One street, 1,200 lolly bags: a Harcourts BDM's Halloween for Make-A-Wish

A Halloween display Harcourts Property Hub business development manager Jessica Melling built for her nephew has grown into one of the Gold Coast hinterland's busiest trick-or-treat streets, handing out more than 1,200 lolly bags this year and raising $1,150 for Make-A-Wish.

Ms Melling started the display at her Sugarglider Lane home in Mudgeeraba about five years ago, when her nephew was too scared to go trick-or-treating. About 10 visitors came the first year. This year 13 other houses in the street joined in, and Ms Melling and her helpers went through more than 1,200 lolly bags in a couple of hours.

"We honestly lost count of how many additional lollies we gave away. We even had another 30kg of lollies as backup!" she said.

From street party to fundraiser

For the first time the night was registered with Hallo-Wish, raising $500 online and $650 in cash on the day for Make-A-Wish Australia, which grants wishes to children living with critical illness. Readers can support Jessica's Hallo-Wish fundraiser.

"It's a huge amount of work, and I'm lucky to have an amazing group of friends and my husband who get dragged into helping me every year," she said. "But seeing thousands of people enjoying themselves and the community coming together makes it all worthwhile."

The local profile dividend

The event also gave Ms Melling and her husband some local exposure, with their business cards tucked into alternating lolly bags. For agents looking for ways to be known in a patch, it is a reminder that the most memorable local marketing often is not marketing at all: show up for the street, and the street remembers who you are.