Wee Jasper, New South Wales

Wee Jasper is a hamlet in the Yass Valley Shire in New South Wales, Australia, about 90 km north-west of Canberra and 60 km south-west of Yass. It is in the Goodradigbee valley at the western foot of the Brindabella Ranges, near Burrinjuck Dam.^[2] At the 2021 census, Wee Jasper and the surrounding area had a population of 127.^[1]

Wee Jasper New South Wales
Bridge across Goodradigbee River at Wee Jasper
Wee Jasper
Coordinates	35°06′0″S 148°40′0″E
Population	127 (2021 census)[1]
Postcode(s)	2582
Elevation	376–1,121 m (1,234–3,678 ft)
Location	92 km (57 mi) from Canberra 62 km (39 mi) from Yass
LGA(s)	Yass Valley Council
County	Buccleuch
State electorate(s)	Goulburn
Federal division(s)	Eden-Monaro
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 17.3 °C 63 °F 5.7 °C 42 °F 1,516.8 mm 59.7 in
Localities around Wee Jasper: Adjungbilly Burrinjuck Narrangullen Adjungbilly Wee Jasper Mullion Tumorrama Brindabella Uriarra

Name Wee Jasper

The origin of the name Wee Jasper is unknown but it is possibly of Aboriginal origin. It has been in use since at latest 1848 when it appeared as "Weejasper".^{[3][failed verification][4][5]} In 1970, the place name was changed, officially, from Weejasper to Wee Jasper.^[6]

History

The Ngunnawal people once lived over the site of Wee Jasper and the surrounding Goodradigbee River valley.^[7] Diseases decimated aboriginal populations ahead of colonial settlement. The New South Wales colonial government ineffectually prohibited settlement in the area and others outside the Nineteen Counties but livestock herders reached the valley early. The Hume and Hovell expedition passed through the area in October 1824.^[8]

In 1831, the land of "Cooradigbee", south of Wee Jasper, was granted to William Hampden Dutton. It was one of the last free land grants in the colony of New South Wales and was made only because it had been promised by Governor Darling, in October 1830.^[9] In December 1848, the County of Buccleuch and neighbouring County of Cowley were proclaimed.^[10] In 1866, a site for a Goodradigbee village was proclaimed but never eventuated and was cancelled in 1900.^[11][12][13] A cluster of settlement, which would become Wee Jasper, developed further up the river, nearer the eventual bridge site.^[14]

"Coodra Vale", a property of 40,000 acres (16,188 ha) close to Wee Jasper, was the home of pastoralist, Stewart Ryrie, Junior, from 1871 until his death in 1882.^[15][16] From 1908 to 1912, "Coodra Vale" was the home of renowned Australian poet, A.B. "Banjo" Paterson,^{[17][18][19][20]} and his poem, A Mountain Station, was informed by the time he spent there as an agriculturalist.^[21]

In the 1890s, gold was mined in 'The Wee Jasper' goldfield, south of Wee Jasper, along the Goodradigbee creek of which Wee Jasper Creek is a tributary.^[22][23] The Goodradigbee Goldfield, which included the area, was proclaimed in 1882 but revoked in 1897^[24] and the area was never a significant goldfield.

In 1896, the bridge across the Goodradigbee River at Wee Jasper was opened, providing better connection to Yass and Tumut.^[25] By 1887, Wee Jasper had a police station.^[26] Wee Jasper Post Office first opened in January 1886, closed in March 1892, reopened in 1895 and remained in service until 1994.^[27] in 1899, a school was opened as a provisional school and achieved public school status in 1918.^[28] Wee Jasper had a Catholic church, now re-purposed.^[29]

Activities

The area is known for its caves and fossils, camping, canoeing and fishing. Near the village are several camping and recreation reserves close to numerous caves. The best known cave is Carey's Cave, a system of seven caverns lying just north of the town.^[2] Others lie to the north and south, including Dip, Dogleg, Punch-bowl and Signature Caves.^[2] Wee Jasper is also home to the Wee Jasper Distillery.^[30]

Fossils, including members of the Acanthothoracid placoderm fish family Weejasperaspididae, the primitive placoderm Brindabellaspis stensioi and the prehistoric lungfish, Dipnorhynchus cathlesae, have been found in the area.^[31]

Climate

Wee Jasper has a temperate oceanic climate (Cfb) in a cold rainforest zone with mild to warm summers and chilly, very wet winters. Moderate to heavy snowfalls are common through the winter and early spring months, often the result of northwest cloudbands colliding with cold south-westerly airmasses. Annual rainfall is in the order of 1,500 millimetres (59 in) − nearly thrice as wet as Canberra.

Maximum temperatures are significantly cooler than adjacent regions of similar altitude in the Australian Capital Territory, owing to its windward position on the western slopes of the Brindabella Range.

Climate data for Billapaloola State Forest (1938–1969); 808 m AMSL; 35.27° S, 148.38° E
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	26.6 (79.9)	25.6 (78.1)	23.1 (73.6)	17.1 (62.8)	12.6 (54.7)	9.3 (48.7)	8.4 (47.1)	9.8 (49.6)	13.8 (56.8)	16.6 (61.9)	20.0 (68.0)	24.3 (75.7)	17.3 (63.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	12.1 (53.8)	11.8 (53.2)	9.8 (49.6)	5.8 (42.4)	3.2 (37.8)	1.2 (34.2)	0.1 (32.2)	0.5 (32.9)	2.4 (36.3)	4.8 (40.6)	7.2 (45.0)	10.0 (50.0)	5.7 (42.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	86.9 (3.42)	71.4 (2.81)	98.8 (3.89)	113.7 (4.48)	163.4 (6.43)	156.1 (6.15)	172.6 (6.80)	162.9 (6.41)	132.6 (5.22)	145.0 (5.71)	120.1 (4.73)	86.5 (3.41)	1,516.8 (59.72)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm)	5.8	5.6	6.1	7.9	10.9	12.3	13.4	13.6	10.3	11.1	8.7	7.0	112.7
Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Billapaloola State Forest

Heritage listings

Wee Jasper has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• 278 Main Road: Wee Jasper Bridge over Goodradigbee River^[32]

Gallery

• 
  Wee Jasper town sign
• 
  The main bridge spanning the Goodradigbee River going into Wee Jasper

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Wee Jasper". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
2. Dow L, Guyon D, Irving R, McPhee M, Matthews A, Prineas P, Rubinich T, Simpson J (1995). Reader's Digest Illustrated Guide to Australian Places. Surry Hills, NSW: Reader's Diges t. p. 209. ISBN 0-86438-399-1.
3. Wells, William Henry (1848). "A geographical dictionary, or, Gazetteer of the Australian colonies : together with a brief notice of all the capitals, principal towns, and villages". Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via Trove.
4. "CLAIMS TO LEASES OF CROWN LAND". New South Wales Government Gazette. 30 September 1848. p. 1366. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
5. "TRANSFERS OF RUNS". New South Wales Government Gazette. 9 July 1851. p. 1074. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
6. "GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES ACT, 1966". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 29 May 1970. p. 2043. Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via Trove.
7. Studies, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (5 June 2022). "Map of Indigenous Australia". aiatsis.gov.au. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
8. "From a tiny township, to a booming tourist spot". Canberra Times. 30 December 1993. p. 4. Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via Trove.
9. "GRANTS OF LAND". New South Wales Government Gazette. 2 March 1839. p. 275. Retrieved 17 May 2022 – via Trove.
10. "PROCLAMATION". New South Wales Government Gazette. 30 December 1848. p. 1883. Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via Trove.
11. "SITE FOR A VILLAGE". New South Wales Government Gazette. 1 June 1866. p. 1318. Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via Trove.
12. "PROPOSED CANCELLATION OF DESIGN OF THE VILLAGE OF GOODRADIGBEE". New South Wales Government Gazette. 2 May 1900. p. 3417. Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via Trove.
13. "County of Cowley and Co. Buccleuch New South Wales, 1871 [cartographic material]". Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via Trove.
14. "Wee Jasper - Satellite View". Google Maps. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
15. "Pastoral and Agricultural Intelligence, Stock Movements &c". Australian Town and Country Journal. 25 February 1871. p. 6. Retrieved 10 May 2022 – via Trove.
16. "Family Notices". Sydney Morning Herald. 10 November 1882. p. 1. Retrieved 9 May 2022 – via Trove.
17. "AB 'Banjo' Paterson". Reserve Bank of Australia Banknotes. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
18. "Bard of the Bush". Daily Mirror. Truth and Sportsman Ltd. 20 June 1956. p. 21.
19. Semmler, Clement, "Paterson, Andrew Barton (Banjo) (1864–1941)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 10 May 2022
20. "Paterson, Andrew Barton b. 17 Feb 1864 "Narrambla", Orange, NSW d. 5 Feb 1941 Sydney, NSW". barton101.com. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
21. Station, A. Mountain. "A Mountain Station by A B Banjo Paterson". allpoetry.com. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
22. "Wee Jasper and Adginbilly". Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser. 25 August 1894. p. 409. Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via Trove.
23. "MINING REPORT". Truth. 26 August 1894. p. 3. Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via Trove.
24. "PROCLAMATION". New South Wales Government Gazette. 4 December 1897. p. 8807. Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via Trove.
25. "THE LITTLE RIVER BRIDGE". Yass Courier. 8 September 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via Trove.
26. "THE PREMIER'S ELECTION SPEECHES". Yass Courier. 1 April 1887. p. 2. Retrieved 19 May 2022 – via Trove.
27. Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List". Retrieved 20 January 2021.
28. "Wee Jasper". nswgovschoolhistory.cese.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
29. Taulaga, Jessica (11 November 2021). "'A little corner of heaven': Wee Jasper church on the market could be your saving grace". All Homes Real Estate. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
30. "Home". WeeJasperDistillery. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
31. Campbell, K.S.W.; R.E. Barwick (1999). "A New Species of the Devonian Lungfish Dipnorhynchus from Wee Jasper, New South Wales" (pdf). Records of the Australian Museum 51(2): 123–140. Australian Museum. Retrieved 30 January 2007.
32. "Wee Jasper Bridge over Goodradigbee River". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01485. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.