The Gnome Painting at Floriade and the gnome painting competition are organised and operated by the Murrumbidgee Canberra Rotary Club with assistance from other Rotary and Rotaract Clubs.

Floriade takes place in Commonwealth Park located at Commonwealth Avenue, Canberra. 

     The Gnome Painting at Floriade is based at the Gnome Knoll within the Floriade area. The exact location is yet to be determined but we expect to be at the same location as last year – north east of Nerang Pool near the eastern entrance to Floriade.

Gnome Knoll, within Floriade, is where we sell terracotta gnomes and our featured item (rooster this year). 

     We are open for sales and painting:

    • 9:30 am to 4:00 pm

    • Each weekend throughout Floriade (16 September to 15 October 2023)

    • Public holidays during Floriade (Labour Day 

Monday 2 October 2023)

    • ACT school holiday period (25 September to 6 October)

    • Sunday 15 October (sales only, no painting)

     Gnome knoll is closed 18 to 22 September & 9 to 13 October.

Anyone who paints a gnome (or featured item) can enter the gnome painting competition. Generous prizes are available in each category – they may include merchandise, gift certificates and movie tickets.

Gnome painting competition categories:

• 5 years and under 
• 6 to 9 years
• 10 to 13 years
• 14 to 17 years 
• 18 years and over
• Preschool or early learning centre groups
• School groups
• Open groups (community or corporate)

Dates:

• Competition entries accepted up to Tuesday 10 October at 4:00 pm 
• Judging is on Wednesday 11 October. All winners will be notified.
• Prizes will be awarded on Sunday 15 October at 10:30 am at the Gnome Knoll. You are welcome to attend the prize awarding session.
• Gnomes entered in the competition are to be collected between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm Sunday 15 October at the Gnome Knoll.

All unclaimed gnomes will be adopted and treated as homeless gnomes the following year.

Yes, you can purchase and paint a gnome without entering the painting competition. You can paint it at the Gnome Knoll and take it home after we lacquer it, or you can take it home unpainted. Many people do this.

     You need to collect you painted gnome, after it has been lacquered, any time the Gnome Knoll is open up to up to the last day of Floriade.

Yes, you can take your unpainted gnomes home and paint it there (we supply a protective box for transport). 

     If entering your gnome into the gnome painting competition, remember to return it to the Gnome Knoll for registration and entry into the competition well before the painting competition judging date .

Yes, you can enter a gnome (or featured item) purchased in previous years in the gnome painting competition – provided it has not been entered previously.

     To enter in the competition you must first show your gnome to the staff at Gnome Knoll who will mark it accordingly and enter it in the competition.

     There is a charge for such entries. 

Yes, you can repaint a homeless gnome and enter it in the painting competition.

     To enter you must show your gnome to the staff at Gnome Knoll who will mark it accordingly.

     There is a charge for such entries (equal to the cost of the homeless gnome and a new gnome.

      The proceeds from all homeless gnomes entered in the competition will goto the Early Morning Centre in Canberra that address issues of homeless.

Gnomes painted at the Gnome Knoll and sumitted for lacquering can be collected at any time after the lacquer  has dried – allow one hour after submitting your gnome for lacquering before returning to collect it. 

     Uncollected gnomes are stored on-site at the Gnome Knoll for collection any time the gnome Knoll is open up to the last day of Floriade.

     If your gnome is entered  in the gnome painting competition, it must remain on-site for judging and are to be collected after the prize giving ceremony on the Sunday date given above (dates) before 3:00 pm . 

      Gnomes not collected will be removed into storage and become homeless gnomes next year.

Unclaimed gnomes and featured items at the end of Floriade become homeless and, unless requested to be found within a fortnight of the end of Floriade, they will be put on sale next year as homeless gnomes.

     See FAQ 'How can I retrieve my gnome after Floriade closes?' for details of how to ask us to try to find your uunclaimed gnome within a fortnight of the end of Floriade.

Unclaimed gnomes and featured items at the end of Floriade become homeless and, unless found and collected within a fortnight of the end of Floriade, they will be put on sale next year as homeless gnomes.

     To request us to look for your unclaimed gnome or featured item complete and send the request form that is only available within the fortnight of the end of Floriade (there will be a link to the form here at the end of Floriade).

     If the request is received later than a fortnight of the end of Floriade, no search efforts will be undertaken.

     You must provide all the requested information in the request form. Otherwise it is unlikely that we will find your unclaimed gnome or other item.

     On receipt of your request, we will look for your gnome or featured item and, if we can locate it, get back to you as soon as possible to arrange collection.

All profits from the Gnome Painting at Floriade go to the Murrumbidgee Canberra Rotary Club and to the other Rotary and Rotaract Clubs who assist. 

     The proceeds are used to support local community service activities and for international humanitarian assistance purposes. See web page 'Supporting the Community.

     The proceeds from the sale of homeless gnomes (unclaimed gnomes from previous years) go to the Early Morning Centre in Canberra that addresses issues of homeless.

To contact Murrumbidgee Canberra Rotary in relation to the Gnome Painting at Floriade send an email to gnomesatfloriade@mc-rotary.org.

     For general inquiries go to webpage Contact Us.