A Sydney mother of four says she is heartbroken after her council raised concerns about her much-loved Halloween display following a complaint from a neighbour.
Every October, Sarah Naylor-Liddell turns her home in Oran Park, in Sydney’s south-west, into the spectacular ‘Spider House’, drawing hundreds of visitors to the property.
She takes the entire month off work to create the elaborate display before opening it to the public free of charge for six days ahead of Halloween.
But Camden Council has warned that the attraction has been operating without the necessary checks and approvals.
Earlier this week, Ms Naylor-Liddell shared an emotional video on social media as she spoke about the future of the display.
She said she had been told the event could not continue after this year unless she completed the council’s permit process.
“It literally breaks my heart so much. I was told that even if I applied for a permit, it’s going to get rejected,” she said.
According to Ms Naylor-Liddell, council officers became involved after receiving complaints from people living nearby.
Sarah Naylor-Liddell said she was devastated after the council raised concerns about her elaborate Halloween display following a neighbour’s complaint
Ms Naylor-Liddell spends the entire month of October turning her Halloween vision into reality
She believes a single complaint may have triggered the council’s response, although she said she did not know who had made it.
“We received a phone call, and obviously the council has known about what we do,” she told A Current Affair.
“It took one person, one complaint. And after all these years, one person has complaints.”
The attraction has grown far beyond what she initially imagined, with families now travelling from Wollongong, the Central Coast and the Hunter Valley to see the decorations and take part in the Halloween celebrations.
“We had hundreds of people come by, then thousands. Now I have to have enough candy for at least 5,000 people on Halloween,” she said.
Her next-door neighbour, Lakshmi, said the annual decorations had never been a problem for them.
“We love it. It’s been happening every year for the past few years, and we always go and support them,” they said.
Ms Naylor-Liddell’s tearful appeal prompted an enthusiastic response online, with locals defending the display and warning that cancelling it would leave many children disappointed.
Ms Naylor-Liddell said Spider House had expanded from attracting hundreds of visitors to welcoming thousands each year
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Her emotional appeal drew widespread online support, with locals warning that shutting down the display would disappoint countless children
“Absolutely disgusting! This is going to break so many kids’ hearts,” one person wrote.
Another commenter called the council’s position “un-Australian”, while others argued that officials should concentrate on more urgent local concerns.
“This is absolute bulls***. You have a Karen living in your neighbourhood. I will be there to support you,” one social media user wrote.
However, a Camden Council spokesperson rejected the suggestion that the attraction had been shut down. Speaking to Our News Outlet, the spokesperson said the display could proceed this year and that the family could discuss arrangements for future events.
“The activity has been operating without the appropriate checks and approvals being in place,” the spokesperson said.
“Council has advised the family that the display is not being stopped from proceeding this coming weekend.
“However, if the family wishes to run the activity in future years, they will need to contact Council to discuss the appropriate approval pathway and work through any necessary checks and approvals before proceeding.”
The spokesperson said the council supported community events, as long as they were planned safely, responsibly and in accordance with the relevant rules.
Camden Council denied that the Halloween attraction had been cancelled, saying it could go ahead this year while future arrangements were discussed
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“When activities grow to a scale that could affect public spaces and surrounding residents, it’s important that the proper approvals and requirements are in place,” the spokesperson said.
“These processes help ensure activities are safe, well-managed and considerate of the broader community, including issues such as traffic and pedestrian safety, noise, amenity impacts, food vendors, security and effects on neighbours.”
“This matter is not about Halloween decorations versus other decorations – it relates to the organised tours associated with the activity and the need to ensure everything meets the appropriate planning, safety and approval requirements,” they said.
The spokesperson said Camden Council’s role was to apply the rules fairly and proportionately while helping organisers understand what was required of them.
“Council is happy to work with residents and community organisers to help them understand the requirements and deliver fun, safe activities across Camden,” they said.
“Residents planning future displays or activities are encouraged to contact Council early to discuss their plans and determine whether any approvals are required.”
