Gnomesville is like one of those places I read about in fantasy books. And I instantly assume that it can’t possibly be real. Only in this case, Gnomesville is real. Located in Ferguson Valley, Gnomesville WA may not even be the most bizarre spot in Western Australia, but that’s a story for another day.
As the name implies, this is a city of gnomes. Try to imagine over 10,000 gnomes, busy and active, all living on one roundabout’s bend.
Even your wildest imagination will fail. Gnomesville Australia goes beyond it. The magical creatures are spread out and condensed as far as the eye can see. It is notably impressive.
And, while it might sound it, it’s not random. No, each of these gnomes has a spot, a home, a place, a clan.
Gnomes are everywhere!
So many gnomes. At last estimate, they have topped 10,000 in residence.
It’s one to see to believe, so here you go . . .
What are gnomes?
Gnomes in folklore are earth spirits in the form of little men who guard mines and hidden earthly treasures.
Today, gnomes are magical garden ornaments by day that come to life at night. They generally bring good luck, protection, and nighttime garden help; although, occasionally we read of evil gnomes. A traditional garden gnome is a bearded man wearing a pointy hat.
Cheeky, creepy, or playful – which is your favourite gnome?
The variety at Gnomesville is almost overwhelming. Every type of gnome you can imagine, from adorable to creepy. My favourites? Well, that was difficult to choose.
However, a few stood out, or should I say jumped out in front of my camera, practically begging me to include them here. Therefore, here they are, I call them cheeky, creepy, and playful. Can you tell which is which?
Who started Gnomesville?
This is the question on lots of peoples’ minds, yet there doesn’t appear to be an answer. One day, the first gnome appeared, but from where?
Like all mysteries, there are plenty of theories. Here are a few of them.
- The most popular theory is that it was started by someone with a single gnome, and the person simply didn’t take credit for it.
- According to The West Australian, many believe it was started by a local named Kathleen Rees.
- Others believe the gnomes just appeared; after all, they are magical creatures.
Tips for visiting Gnomesville
- Bring a camera
- Allocate about an hour, or more if you are into the details.
- Stay on the trails and don’t damage the plants.
- Don’t take home any gnomes; this is bad luck and not very nice.
- Take your litter with you when you leave.
- Add a gnome if you have one, but keep it within the boundary fence and be sure to include a sign that indicates where it is from, and any other information you might have. You can pick up a gnome at the Ferguson Valley visitors centre, or bring your own from Amazon.
- Gnomesville’s official website, “There have been occasions when gnomes have been stolen from homes, to set them free in the community. This is not the acceptable way for a gnome to join the community and only legally owned gnomes are welcome.”
Where is Gnomesville WA?
Located in Ferguson Valley about 200 km south of Perth in Western Australia, Gnomesville is geographically much smaller than one would think. That is until you think about what it actually is, then it suddenly seems much larger than one would expect.
Gnomesville is one of those places that is both hard to miss and easy to drive by if you are not paying attention.
More specifically, you will find Gnomesville on the Eastern Junction Roundabout of Wellington Mill Road and Ferguson Road in Wellington Mill, Western Australia. It’s about a 30-minute drive from Bunbury or a bit over two hours drive from Perth.
Our GPS knew exactly where to go when we typed in ‘Gnomesville‘. If yours doesn’t, or if you are using Google maps on your phone, try entering any of these options:
- LOT 4059 Wellington Mill Road, Wellington Mill
- 74 Japonica View, Dardanup
- GPS coordinates: 33º27’54.5″S 115º54’37.0″E
Getting to Gnomesville
Sorry, but if you want to go on your own, you will need a car for this one. We had a good look and can’t find any busses. Well, one bus, but it was already there.
However, Gnomesville can be included as a stop on a Ferguson Valley tour.
Join a tour of the Ferguson Valley
Best known as a wine region, Gnomesville is one of the more unusual things to see in the Ferguson Valley, and is not visited by every tour. The full-day private tour (up to three people) of the Ferguson Vally that looks great to us starts and ends at the Mandurah train station.
It includes a 30-minute visit to Gnomesville along with stops for morning tea or coffee in a secret garden, two wine tastings, a microbrew tasting, and lunch.
Read reviews and check tour availability
More of our favourite travel anecdotes
Will you visit Gnomesville WA?
Rod Cameron
gnomes are all cute. It gives them people enjoyment.
Dibora
These gnomes give happiness to everyone who visits there! I hope I can go there soon!
Jay
Wow, I love seeing those gnomes! At first, it looks so creepy but it is a really awesome. I hope I can go gnomesville soon. Thanks for sharing this attractive spot.
Rob + Ann
This is hilarious! But also just the sort of oddity we love finding. 🙂 Thanks for putting Gnomesville on our radar!
Umiko
This is so funny. More than 10,000 gnomes in one place! They even have girl gnomes! I want to see them!
Rebecca McKellips
Ok this is my new favorite place, I am recently obsessed with gnomes and I cannot wait to make the trip to visit!
Candy
I think it’s a fun little place to see all the gnomes. They have an adorable face, so not sure why anyone would think that they are creepy. The gnomes playing soccer is a good one!
Nancy
I’ve never even imagined that many gnomes! Someone has been exceedingly busy!
CraftAtticResources
This is such a fun idea.
Jamie DeCubellis
Everything about this post makes me smile. I especially love the guy with the bare butt. Australia is still on my bucket list and I would love to make it here when I visit.
Alice L. Ford
This is hilarious and fantastic. I have noticed so many more gnome lands and fairy houses out in the woods, and all around places I visit Lately.It certainly brings a new joy for many in the woods.
Carol
that is a lot fo gnomes!
Alan Bates
Hah, if I ever get there I am going to definitely see Gnomesville.
Erica
What a fun article, thanks! I’d love to visit and enjoy the shared creativity. It is wonderful that visitors continue to add to to the collaborative storytelling through GNOMES!
Eric Gamble
Okay The Gnomes in the Bus made me laugh. Some of those guys are definitely cheeky but others may give me nightmares for sure! I am not going to lie, I love reading about things like Gnomesville! People can be so fun, creative, and just bizarre which is so cool!
When I was a kid I loved Smurfs which are essentially cousins of Gnomes in the magical realm so the little 3 year old Eric would lose his marbles walking the path around Gnomesville!
Vanessa Shields
These are way too cute and hilarious! I want to visit Gnomeville! I would have a smile on my face the whole time! I like the theory that they magically appeared. And I think my favorite would be the cheeky gnomes! 😁
Josy A
This is hilarious! I LOVE this kind of quirky sight Rhonda. Were you tempted to bring a gnome to add the the village? 🙂
Alex J. Cavanaugh
That is wild. Imagine what it will look like in fifty years.
Linda (LD Holland)
I would definitely visited a place called Gnomesville that is filled with gnomes. I am one of those people who made gnomes in ceramic class and then put them on my lawn! It would be so fun to see such a vast colourful display. And I would certainly go looking for the ones posed in a non-traditional way!
Amy Aed
I have actually always wanted to visit the Ferguson Valley! It sounds like such an interesting place, and your photos are all super pretty! One day…
Krista
That is certainly a lot of gnomes! My mum absolutely loves gnomes so she would really get a kick out of visiting here. I’ll definitely share this with her!
Emma
Wow, this is such a unique looking place, I love how quirky it is. That sure is a lot of gnomes though!
Sue
What a fun, different place to visit! Love the pictures of the gnomes!
Puloma Banerjee
Hi Rhonda,
Such a lovely post bon gnomes of Gnomesville, definitely look forward to seeing this amazing place solely dedicated to gnomes. Also thank you for sharing the details on history of gnomes.😍😀