Gnomesville

Many years ago, Petra sent me this precious book about Gnomes.

My interest in these unknown beings began there.

So when I learned there was a place in Western Australia called Gnomesville, it was a must-see place to go!

And off John and I went!

There were Gnomes as far as the eye could see.

Gnomesville is literally a place where over a thousand gnomes live and it started with one person.

Vicki Campbell is a Ferguson valley local who lived on the north western side of the roundabout with her husband Kevin. Both played a fundamental part in the early years of Gnomesville. Vicki recalls her early life with many gnomes around her parents farm.

The story starts when she saw new surveying pegs and found out that the old couple on the south side were to have some of their land annexed for a new T junction. There was much concern about this T junction, not only from the land to be taken but also from the T being at the bottom of a hill.

A public meeting with the Shire and landholders outlined the objections and a decision was made to consider a roundabout. Eventually this came to pass but tensions still remained.

At this time the first gnome appeared. No one put it there. Vicki is quite clear about this. This was the gnome of legend. It was first seen in the hollowed out old tree next to the roundabout. In her childhood Vicki had parked her bicycle here to catch the school bus.

As in the legend, it wasn’t long before other gnomes joined in this silent protest. But the gnomes were not the type to take things too seriously. Some times they would entertain both themselves and spectators with cricket and football matches. The West Coast Eagles football team was the one to beat in those days.

They used to play on the roundabout but they were evicted from there.

Within a few months there were perhaps 20 gnomes. Over the years, perhaps 30 of Vicki’s gnomes have come to stay in Gnomesville.

In the early years, vandalism was a problem. Of course as it became known that hurting a gnome brought bad luck, this no longer is a problem.

After a while it seemed that improvements were needed to the village.  At this stage Vicki’s husband, Kevin stepped in. With gravel from the shire, wood kerbing from Koppers logs and some chainsawing assistance from CALM in Collie, the village took shape.

Kevin worked tirelessly despite increasing health problems. He developed much of the pathing, tracks, edging and structure of Gnomesville in his trademarks thongs (flip-flops) and shorts. Kevin sadly passed away on …. and is remembered by a post with a plaque and a pair of thongs in bronze near the site of the first gnome’s appearance.

Now without any more delay, what we saw in Gnomesville…