The Ferguson Valley is Bunbury’s very own Garden of Eden, where rolling pastures, forests, spring wildflowers and rivers form a beautiful backdrop to award-winning wineries, boutique breweries, fine restaurants, country retreats and a lively arts and crafts scene.
A popular day trip by road, it lies just 15 minutes from Bunbury and two hours from Perth and offers a choice of nearer to nature experiences or wine and dine indulgences.
Hit the bushland walking trails or pretty picnic spots of Wellington Discovery Forest and Crooked Brook Forest and enjoy peace and tranquillity among the jarrah, marri and yarri trees. Or take two wheels for a spin on 40 kilometres of beginner and advanced mountain bike trails at Mount Lennard.
Spend the day hopping between the cellar doors of more than 10 local wineries, or head deeper into the Ferguson Valley and find yourself in the fairy tale land of Gnomesville – a free and quirky must-see.
The first of Ferguson’s 3,000 plus gnome inhabitants arrived in 1998, placed on the roadside by a local resident. Since then, locals and visitors from around the world have added gnomes of all shapes, sizes and characters to the collection, creating a gnome village. Residents you’re likely to meet include Greg Gnoman, Gnome on the Range, Astrognome, Gnome Alone and Gnome-de-Plume, to name a few.
Bringing along your own gnome to add to the collection is said to be good luck, while those who damage or steal the gnomes will only bring bad luck upon themselves.
If you’d like to stay a little longer, you have a choice of charming bed and breakfasts, farm stays and luxury lodges.