Hans Andersen opens his Lowood home for Halloween after losing ...

Warning: This story discusses incidents of suicide. 

Behind the mishmash of Australiana, Halloween and Christmas props in Hans Andersen's Lowood home is a search for light through unimaginable darkness.

He says he is following advice he once received to focus on the beautiful flower instead of the cowpat from which it sprouted. 

Depending on the time of year, Mr Andersen manoeuvres his mix of extraordinary home-made and globally sourced displays to transform his yard into Anzac Day memorials, Halloween scare-fests or Christmas wonderlands.

This week, all the creepy, ghoulish props have come out to play for Halloween.

Mr Andersen has a range of realistic Halloween props at his Lowood home. (ABC News: Joshua Paddon)

Mr Andersen says about 500 to 600 people visit his home to see his exhibits each time, and their reactions make all the effort worthwhile.

But there's another reason for curating the extensive displays at his home, about an hour's drive west of Brisbane. One that gives him added purpose in life.

Among the many items adorning Mr Andersen's dining room walls are portraits of his three sons: Richard, Peter and William.

In the photographs, the young men are smiling. But there's a deep sadness in Mr Andersen's eyes when he looks at them now. 

Portraits of Mr Andersen's late sons, Richard and William, hang on the wall of his Lowood home. (ABC News: Joshua Paddon)

"Richard took his life on the 1st of August, 2012, and my youngest son, William, never got over it," Mr Andersen, 67, said.

"He sort of got onto drugs and … then in February 2020, he took his life.

"It's something that you never really get over."

Richard had completed a dual degree at Griffith University in information technology and multimedia, before travelling overseas.

"He did really well and [then] he went through a couple of personal things in his life that were hard to deal with," Mr Andersen said.

Richard, who struggled with depression and spent time in hospital and a mental health facility, was 25 when he died by suicide after several attempts, including one where his brother Peter saved him by performing CPR.

"William never got over [Richard's] death," Mr Andersen said. "They were very close."

William was 26 when he died almost five years ago.

Mr Andersen said his surviving son, Peter, was trying his best to cope with the loss of his two brothers.

"He's got a lovely girl that he's met … I'm so pleased for them," he said.

Now, Mr Andersen channels his energy into creating "something pleasurable for people" by staging his themed displays throughout the year.

He uses the events to raise money for Beyond Blue, by collecting a gold coin donation from visitors.

"It's because they help people with mental illness and Richard and William both had mental illness," he said. 

Hans Andersen says both children and adults enjoy his displays. (ABC News: Joshua Paddon)

Mr Andersen has retired after spending a large part of his working life employed by Queensland Corrective Services as a trade instructor at Borallon and Moreton prisons, and as a custodial officer at Woodford and Brisbane prisons.

Mr Andersen worked as a corrections officer at Woodford prison. (ABC News: Joshua Paddon)

He was on shift during a major prisoner riot at Woodford Correctional Centre on April 1, 1997.

He also worked in the maximum-security section where prisoners, including "Postcard Bandit" Brenden Abbott, were housed.

The hours were long and took him away from his family.

"I wished I probably didn't stay in corrective services as long as I did," Mr Andersen said.

"I was on shifts at Christmas time, Easter and times when they [his children] were running at school in events."

The extensive collection of props takes up much of Hans Andersen's home. (ABC News: Joshua Paddon)

He said his 12 years at Woodford prison were particularly demanding.

"I got to miss all [of] that and no money in the world makes up for it," he said.

"I look back and say, 'Maybe if I had chosen a different profession or done things differently it might have been a different outcome.'"

One of the statues in Mr Andersen's garden. (ABC News: Joshua Paddon)

But, he said, the past couldn't be changed.

"I just say, 'Talk to your children', communication is the biggest thing, especially with a mental health situation," he said.

"You give people a listening ear, you give them support, and you don't give advice or try and order … people that they should be doing this and that."

He said most young people knew when they were doing the wrong thing.

"It's just that they need a bit of guidance and encouragement."

Mr Andersen displays his creations — like this Bluey model made from an old beer keg — at the front of his Lowood home. (ABC News: Joshua Paddon)

Mr Andersen first started erecting displays at his house to mark Anzac Day, Halloween and Christmas six years ago.

"The whole township enjoys it because it encourages people but it also gives me something to do and it takes my mind off things," he said.

"I suppose with my trade background and running workshops I like tinkering but I've got to be … thinking of the positive things."

Mr Andersen opens his home to visitors to enjoy his displays at different times of the year. (ABC News: Joshua Paddon)

He recalled a visitor's particularly moving reaction to last year's Christmas display.

"We had the snow machine going on the verandah, it was blowing snow and it was drifting down over people and all the displays outside," Mr Andersen said.

Gold coin donations go to mental health support service Beyond Blue. (Supplied: Hans Andersen)

"There was one woman [who] broke down in tears because she had come from England."

He said she told him it reminded her of her home country.

"There's people [who] actually get quite emotional and there's joy," he said.

"There's children laughing and parents seeing the joy in their children.

"That's the sort of thing that, really, I get encouragement out of."

This Bluey model greets visitors to Mr Andersen's home.  (ABC News: Joshua Paddon)