Manly doesn't do Halloween on its streets so much as on its headland. The action is up on North Head at Q Station, the old Quarantine Station, where the ghost-tour company that runs there year-round puts on its biggest nights of the year. This year there are four ways in, from a $5 trick-or-treat hunt for small children to a late-night tour for adults.
Everything below was checked on the organisers' own pages on 8 October 2026.
Halloween in Manly at a glance
| When | What | Who it's for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 25 Oct, 10am–3pm | Spookyween trick-or-treat hunt | Young families, drop in | $5 |
| Fri 30 and Sat 31 Oct, 6pm, 6:30pm, 7pm | Halloween family tour, 90 minutes | All ages | $50 adult or child, $149 family |
| Fri 30 and Sat 31 Oct, 7:30pm to 10pm sessions | Halloween adult tour, 90 minutes | 15 and over | $50 |
| Sat 31 Oct, 3:30–7pm | Halloween Sunset Session at The Glasshouse | Everyone, costumes welcome | Book ahead |
Tour prices are plus booking fees. Book the tours on Quarantine Ghost Tours' Halloween page.
The adult Halloween tour (15+)
Ninety minutes through the Quarantine Station's darkest stories, on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 October, with sessions at 7:30pm, 8pm, 8:30pm, 9pm and 10pm. It's $50 plus fees and strictly 15 and over. There's a pop-up bar, and a prize for the best costume, so it's worth dressing up.
If you want to do dinner in Manly first, the 9pm and 10pm sessions are the ones to book.
The family Halloween tour
The same two nights, earlier: 6pm, 6:30pm and 7pm, also 90 minutes. The scares are toned down and the focus is on fun, and there are costume prizes for kids too. It's $50 for an adult or a child, or $149 for a family.
Spookyween: the $5 trick-or-treat hunt
The gentle option for little ones, a week earlier on Sunday 25 October, 10am to 3pm. It's a treasure hunt around Q Station's wharf area, following clues to haunted treats, with costumes judged on the day. It costs $5, and there's no booking: drop in any time.
Halloween Sunset Session
Q Station's Sunset Sessions run through spring and summer at The Glasshouse, with live music and the harbour at golden hour. The one on Saturday 31 October, 3:30–7pm, is the Halloween edition, with Jordan & James playing. Come in costume; there will be treats for the kids. Book through Q Station.
Which one should you book?
- Toddlers and young children: Spookyween on 25 October. It's daytime, cheap and over whenever they've had enough.
- School-age kids: the 6pm family tour, then dinner in Manly.
- Teenagers and adults: the adult tour, and the later the session the better the atmosphere.
- A mixed group: the Sunset Session on the 31st works for everyone, and the adults can peel off for a tour afterwards.
Also on Halloween weekend
Halloween lands on the final weekend of the Surf + Sound festival, so Manly is busy. On Saturday 31 October the Boardrider Battle is on Main Beach, the Sounds Good DJs play the Felons jetty from 5pm to 10pm, and Yolanda Be Cool is free before 10pm in the Felons Barrel Room. The festival closes on Sunday 1 November.
Getting there and home
Q Station is at 1 North Head Scenic Drive, about five minutes' drive from Manly Wharf. You can't drive onto the site, but parking at the entrance is free.
- Free shuttle: Q Station runs a complimentary shuttle between its reception and a stop opposite Manly Wharf. It runs to a set timetable with no booking, so check the times on Q Station's shuttle page before a late tour, or call reception on 02 9466 1500.
- Taxi or rideshare: about five minutes from the wharf.
- Bus: Q Station suggests the 161 from Manly.
- On foot: about 35 minutes from Manly, uphill. Fine before dark; take the shuttle or a taxi after a night tour.
Coming from the city? The Manly ferry lands at the wharf, a few steps from the shuttle stop.
If you can't make Halloween, the ghost tours run all year. Our guide to North Head and Q Station covers them, plus the history tours and the walks.
