Dardanup to fence gnomes in

Dardanup Shire Council wants to build a fence to keep wandering gnomes out of properties near the tourist attraction Gnomesville in the Ferguson Valley.

Following a request from residents on Japonica View, the council approved the building of a new fence on February 17.

Gnomesville was started in 1995 and has grown exponentially because thousands of people have added their own garden gnomes to the collection.

Dardanup shire president Mick Bennett said the fence separating Gnomesville from private properties was broken and about 150 gnomes had escaped.

"Some of the gnomes made their way onto the nearby residents' properties - perhaps they were walking in the night," he said.

"I actually think there was some confusion for people and they thought the residents' properties were a good spot to put their gnomes.

Cr Bennett said the council had asked Dardanup shire chief executive officer Mark Chester to negotiate with landowners about the cost of the fence.