Timid kiwi were not the only creatures crouching in the shadows as hundreds of families discovered while exploring Rainbow Springs Halloween Festival.
The popular tourist attraction was transformed into a place of horrors with a piranha pool, pirates graveyard and creepy-crawly tunnel.
Rainbow Springs online marketing manager Shelley Burnett said they sold out for the day, with 1000 people buying pre-sale tickets.
"This is the fourth Halloween we've done and we try to go bigger and better every time. The themed areas of the park are a big hit and it's so great to see whole families getting into the spirit.
"Halloween is creeping up on people's agendas and we love to be able to provide a safe, secure environment for everyone to enjoy the holiday."