Spooktacular success for City of Gosnells

The City of Gosnells is in great spirits after winning a National Award for Local Government this week, for its annual Ghost Walks event series.

The City won the Creativity and Culture category of the prestigious awards, which were announced in Canberra on Tuesday morning by Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories Kristy McBain.

Mayor Terresa Lynes thanked the Minister and said the award was a great achievement for the City.

“Ghost Walks promotes the City’s heritage in a way that is immersive, enjoyable and memorable, and we are delighted to have been awarded this National Award for Local Government,” she said.

“Hundreds of people enjoy Ghost Walks each year and tickets often book out months in advance. This year, the City reimagined Ghost Walks to include new ghostly characters and new locations at historic Wilkinson Homestead and Kenwick Pioneer Cemetery, to great success.

“The City of Gosnells has a long, rich history and Ghost Walks encourages our residents and the wider community to engage and celebrate this heritage through arts and culture.”

The City hosts three Ghost Walks events each year, held on Friday nights during the warmer months, close to the full moon.

During the events, groups are guided through the historic venues as performers act out the parts of the region’s past inhabitants, sharing the highs and lows of their lives.

Up to 14 performers participate in each Ghost Walks event, plus guides and staff, providing opportunities for local residents and volunteers to join the cast and crew, researching, developing and performing historically accurate scripts.

The walks began in 1994, originally with local historian Margaret Lefevre sharing stories about local settlers during a moonlight walk in the hills near Orange Grove.

Tickets to Ghost Walks are released each year on Halloween. Visit gosnells.wa.gov.au for more great events in the City of Gosnells.