Micalong Creek, Wee Jasper (pic by Michelle Bond)

 

Wee Jasper
Tiny village surrounded by some of the best sheep grazing country.
Wee Jasper is a small picturesque village of about 100 people in a pretty valley at the foot of the Brindabella Ranges, on the backwaters of Burrinjuck Dam. It is located 336 km south-west of Sydney and 54 km south-west of Yass along a partially unsealed (now only 5km is unsealed) road.

Explorers Hamilton Hume and William Hovell passed through the valley on their 1824 expedition to Port Phillip, which was of crucial importance to the opening up of the country. They left their carts here as they were proving too cumbersome on mountain terrain. Soon afterwards W.H. Dutton took up 2560 acres at the confluence of the Murrumbidgee and Goodradigbee Rivers.

When gold was discovered in 1859 at Kiandra the track from Yass passed through the village site. A school was built at the village in 1899.

One of Australia's best-known poets, A.B. 'Banjo' Paterson, who grew up near Binalong, was part of a syndicate which purchased the 40 000-acre 'Goodravale' property on the east bank of the Murrumbidgee at Wee Jasper. Paterson used it as an occasional country home in the valley so that his children could experience country life. His experiences there are commemorated in 'The Road to Hogan's Gap' and 'The Mountain Squatter'. He abandoned his interest in the property in 1911.

Interest in the fine limestone caves of Wee Jasper peaked in 1957 when the spine of a large extinct wombat was found and the caves were explored and opened up by members of the Canberra Speleological Society. They were officially opened to tourists in 1968.

Today Wee Jasper, with its reserves and caves, is a popular weekend destination.

Things to see:  

 

Tall gums in the Wee Jasper area (pic by Michelle Bond)

 

Wee Jasper Reserves
Wee Jasper Reserves are available for camping and recreation. There are five reserves occupying 40 acres. They have no electricity but all have barbecues and toilets and there are hot and cold showers at Billy Grace Reserve. No bookings are required but there is a small fee for adults (the ranger will come and get it from you or you can pay at the ranger's office which is located adjacent Billy Grace Reserve).

Walking, canoeing, swimming, fishing and caving can all be enjoyed. Trout fishing is best from October to February. For further information ring the Yass Visitors' Centre on (02) 6226 2557 or the local ranger on (02) 6227 9626.

 

Store
The road from Yass enters Wee Jasper from the east. It crosses the bridge over the Goodradigbee and the general store (tel: 02 6227 9640) is to the immediate left on the other side of the bridge. It has tearooms, offers a variety of takeaway foods, sells goods, petrol and fishing gear, and can furnish some information on local fishing spots. It is also an excellent source of information about accommodation in the district. Opposite the store is The Stables Restaurant and Tavern (with accommodation), tel: 02 6227 9619.

 

Wee Jasper General Store

 

 

Carey's Reserve
The road then continues on to a T-intersection with the school on one side and the tennis courts and community hall on the other.

The road on the right (Caves Rd) heads north past Carey's Reserve adjacent the south-western tip of Lake Burrinjuck. There are boat-launching facilities when the dam is 60% full, as well as fishing, camping, picnic tables and toilets, tel: (02) 6227 9626.

A little further along the road are self-contained cottages associated with 'Cooradigbee' station, tel: (02) 6227 9680.

 

Carey's Cave
As the road continues it soon reaches a Y-intersection. The branch on the right leads to the shearer's quarters of the aforementioned 'Coodradigbee' station, where more accommodation is available.

The branch on the left leads to a carpark from whence it is 45 metres to Carey's Cave (6 km north-west of the village), discovered in 1875 by John Carey. It features some striking and very colourful limestone formations within seven principal chambers. There are stalagmites, stalactites, columns, flowstone and helictites. The limestone derives from ancient compacted corals from the days when the area was beneath the sea (400 million years ago). Interest was heightened when the spine of a large extinct wombat was found in 1957 and the caves were explored and opened up by members of the Canberra Speleological Society. Official tourism activities commenced here in 1968.

The chambers, pathways and stairs are well-illuminated and two different guided tours are available on weekends and public holidays at 12.00 p.m.,1.30 p.m. and 3.00 p.m. During the school holidays there are additional tours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 12.00 p.m. and 1.30 p.m. Stairs are kept to a minimum and the temperature is moderate all year round, making the attraction accessible to all ages. There is a picnic area with on-site barbecue. The cost, at 1 August, 2002, was $9.90 for adults and $4.95 for children, tel: (02) 6227 9622.

 

Billy Grace Reserve
If, at the T-intersection near the general store, you turn left onto the Yass-Tumut Rd, it leads past Wee Jasper Station which offers accommodation in the shearer's quarters and a self-contained cottage (tel: 02 6227 9628 or 02 6227 9603) to another T-intersection.

If you take the road on the left (Nottingham Rd) you will see, to the immediate left, Billy Grace Reserve and Sarah's Playground which are situated adjacent the Goodradigbee River. There are camping facilities, barbecues, hot and cold showers, toilets, swimming and fishing. The ranger's residence is also located here, tel: (02) 6227 9626.

 

Swinging Bridge Reserve
The road then continues on past Swinging Bridge Reserve, also on the riverside. It offers camping, fishing, picnic tables, swimming and toilets, tel: (02) 6227 9626.

 

Micalong Creek Reserve
A little further south , on Micalong Creek, is Micalong Creek Reserve which offers camping, fishing, swimming, walking, picnic tables a shower and toilets, tel: (02) 6227 9626.

 

Fitzpatrick Trackhead
If, instead of turning left into Nottingham Rd, you turn right onto the Tumut Td, Fitzpatrick Trackhead is to the immediate left. There is a campsite with picnic-barbecue facilities, disabled access and toilets. It is situated on a portion of the fully-signposted 370-km Hume and Hovell Walking Track which retraces a portion of the explorers' steps during their vital ground-breaking 1824 expedition to Port Phillip. The pair carefully hid their carts at Wee Jasper as they were proving too difficult to haul over the terrain.

From the trackhead you can walk to Mt Wee Jasper (15 km return) or shorten the journey to the waterfall and back (10 km).

 

 

 

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Wee Jasper