Did you know there is a town of gnomes living in the West Australian bush? They have little gnome schools, gnome buses, gnome community groups and tiny little gnome houses. You can even bring new citizens to the gnome town.
If someone told me the population of Gnomesville was over 5,000, I’d say, ‘yeah, that sounds about right!’
Upon first entering Gnomesville you may feel your inner child squeal with glee. You might come across an Elvis gnome, Gnomi Campbell, a bikini-clad gnome sunbathing or a downright rude gnome bending over with his pants down showing his freckle! But the further you walk into Gnomesville, the more gnomes you see, or rather the more eyes you feel staring back at you. I just couldn’t ignore the slightly creepy feeling the more I explored.
Further down into the cool canopy of trees there’s a tranquil creek running through the little gnome town but looking further ahead you start to question, where does Gnomesville end? There are just. So. Many. Gnomes!
The history of Gnomesville is as confusing as the place itself, but local folklore seems to agree that it all came about during the construction of an intersection and later roundabout on the corner of Wellington Mill and Ferguson Roads in rural Ferguson Valley. The progenic gnome’s arrival is the stuff of legend, suddenly appearing in a hollowed out tree in silent protest of the newly built intersection. More gnomes joined the peaceful rally which soon became a blossoming village, with a population rivalling most nearby towns.
You’re welcome to bring your own gnome or even gnome family to settle in Gnomesville, and plenty of people have gone all out to create gnome homes for the little clay creatures. Just be sure to place your gnome within the Gnomesville town limits. Signs point out where private property starts and if your gnome is found crossing the border, he will be deported!
The gnomes are not without danger, having survived vandalism and even the great Gnomesville flood of 2018. Fortunately, most people know it’s bad luck to hurt a gnome!
So if you’re heading on a road trip south of Perth, be sure to pop into Gnomesville. It’s just 36km south-east of Bunbury or 27km from Donnybrook. You can even pick up a gnome from the Ferguson Valley Visitor Centre in Dardanup, if you forget to bring your own!
Address: Cnr Wellington Mill & Ferguson Roads, Wellington Mill
Open: All year
Contact: Ferguson Valley Visitor Centre, 5 Ferguson Road, Dardanup WA 6236
Telephone: (08) 9728 1551
Email: info@fergusonvalley.net.au
Website: www.fergusonvalley.net.au
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