We will rebuild: Repairs underway following tragic flooding to Gnomesville

Last week’s heavy rains in the South West has caused tragedy to strike, with sudden floods ravaging the vulnerable Gnomesville community.

With over 100 millimetres of rainfall in 24 hours, the creek that flows through quirky tourist attraction flooded on Tuesday night – leaving behind muddy mayhem and with many of its ceramic residents swept up in the current.

Located approximately 30 minutes from Bunbury in the Shire of Dardanup, Gnomesville was closed to the public on Monday and Tuesday this week to repair the damage left in the aftermath of the storm, with restoration efforts aided by volunteers from the local community.

The population of Gnomesville had grown in recent years to over 10,000 gnomes, left by visitors from far and wide – however this isn’t the first time they’ve suffered catastrophic flood damage. In 2018, many gnomes were washed away in what’s now referred to as the Great Gnomesville Flood. As well as the cleaning, clearing and rearranging that hoped to avoid further flood damage, a rescue boat named Ocean Star Gnomeads 2018 (complete with lights, oars and fishing lines) was crafted by Bunbury locals at the Ocean Star Village, although sadly it was unable to save many of Gnomesville’s ceramic residents during last week’s flood.