A daytrip ‘down south’ to Ferguson Valley

Perfect summer day for a road trip

We recently spent a day in the “Great Australian Outdoors”, down south in a small area called the Ferguson Valley. There are few areas more beautiful than Ferguson Valley with its brilliant blue skies and lush green rolling hills. The area is a great example of a local farming community providing fresh produce to passionate chefs in Western Australia and has a great number of craft breweries and boutique wineries.

After recently purchasing a new vehicle we were keen to put it to the test and venture in the sheer comfort of a reliable new vehicle away from suburbia. We headed off for a little daytrip ‘down south’ as it looked like being the perfect summer day for a road trip, with beautiful blue skies, moderate temperatures and a light breeze. But crikey at 7am we really should be out of here.

Steve had fuelled the car up the night before, so after our breakfast we grabbed our water bottles and were off.

Our destination for the day was a beautiful area where we could drive and discover the attractions in and around the picturesque Ferguson Valley. Less than 2 hours from home, we had heard this area offered stunning scenery with National Parks, forests and a little magic.

It is an easy drive with a dual carriage highway all the way.

At the Millers Creek roadside information bay it was hard to miss a 4 metre wooden bull called Fergus. There he was sitting with his chin in one hoof and a goblet in the other. Fergus is the mascot for Ferguson Valley region in Dardanup. We stopped at the information bay, took a quick photo of Fergus and checked the information board which showed us the highlights of Ferguson Valley and the surrounding area.

Dardanup

Back in the car, we continued on and soon arrived in the historic town of Dardanup, traditionally a quiet dairy farming town, but also recognised for its growing wine industry. The area was first settled in 1852 and became a townsite in 1923. We made our way to the Ferguson Valley Visitor Centre known as Don Hewison Centre. This building was formerly the State School from 1897 to 1971, making it one of the oldest government schools in the state. A charming heritage building with a beautiful memorial rose garden in the front, was once the school of twenty primary age children. One teacher, Miss Mary Anne Cleary, taught seven grades in the single room school and the shady yard was used for sport and outdoor activities.

In 1993 the building was renamed Don Hewison Centre after a former student, resident and builder who sadly passed away from a rail crossing accident outside his home. Prior to his death, Mr Hewison undertook a lot of the much needed renovations to restore the building to its former beauty and his outstanding contribution was repaid by naming it in his honour. Today the Visitor Centre is run by volunteers and during our visit Karen was only too happy to share her knowledge of the area and point us in the right direction to have a fun filled day in this beautiful pocket of Western Australia’s southwest. We learned that Dardanup boasts 15 heritage listed sites and the first one is right across the road.

Location: 5 Ferguson Road, Dardanup

Church Precinct

Across the road from the Visitors centre is the church precinct. The Thomas Little Memorial Hall was formerly known as the Church of the Immaculate Conception. The area had a strong Irish Catholic background and the church was the first Catholic Church built outside Perth. The Colonial Gothic styled church was built in 1854 on land donated by pioneer Thomas Little. He gave 50 acres of land, 100,000 bricks and 50 bags of calcolime to build the church which was used until 1938 when the number of the parishioners outgrew the church. In 1979 the church was restored and rededicated Thomas Little Hall and is today used by the students of the school on the same site.

Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School is a two classroom school was built in 1949 at a cost of 1400 pounds. In 1992 the two classrooms were converted to an Administration centre and Library and three new classrooms were built.
To the left of the primary school is the Hosea House of Prayer. Built as the Sisters of Mercy Convent in 1922, the Sisters resided there until 1972 when for a short time the building became the school administration centre. In 1977 it became the Carmelite Monastery until 1984 and is today a retreat.

The Church of the Immaculate Conception was built in 1937 from compressed concrete blocks that were pressed on site. This church is on the main corner in Dardanup and the Pioneer Catholic Cemetery is at the rear. It contains graves of many of the Irish early settlers, the earliest being 1856.

Location: 2 Ferguson Road, Dardanup

Commercial Centre

We move along Charlotte Street for a look at the commercial centre in town. On one side of the road runs the now disused railway line and a small grassed area called Eustace Fowler Park which has a water wheel representing how over the decades water irrigation channels have assisted this agriculture area.

On the other side of the road from the corner is the Post Office, built in 1895, Dardanup General Store, built in 1935, Dardanup Tavern, built in 1905, Dardanup Garage which sells fuel and the Dardanup Bakery. Yep, every little town has a great bakery, and pie lovers tells us this is one of the best, but we resisted and continued on with our trip. Strangely the Dardanup Butcher Shop is on the other side of the railway line on the Picton-Boyanup Road away from other prominent establishments in town.

Our time in Dardanup ends at St Mary’s Anglican Church, built in 1906 which is on the Picton-Boyanup Road. The church is still in original condition and has 3 leadlight windows and the original organ which is still in use today.

Ferguson Valley

Slightly east of Dardanup’s townsite is Ferguson Valley, lush, green and becoming increasingly popular. Explored by and named after Dr Ferguson in 1832, this beautiful pocket of Western Australia is a great weekend destination or daytrip as it’s just over half the distance of Margaret River and 20 minutes South East of Bunbury.

Ferguson Valley is one of the most beautiful areas in the South West and lives up to the brand “enjoy a fresh look at country life”. Imagine spectacular views of the Indian Ocean across undulating tree lined hills with little steams meandering through pristine bushland and lush green pastures where prize winning cattle graze. These are the kind of views that take your breath away. The landscape, Mediterranean climate and loamy soils are an ideal combination for vineyards and this area is part of the award winning Geographe wine region.

There’s a lot to see and do in ‘Fergie Valley’ the area also boasts local artists, superb restaurants, world renowned wineries and craft breweries, blended in amongst lush forest, rolling hills and towering gum trees. It is peaceful and scenic, a perfect opportunity to detach from city living and absorb the harmonious environment and appreciate the rural views as you enjoy a wine or three.

Gnomesville

The drive is spectacular, the magnificent natural beauty in the heart of the southwest is simply magical. Speaking of magical, that is the theme of our next stop. Gnomesville is a quirky and amusing place that is both weird and wonderful. It was created in 1995 as a form of protest of the construction of a roundabout and is filled with gnomes and wit.

Here live the world’s largest collection of gnomes, in fact, thousands of gnomes. The population now consists of well over 3000 gnomes who have migrated from all over the world to reside in this magical location.

Many that reside here have their own little sign or gnome community name, like Gnomeo and Juliet, Gnoman Empire, Gnome sweet gnome, Gnome among the gum trees, beyond thundergnome, even ET – phone gnome can be visited at this magical site. While away your time strolling along the cleared paths winding through Gnomesville as you read the many signs which add a sense of magical whimsy with the gnomish puns.

It will take a couple of hours to greet the little folk and see their not so little village. Hanging from trees, perched along logs, enjoying a game of soccer, playing a musical instrument, riding the big red car and piled into the school bus, these little guys and gals even have their own pets. The dress code amongst the gnomes is not strictly red hat and is now quite relaxed with some choosing boardies, thongs and sunnies, and many of the busty gnomettes wear bikinis, there are even a few cheeky streakers, proving there is gnome place like home.

Gnomesville legend has it that bad luck will be bestowed upon you if you damage or remove a gnome. It is encouraged to bring along a gnome marked with your name, origin and date on the base for historical purposes to live at this magical gnome community.

One thing we did notice at Gnomesville was the presence of numerous gnome protectors, commonly known as the march fly. These were in plague proportions and kept everyone present moving along and made for a quick visit for some. The best ‘gnome’ way to ward off the painful bites of the march flies if you forgot insect repellent is to continually stamp your feet which thankfully doesn’t seem to scare the gnomes, but seems it has made few fall over.

If you forgot to bring a gnome from your garden to make the move to Gnomesville you can purchase one from the Visitor Centre. Just be sure to label with all the details for the next Gnome census.

Location: Roundabout at Wellington Mill and Ferguson Roads, Wellington Mill

Wellington National Park

Honeymoon Pool

On our way along the narrow winding roads to Honeymoon Pool at Wellington National Park we stopped off at the rapids and Big Rock and passed Little Rock and Long Pool. In the lower part of Collie River at the confluence with Stones Brook we arrived at Honeymoon Pool, which is surrounded by peppermint trees and is a popular camping and swimming spot with lots of shade. As the name suggests it is romantic, fun and a tranquil part of the river to swim with the trees along the clear, cool waters. The reflection of the trees in the still waters with the early morning mist would look so magical.

When we arrived at the beautifully serene Honeymoon Pool we found it is absolutely gorgeous but is a very popular swimming spot and campsite and was quite busy with sounds of laughter and splashing from the campers enjoying the surrounds. Being such a lovely day made the campsite pretty busy, we didn’t take any photos as it would have been difficult not to include the people. But take my word for it, this was so picturesque, surrounded by graceful Peppermint trees hanging down, gently swaying in the breeze, with their reflections in the fresh, clean water. There is a camp kitchen, toilets, picnic area with lots of shade, barbecues, picnic tables and large wooden platform used to dive off, sunbake on or launch a canoe from. Although there are taps, the water is not drinking water so you must bring your own. Unfortunately the march flies were here too, so we merely drove through and moved on to our next stop, Wellington Dam.

Wellington Dam

We came to Wellington Dam in Wellington National Park which is full of jarrah, marri and blackbutt forest. Here the Collie River Valley where 70 bird species, 300 varieties of colourful wildflowers and unique animals like the quenda, brushtail and western ringtail possums, even the quokka can be found. Constructed in 1932, the dam measures 366 metres wide and 34 metres deep and can store up to 186 million kilolitres of water. The construction period provided many with employment during the Great Depression.

With a permit at the right time of the year you can also go marron and trout fishing. We wandered around on the low side of the dam and watched the water gushing from the dam, rushing down the Collie River before going up to check out the lookout. It was so peaceful gazing out to the calm, blue water but such a shame salinity in the dam has rendered the water useless for nearby farmers. It must be so spectacular when the dam overflows.

Update: We went back to Wellington Dam after Guido van Helten’s transformation of the dam in 2021 to check it out. This is now the largest dam mural in the world and doesn’t it look spectacular?

When it was time for lunch we made our way to the Wellington Dam Kiosk which was once the caretakers house. Construction of the kiosk and stone picnic shelters in the quarry below are very retro in style being constructed between 1930-1950 and have heritage value. The granite quarry was formed in the 1930’s to provide materials for constructing the dam wall. The quarry is now an impressive picnic ground and used for rock climbing and abseiling.

We know the Australian bush is full of animals and insects that are trying to kill us, we are taught as children about the dangers of lethal snakes and spiders and how to avoid them. But we really didn’t expect a fly would be the beast to bring us down. Not just any fly, these huge march flies were in plague proportions and have a nasty bite. We were advised they are no longer around in high numbers once the flowers from the Marri trees die off, usually within a week or so.

Donnybrook

It is time to leave Wellington Dam and make our way further south to Donnybrook. This little town, settled in 1842 is famous for fruit, especially apples and it was named after Donnybrook in Dublin, Ireland. Originally a timber mill settlement, it later became the apple capital of Western Australia. The area is also renowned for the beautiful local sandstone.

All Saints Church in Donnybrook on South Western Highway was built in 1906 from Donnybrook stone.

Even without its Irish background any country town has a pub. Donnybook hotel was built in 1895. This pub was modified in 1907 when the upper storey was put on and again in 1950 when the timber verandah was removed. The upper brickwork has the name ‘Pittman’s” after the owner back in 1905.

Across the road is the Donnybrook Railway Station. The rail line from Bunbury arrived in 1893 and the original station was rebuilt in 1938. Today the station’s architecture has been maintained but it is used by Chamber of Commerce and the Tourist Information Centre. Outside the station is a rotunda and Ayers Garden. The railway station holds the local markets each month.

Before we left Donnybrook we just had to stop off at the local Fruitbarn and purchase some fresh, local fruits. We got a bucket each of mouth-watering Bartlett pears, Pink Lady apples and juicy, sweet Amber Jewel plums.

Crooked Brook Forest

We weave through the absolutely stunning and tranquil Crooked Brook Forest, the forest for all people with access for the aged and visitors with a disability and challenge for the energetic. There are four walking paths, one is a 600 metre rammed earth circuit suitable for wheelchairs. On these walks you will cross bridges, see the water spill from the winter creek running through the forest, take in the views of the massive jarrah forest, overlook Bunbury and Ferguson Valley from the lookouts and enjoy the natural beauty of the bushland. As you walk along you can identify the wildflowers on the wildflower walk and even see some wildlife.

StreetArt

We passed though Boyanup and being a fan of street just had to stop and take a photo of this train mural we saw on the wall outside the chemist. As we still had plenty of daylight available we called in to Bunbury on our way home as I’d heard there was a vibrant street art scene there. In a laneway between Wellington and Princep Streets we found a few pieces to photograph.Our plan is to definitely get back there soon armed with details of where to see more of the spectacular art that graces the walls in the area. The laneway had some some colourful murals, but the best was near the cinema complex where we saw this enormous Fintan Magee mural called Storm. Fintan’s piece derives from the impact climate change has on the community and reflects the housing crisis after a natural disaster.

Summary

We had a great day in this small farming community of Ferguson Valley, which is ideally situated to take advantage of the region’s diverse attractions. With vineyards, boutique breweries, galleries, an amphitheatre, bicycle and walking trails set within a beautiful backdrop of white flowering gum trees, this area has something for everyone. Offering the ultimate in tranquillity with country charm and untouched nature everyone from solo travellers to those travelling in a group will enjoy exploring Feruson Valley. Taking in the breathtaking views, the soothing sounds of running water and the chatter of kookaburras and magpies gives you the chance to exhale. It is a great place to relax, spent time without any plans and truly unwind in a working farm district. If you are looking for a longer weekend getaway down south then check out what to do and where to stay in Bunker Bay. But if you want to head off a longer roadtrip and see some of the contrasts in Western Australia I highly recommend you read what you’ll see along WA’s Silo Art Trail.

Until you begin to explore this area you have ‘gnome’ idea how beautiful it really is. Would you enjoy a hike through this beautiful area or would you prefer to sample the local wines and produce of the region?

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