Trees to get dressed up for summer

WAROONA is set to be transformed from next month with knitted creations to appear for the annual Yarn Bombing.

From November to February 2018, trees and gardens near the Waroona Visitors Centre will display an array of knitted works created over the past year, including animals, flowers and patterns.

Long-time Waroona knitter Marie Thomas will be honoured this year with a tree of her own work.

Despite having Alzheimer’s, Mrs Thomas continues to knit and earlier this year long lengths of her knitting were transformed into two 6m to 8m rainbow coloured pythons which will hang from the branches of her tree.

Also near the centre will be a tree decorated with fairies, flowers and animals and even Mooriel the Cow will be caught up in the yarn bombing frenzy.

The centre will also join in the WA Rocks movement with “hairy rocks” – rocks which have been knitted over for a fuzzy appearance. Ms Goldsworthy said the rocks would be placed around the centre for families to find.

Waroona Visitors Centre manager Tracy Goldsworthy said the event used yarn in colourful and interesting ways to draw people to the town.

“The idea is to stop traffic because too many people pass through our town,” she said.

Ms Goldsworthy said the centre had many people and groups helping to prepare for the event since February, including the Waroona Girl Guides and students from Waroona District High School pre-primary.

“Wherever possible we involve the community,” she said.

Ms Goldsworthy said if any member of the community still wanted to contribute, there was no deadline for joining in and they could contact the centre.

She said the yarn bombing would be tied in with the Sea to Art Exhibition which will run throughout November after launching on October 27.