, the spirits who have made Tamworth War Memorial Town Hall their 'forever' home.
![Many spirits have made Tamworth Town Hall their forever 'haunting' home. Picture by Peter Hardin. Many spirits have made Tamworth Town Hall their forever 'haunting' home. Picture by Peter Hardin.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/205515339/0021e667-acfa-44f2-8c5b-70479add7003.jpg/r0_0_3594_5391_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The story goes that there are spirits living in the walls of one of the city's oldest buildings.
And that when someone walks into the hall they may catch a glimpse of a man standing right in the middle of the stage before he disappears.
No-one knows for sure, but maybe he is waiting for his final performance, or wanting that last applause from an audience that may never arrive.
Whether it's true, or just Tamworth folklore, who is to ever truly know.
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