MEET AMAZING CREATORS IN THE FERGUSON VALLEY
Welllington Dam Mural
Wellington Dam Mural – Ferguson Valley
Just out of Bunbury, a journey to the Wellington Dam and through the Ferguson Valley is one to remember, leading to an enormous mural called one of the biggest in the world. It also features an impressive backdrop of rolling hills with grazing cattle, meandering streams, misty mornings and astounding autumn colours.
When we drive along steep, winding roads, the views are bound to take your breath away.
Enjoy local art and taste the local produce, one of the finest in Australia.
Itinerary – One Day Tour – Ferguson Valley
The Ferguson Valley Tour starts at the car park next to the Gosnells Bowling Club, 2271 Albany Highway, Gosnells, WA 6110, at 7.50 am.
As soon as we leave Armadale, we wind our way through the green pastures of the South West Highway with beautiful scenic views to Harvey for morning tea on the balcony of the replica Stirling Cottage, overlooking the Harvey River. You can take your time to view the May Gibbs gumnut display in the visitor centre and enjoy the beautiful gardens and mini orchards afterwards. Maybe you are lucky to spot a Pacific Black Duck or a Pale Flecked Garden Sunskink!
Welcome to Gnomesville…
… your next photographic opportunity! Guess how many gnomes live here. As a piece of first information there are thousands. The Gnomes are the official gatekeepers, along with the extraordinary volunteer work and support from the Shire of Dardanup in the Ferguson Valley, Western Australia. Be a bit quirky and bring along your little Gnome to add to the village!
After a quirky side-trip to visit Gnomesville, home to over 3000 gnomes of all shapes and sizes, meet the majestic King Jarrah, an ancient 36-metre timber giant, ruling over the surrounding marri, karri and jarrah forests of Wellington National Park – 17000-hectare camping, fishing, swimming, canoeing, rafting, mountain biking and bushwalking playground. King Jarrah offers a chance to view the tallest Jarrah tree in the park. It is estimated to be between 300 and 500 years old. The tree has survived bushfires, storms, lighting and insect attacks.
Lunchtime is looming, so we make our way to a lovely restaurant at the banks of the Ferguson River, which the owners describe as a patch of heaven in the ‘Ferguson Valley’. The Chef has designed our menu around the season’s best offerings. We invite you to a sumptuous lunch.
The picturesque red brick church St. Aidan next to the restaurant was built in 1954 after the original church burnt down in the early morning hours on Friday 14th, April in the fires of 1950, which swept through from the Collie River to Donnybrook.
Guido van Helton painted the Wellington Dam Mural In 2021, an 8000 square metre mural on the dam wall, titled “Reflections”. It took four months to complete and features images of Collie mines workers, families playing in the water, Aboriginal children and other scenes taken from actual photographs of Collie’s history. With the $1.5M dam mural project coming under budget, an extra 19 murals were recently added to the trail, totalling 40 works done by WA artists. The team behind the mural’s commissioning and development believe it to be the world’s most giant dam mural. But Van Helten said that while the mural had been described as the largest of its type, it had not been his reason to paint it. “I don’t want it to be just about that,” he said. “Size doesn’t matter. It’s about how well it was executed.”
Potters Gorge Campground – Wellington National Park is situated on the shores of Wellington Dam; in a shady forest setting, Potters Gorge has good views across the dam’s backwaters.
Wellinton Dam Mural - Ferguson Valley Day Tour
Price per person- Minimum participants: 5 people
- Includes
- ⇒ Entrance Fees
- ⇒ Bottled water
- ⇒ Morning tee at Stirling Cottage, Harvey
- ⇒ Sumptuous Lunch
- ⇒ Wine tasting
- ⇒ Otto Tours Australia’s photo opportunities
Wellington Dam Mural - Ferguson Valley Day Tour
Excl. Mini Group Tour (max 4 Persons)- A$ 832
- Price for 1 person by 2 participants
- A$ 583
- Price for 1 person by 3 participants
- A$ 436
- Price for 1 person by 4 participants
- Includes: Entrance Fees, Bottled water, Morning tee at Stirling Cottage, Harvey, Sumptuous Lunch, Wine tasting, Otto Tours Australia’s photo opportunities.