One hour north of Perth, on the Great Northern Highway, just before the township of Bindoon, is a great little area that is a definite must stop and visit. The Brockman Precinct houses an art and craft shop and drop in centre, a pottery, a museum and a men's shed, as well as picnic seating. The seating areas are cover by amazing mosaic art. The table with the games boards had a very detailed and intricate snakes and ladders game.
The Bindoon Art and Craft centre sells crafts made by locals, including knitting, crocheting, quilts, household linens and jewellery. I was pleasantly surprised by how affordable the goods were, there are bargains to be had here.
Not only is it a shop, but also a creative pace for locals to gather, which can often be difficult in rural areas. The venues at the Brockman precinct give locals a place to socialise over common interests, new crafts and a well deserved cuppa.
Celia and Felicity are two local lasses with special needs, who were there the day I dropped in. They make clay beads and fashion them into jewellery for sale.
Local knitters have kept their needles busy making gorgeous baby and children's tops. All good handcraft shops should sell the hand towels that you can button onto your cupboards and there is a wide variety to choose from here.
Rather than buying mass produced overseas Aussie souveniers, I would prefer to give these cute hand towels with Australian prints. The strange looking pieces are microwave bowl holders. Fully washable, they stop your hands getting burnt on dishes as well as catching any spills, another great gift idea. I have them in my own home.
Who can resist a koala pillow or bag? I will be buying my gifts from here before I go overseas again.
As a patchworker I was delighted to see the variety of quilts they had for sale. In September each year they host an Airing of the Quilts, which is run in conjunction with the Chittering Wildflower Festival. Quilts, crafts, plants and books are displayed and for sale. Plus you can refresh with a cup of tea, coffee, biscuit and soup. There is no entry fee for viewing the display.
Every little princess needs a tutu (shame they don't sell them in my size, I would rock a tutu!)
Two very friendly ladies welcomed me into the pottery shed. Again, local artisans have their pottery on display for sale. The pieces were very well priced and beautifully made. There are pottery wheels and a kiln for use, as well as a great many casts available. You can make an entire dinner set if you wish.
Potters here purchase their own clay and pay for firing and glazes.
There is a $40 annual fee to be a member of the entire craft centre. At a donation of $2 per session to use the equipment and space (with a cuppa included) this is a great place to be creative, at an extremely affordable price.
The pottery shed's main opening day is Friday.
The Bindoon Museum houses antique vehicles from children's toys to large tractors. Each with an interesting story.
There is something to see and do for everyone at the Brockman Centre, regardless of age or gender. For tourists, it is a pleasant stop, shop and sightsee, for locals it is an excellent way to spend productive time socialising with others in their community.
Happy Travels!
