Strange Tales
Roof garden 'rescue'
Wes Hosking
21Apr08
Stolen gnomes and ornaments have taken up residence with Jan Masson at Aspendale Gardens Community Centre.
The collection of 11 garden ornaments found.
IS YOUR gnome at home?
Aspendale Gardens Community Centre is searching for the owners of 11 garden ornaments after the statues turned up on its preschool roof.
Centre co-ordinator Jan Masson said the menagerie, which includes a one-armed gnome centre staff have dubbed
"Leftie", a rabbit, two ducks, a seal and three cherubs, were found during the school holidays.
"They were all lined up like little sentinels," Mrs Masson said.
"It was actually quite decorative."
Mrs Masson, who admitted to owning a dragon garden ornament called Lamont, has taken a special liking to the amputee-gnome.
"I would miss Leftie if he was mine," she said. "Poor Leftie."
Four more ornaments were broken while being "rescued" from the roof.
Kingston Council team leader of maintenance, Paul Morris, who helped in the high-rise retrieval, said it was one of the "more unusual" calls he had received in 36 years on the job.
Mordialloc police Sen-Sgt Brad Hanel said any theft was a serious matter and should be reported to police.
"Some person might love those gnomes," Sen-Sgt Hanel said.
Centre staff are keeping close tabs on the concrete critters as they wait to be collected.
They will take up residence in a playground fairy garden if their owners can't be found.
Mrs Masson said while she suspected children were to blame, people shouldn't jump to conclusions.
"There is a lot of magic around here," she said.
"We do live in a converted swampland."
If you recognise any of these ornaments, or have any information, phone Aspendale Gardens Community Centre on 9587 5955.
