Slow
start – got to stop staying up so late!!
Warming
up quickly – at last summer is arriving.
Stopped
at Bunnings to buy a gnome. Wrote on his cap, Noel Jnr of Cairns, following on
from our big gnome, Noel G Nome, who joined the navy many years ago and had a
big adventure.
Headed
up the Darling Scarp to check out Wellington Dam and take Noel Jnr to his new
home. Passed a paddock with emus and their chicks.
First stop was Honeymoon Pool on the Collie River which flows down from Wellington Dam. Lots of people enjoying the long weekend and school holidays. Nice clear water.
Found
the info booth. Lots of campgrounds but no room for caravans. The Army used the
area around here for training for WW2 and when they came to the pool, people
were camping here for their honeymoons, hence the name.
Drove
to another camp area near the rapids.
Back
out to the main road and around to the dam wall. Big curved one with lots of
water rushing out to keep the river flowing nicely.
The
Collie River flows into Leschenault Inlet near where we are staying.
Up
the hill to the Lookout. Lots of information near the carpark – not happy with
the quality of my phone camera so going shopping tomorrow for another camera as
it will drive me mad having to use this one till they send me back my
replacement one.
Top
photo of the water flowing over the dam wall – they had raised it twice
according to the info but they haven’t said about the new addition of the road
over the top.
Walked
down to the Lookout.
More
information – originally the water was for drinking and irrigation but because
of increased salinity it is only used for irrigation and keeping the Collie
River flowing at the moment.
Below
the lookout is a nice park which was the quarry for the rocks used in building
the dam wall.
You
can do abseiling/rock climbing here.
Back
across the river below the dam wall then south. Stopped to check out a King
Jarrah. Not as impressive as the Big trees of Tassie.
Poor
King Jarrah though has been burnt out so another one will have to take its
place soon as the King.
Good cubby house.
Continued
along to Wellington Mills – now farming district but it was where all the
Jarrah was milled in the early 1900s.
A
good sized Jarrah.
Note
the chap laying in the cut.
Mr
Gnome showing the way to Gnomesville.
The
true story of Gnomesville and the roundabout where it all started.
Wandered
through all the inhabitants looking for Noel’s family. It is amazing – hence so
many photos. So many families and groups and of course many tourists have left
their gnome friends here. Sadly some are faded or broken but there are new
inhabitants arriving all the time. They are spreading further along the creek
edge looking for nice homes. People have gone to a lot of trouble making houses
and plaques with stories etc.
Gnomesville
runs along the boundary of a farmer and he isn’t happy about the neighbours.
Found
Grandad working on a pathway.
Then
we found Noel’s uncles and they invited him to stay with them. He seems very
happy.
Even
ET is here.
The
memorial to Kevin who looked after the gnomes.
Back
along the Ferguson Valley road to Dardanup then home to Eaton. Great day out.
Rang
Rod & Ruby and will catch up with them on Wednesday.
Quiet
evening sorting my many gnome photos!!
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