Travel: Gnomesville, WA

By Colin Kerr

When you wander down the street and see astronauts, beach bums, buskers, balloonists, cricketers, musicians, hunters, pilots, caravanners, gardeners and many more all within a couple of hundred metres, you quickly realise you have arrived in a most unusual and special little town.

Believe it or not, this is the scene which awaits visitors to Gnomesville, a small, quite shy community hidden away in Ferguson Valley inland from Bunbury in WA’s south-west. Each of the residents here is a gnome with his or her individual background and story to tell.

It apparently all started a few years back when a new roundabout was being built near the old timber town of Wellington Mill.

It seems there was a good deal of local controversy over the cost of construction of the roundabout and one night, quite mysteriously, an unknown resident placed a gnome at the intersection to oversee the workers and to keep a check on the building project.

This Overseeing Gnome then enlisted the help of others, and under the cover of darkness a few more gnomes began arriving at the roundabout.

By the time construction work had been completed, the overseers, now relieved of their job, had formed themselves into two football teams and for some time went about playing a game in the centre of the new roundabout.

News of the big game spread and more gnomes began to arrive. With the game over and participants having become the best of friends and liking their new surroundings, they all decided to stay.

The middle of the roundabout wasn’t ideal for an expanding community, so they moved across the road and began to set up home and the bustling community of Gnomesville began to take shape.

Some residents stayed fairly close to the main town centre, some preferred to live on the outskirts, others along pathways into the bush, some on logs and on fences, others hidden among the trees and some even decided to take up residence down by a little stream that runs nearby.

This is not just a bunch of gnomes standing beside the road – it is a real community of little people going about their business and getting on with their lives, with plenty of activity, industry and recreation taking place everywhere you look.

Now attracting plenty of visitors every day, including regular bus loads of tourists, Gnomesville is getting busier all the time.

News of the almost idyllic lifestyle here for gnomes has well and truly spread and it is reported that not a week goes by without a few more residents moving into town.

Gnomesville is now on the ‘must see’ list for many visitors to the south-west of WA, and people are encouraged to come and have a look around and even bring a gnome from their part of Australia or elsewhere around the world, write out a little message and leave it there.

With the population now numbering 1000 or more, and as mentioned still growing, a wander around Gnomesville is not only a free experience, but it is also a place where you will have plenty of laughs and giggles.

The little people here have messages like ‘Beachgnomer’, ‘Just gnom’n around in a caravan’, ‘Gnomasexual’, ‘Gnome news is good news’, ‘Gnoming old gracefully’, ‘Gnome on the range’, ‘Always away camping – never gnome’, ‘the wandering gnome with “no home to g’gnome to”’.

Around the corner there’s a ‘Gnome for wayward youths’, showing their little bottoms, and there is also a ‘Funeral Gnome’ where some broken gnome bodies can be seen! Some gnomes have been left in memory of loved ones, some have names on them, some have plaques and verses and some are simply gathered around in a group having a chat. Clearly though, they all seem very much at, ahem, gnome in their new surroundings!

Elsewhere there are plenty of residents still in the workforce, such as those attending to ‘Gnome Improvements’ and ‘Astro-gnomical gnomes’ in a space ship, there are gnomes flying planes and driving cars and not to forget the gnome on security duty – he is, of course, a ‘Guard’n Gnome’!

Then there are literary gnomes – ‘Gnomeo, Gnomeo, wherefore art thou, Gnomeo’, rock bands like the ‘Rolling Gnomes’, there’s the cast from ‘Gnome and Away’ and the movie ‘Saving Gnomo’, or those that are ‘gnome sick’, ‘the misgnomer’, the one that was never good at ‘gnoman numerals’, a ‘berry grateful gnome’ and, of course, more singing gnomes with such renditions as ‘Gnoming in the Gloaming’ and ‘Keep the Gnome Fires Burning’.

Among many other clever ones is the tune made famous by John Williamson, ‘Give me a Gnome Among the Gum Trees’.

Don’t think for a moment that the town’s humble beginnings have been forgotten. The whole village still has a clear overseeing view of that controversial roundabout, and those original footy teams in this sporting community have now expanded to include a touring cricket team, an old girls’ hockey team, golfers like ‘Greg Gnoman’ and  many more.

Clearly, this is a community with a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, ages, interests, pursuits, beliefs, messages and occupations.

But despite all this, they seem to have little trouble in living together in perfect harmony. In today’s world such a place is truly worthwhile coming to see.

Down through the ages, gnomes have captured the imagination of children and adults alike and Gnomesville is a scene that seems almost to bring these wonderful imaginary creatures to life.

When you’re in the area, call in and have a look around – it will be a visit that you’ll long remember. Don’t forget to bring a gnome, make a wish and, we are told, the little folk here will make sure it is granted.

Don’t leave your gnome alone – these little people enjoy company, so put your gnome close to some of the others – ‘to gnome one is to love one’ … and of course, ‘gnome man is an island’!

Be aware, however, that bad luck follows those who steal from the gnomes or hurt them in any way.

Gnomesville Fast Facts

Gnomesville is located in the Ferguson Valley, south-east of Bunbury in the

south-west of WA. From the small township of Dardanup follow Dardanup Road and signpost pointing towards Wellington Mill, closer to the site Gnomesville signs lead you to ‘the Roundabout’.

In Lazy Hollow you can’t miss the wonderful little community of Gnomesville, approximately 20km from Dardanup.

Entry is free. Park in the small car park and enjoy your visit. The area is lovingly maintained by local residents.

Gnomesville enquiries to the Bunbury Visitor Centre, freecall 1800 286 287.