The Gnomes Of Wellington Mills, Western Australia

Gnome History

Gnome History ......The Furphy Story

The roundabout at the Wellington Mills, Lowden Roads was built to alleviate a traffic hazard which was mentioned in a mock Dardanup Council meeting of year seven students from the Dardanup Primary School. The council then set the wheels in motion and built the roundabout...amid much public discussion regarding the cost of such an engineered roundabout in a quiet ex-mill town.

The spin off was that an "unknown" resident of Wellington Mills placed a gnome at the intersection to watch as the roundabout was built. The "fad" then took off and under the cover of darkness many gnomes were either planted or came out of the forest to join their curious companion. Once the roundabout was finished
there were two teams of gnomes playing a game of football in the centre of the roundabout! At the change of the sporting season a cricket match was under way.

The magical little folk have since moved to a little Hamlet just beside the roundabout and have happily existed there for ten+ years. The current 2003 population of gnomes is 900+ and growing....much like Topsy!

The Hamlet Gnomesville is maintained by the local Wellington Mills Community and Dardanup Shire and many new gnomes are brought here by visiting tourists who return to plant a gnome and make a wish which the little folk grant. Bad luck follows those who steal from the gnomes or hurt them in any way.

Gnomesville is now printed on tourist maps and coach tour itineries. It has been featured on television shows like Rove, Today Tonight and Postcards, on radio in Radio National's Street Stories and ABC Regional and has been well represented in the print media. It is literally "On the map"!

Some Resident Gnomes:

Greg Gnoman....gnome on the range(resident golfing pro)
The Rolling Gnomes ( resident aging rock band )
Don,A Gnome Among The Gum Trees ( resident gardener )
Astro-gnome
Gastro-gnome
Metro-gnome
Gnomeo-Gnomeo
Gnomin' in The Glowmin'
Chrognometre
Gnome Alone
Gnomosexual
Bio-gnome
Keep the Gnome Fire's Burning
Gnome-de-plume ( the ghost writer )
Gnoman Empire Soldier
Professor of Ecognomics
Rational Ecognomic Gnome
Ecognomic Rational Gnome
Sir Ignominious, The Stately Old Gnome
Gnome for Wayward Youths..they show their little bottoms !!!!
Funeral Gnome etc.....( holds all the broken bodies of little dead
gnomes).
Gnome Birth Centre
Gnomely Child
See Gnome Evil, Hear Gnome Evil and Speak Gnome Evil ( the
triplets).
Gnome Plaque in Memory of Our Lost and stolen generation of Gnomes.
Crow-Gnome-Eater...a clock which is a crow flying with a poor distressed gnome in its beak !!!
Assgnoma Bin Larden ...found in the Gnome Cave
etc ...you get the drift !!!!
It is a challenge for new gnomes to distinguish themselves with an appropriate name.

Wellington Mills History

Wellington Mills
Top of the Ferguson Valley

The small town of Dardanup, Western Australia, forms the gateway to the picturesque Ferguson Valley, a valley fast becoming a memorable tourist destination. At the top of this spectacular drive through patchwork hills and rolling countryside is the hamlet of Wellington
Mills. This historic area was once a busy mill town with two working mills and a large population. The history is now documented on an
information board and illustrated by site markers to delight the tourist who takes the time to follow the marked walk. Other walks also uncover the secrets of the jarrah forest via the " Living Window of the Wellington Discovery Forest " where different informational signs reveal how the forest areas are managed. One can also view the
unique forest, flora and fauna on a horse ride, or on a stroll through the tall timbers.

Located in the Wellington National Park is The King Jarrah Tree. This tree is a local icon to visit as it is 36 metres tall, 500years + old and is one of the oldest jarrah trees in the world. From this tree, Wellington Dam is a very scenic 11km drive which follows the river path.

Tourists who are young at heart will delight in the whimsical "Gnomesville ", a gnome hamlet situated at the roundabout in Wellington Mills. The humour of this attraction is to be enjoyed from the picnic tables in the hollow or to be experienced as visitors wander the paths of this gnome village. Gnomesville will refresh the pure of heart and manage to amuse those with heavy hearts.

Once in this wonderful valley, tourists not wishing to leave can holiday in a range of accommodation styles including luxury guest houses, country farm stays, quaint bed and
breakfasts and budget style self contained cottages. All have stunning valley views and clean country air.

A number of local grape wine and berry wine tasting outlets are operating at weekends to give visitors a tangible taste of the fruits of the valley. There are now small cafes and art galleries for visitors to experience.

We invite you to, "Enjoy a fresh look at country life".

How To Contact Rex Gnome's Secretary

www.kingtreelodge@aol.com

Rex is a political animal and has written this following letter which may introduce you to the mind of an ancient Gnome King.

Letter One


The King Of The Gnomes
Lazy Hollow
Magic Roundabout
Wellington Mills WA 6236

28 May 2003

Dear Honoured Citizens of Dardanup, Greetings and Salutations.

I humbly introduce myself and request but a moment of your
valuable time. I have the privilege of the exalted position of the
King Of The Gnomes of Lazy Hollow at Gnomesville in Wellington
Mills. My shy little people and I feel we know you intimately and we
thank you for your gracious patronage and kindness. Your family
picnics have filled our days with great joy and warmth.

However; my heart was heavy as our glade at Gnomesville is
inadequate for visitors who are in dire need of a water closet. I was
delighted when a wonderful blue sign was erected by noble workers
from the great and powerful Shire of Dardanup. This magical
pointer informed visitors that there were Public Toilets 1km away
at the Fire Shed in Wellington Mills. I felt my prayers, on behalf of
visitors suffering discomfort, were answered. Alas, my delight was
but a will-o-the-wisp and short lived.

I overheard hushed and embarrassed conversations from visitors
who had made use of the advertised public conveniences. These
elderly coach passengers had made a scheduled stop at the toilets
before visiting Gnomesville. It transpired that once the multi-
person mechanical carriage made its journey to the waylay opposite
the water closet at the Fire Shed, the 45 or so passengers
( usually very elderly souls ) did shuffle across the road, struggle up
an embankment dodging loose pebbles as they moved, then queued in
the open and unsheltered air for the three toilets and two open air
archaic handbasins. I was truly shocked to hear this. Consumed with
curiosity and benevolent concern, I set out on the perilous 1 km
journey to see for myself.

Yegads, it was all true! I saw with my gnome eyes the strange ritual
of the "toilet migration". Hidden in the dangerous pine undergrowth
I camped. Several times a week this ritual is followed by the
numerous coach passengers who require a comfort stop. The water
closet facilities are inferior and I truly believe the approach to
them to be dangerous. The walk across the road, up the incline
covered in stones and pebbles begs an accident to happen. One fall,
one broken hip later and the consequences I fear will impact on all
of us, not just the unfortunate elderly visitor. The only creatures
to benefit would be the trolls and deadly snotgurgles who live in the
dead land of the nasty dark pines. They delight in spying on an
accident! However; the gnomes would be mortified and shattered if
one of our hundreds of weekly visitors were to come to any harm. I
fear our Funeral Gnome would be in sad constant use.

I beseech you to please consider the consequences of not improving
the sorry public toilet facilities in the Wellington Mills area. I am
ignorant of the workings of such a great Shire as Dardanup. I do
not know the protocol but I do pray that some kind and intelligent
soul reading this will perhaps have the power to help. The shame
the Wellington Mills little people experience when we see this
"toilet migration" is painful. If you, dear discerning reader, were to
see it, if you were to hear the malevolent laughter of the dreaded
snotgurgles, I am sure you would understand why the King of The
Gnomes is humbly begging you to support our request for public
toilets of which the gentle folk of Wellington Mills and the gnomes
can be proud. We believe we all have a duty of care to protect the
good name of Gnomesville and Wellington Mills. We also have a duty
of care to visitors who come in peace to share our haven in the
forests of the historic township of Wellington Mills.

Yours sincerely
The King Of The Gnomes
Rex Gnome

Letter Two
Gnomesville
Roundabout
Wellington Mills
Dardanup WA 6236

31 July 2003

Dear Kindly Citizens of Dardanup,
Again, Greetings and Salutations.

I thank The Councillor of the Far West, Communus Jumpus, for his erudite reply to my most inadequate attempt at addressing the powerful and wise councillors of Dardanup and the citizens they so altruistically represent. I am gladdened that the Water Closet issue is at hand, or on hold, and will patiently and sagely wait for the eventual happy erection of new public water closet facilities at Wellington Mills. I thank you all for your forbearance and generosity in setting aside money for this project dear to our gnome hearts.

I do have one more subject I humbly request I discuss. At the Gnomesville Glade, our happy home, is found a Visitor's Book, where our guests can use a magic quill to record their opinions on the experience they have encountered in their meandering at Gnomesville. These books are replaced annually and there are now several tomes completed, replete with interesting and varied comments by delighted visitors from all around the outer Earth. I am ashamed and mortified to say that any scatological comments must have been made by the Snotgurgles of inner Earth. Please ignore the ramblings of such evil, misguided creatures and note only the positive comments.

I invite the good citizens and dear discerning readers of The District Times to peruse these tomes now comfortably housed in your Dardanup Shire Library associated with your Dardanup Town Shire Offices. Your time will be well spent and will allow you to read for yourselves the thoughts of tourists and visitors to your wonderful shire.

I thank you for your time and interest dear readers.

Yours respectfully
Rex Gnome.

LETTER THREE

The Editor SWT

14 October

Dear Exulted Kind Sir,

It is with a heavy heart I put quill to parchment in order to inform you and all your discerning readers of harrowing events which recently took place in my Happy Lazy Hollow at Gnomesville. I have been unable to write sooner as my arm was broken on the night of which I will speak.

It transpires that groups of destructive creatures, attired in strange colours and
smelling heavily of strong spirits, invaded our peaceful home and performed unspeakable acts. In all my 1500 years as Gnome King I have never before encountered such alien people and I knew not of their race. I have since overheard some of the shocked gentle folk of Wellington Mills discuss these events and I now know the other nameS of the race of aliens who so destroyed our haven. They are "Soccer People" or "Soccer Hooligans". Our now orphaned gnome children quiver with fear when we speak these names out loud. They have usurped the dreaded Snotgurgles as our most feared enemies. Even the Trolls of the nasty and dark pine forests avoid the race of Soccer Hooligans, though they and the Snotgurgles, did enjoy the pathetic destruction of so many of my noble and helpless subjects.

The glade at Gnomesville was cowardly invaded under the cover of darkness. Helpless gnomes of clay were cruelly uprooted, placed on the roundabout and smashed with heavy, horseless mechanical carriages. Hundreds were kidnapped and deposited at the "Soccer Club" in the great and powerful city of Bunbury. It seems this club is the home ground of these aliens. Many older and fragile gnomes were shattered by this kidnapping and never made the perilous journey back to Gnomesville. The hundreds who have made it back are but shadows of their former elves. They are suffering from Post Gnomatic Syndrome and many will perish. Our Funeral Gnome has been desperately working in order to put to rest our ninety comrades who did not survive the two nights of the long knaves or "Soccer Hooligans". We are in deep shock and mourning.

I write in the hope that knowledge of these events may prompt any involved Soccer Clubs to perhaps make a gesture of reconciliation to the kind and gentle folk of The Wellington Mills Community Association. I know they are dis-spirited by the destruction and theft and some kindness and understanding may rebuild their sense of equilibrium. It is they who tidy and maintain our glade and without them we could not exist in this magical forest. Their altruism and generosity has been abused and for this we gnomes feel a depressing sense of shame.

Yours sadly,
Rex Gnome
King of The Gnomes

My Links

Photographs of Gnomesville
WA Accommodation Tourism Guide
ABC Photographs