17 May Sights to see Australia – Gnomesville, Wellington Mill, Western Australia
Thousands of lawn gnomes have infested this Australian roundabout.
Lawn gnomes are a classic symbol of kitschy yard decorations, but most people are content to have just one of the little creatures posted up in their yards. Australia’s Gnomesville, a collection of thousands of the weird little statuettes set up on a roundabout is a whole different beast entirely.
The community of silent dwarves actually began as a whimsical protest around 20 years ago. As the Gnomesville website explains, a small bit of land in Ferguson Valley was annexed by the local government to create a roundabout. Despite an outcry from the nearby residents, the roundabout was installed, and tensions simmered. Then at some point, a gnome appeared. At first there was just one in a tree hallow, but after a few months, there were around 20. The collection continued to grow as visitors and locals alike came and dropped off their gnomes to add to the community.
There are so many gnomes now in Gnomesville, that in some spots they are even grouped up into little neighborhoods, where gnomes of the same color or attitude are placed together. Visit Gnomesville, but be sure to bring a new resident.
Know before you go
Easy to find just drive along either Wellington Mill road or Ferguson Road and you’ll run straight into the roundabout and plenty of parking is available.