| Type: | other |
| Lake Jasper | |
| State: | wa |
| Lga: | Shire of Nannup |
| Map Type: | nomap |
| Local Map: | yes |
| Zoom: | 10 |
| Coordinates: | -34.4°N 115.67°W |
| Postcode: | 6260 |
| Stategov: | Warren-Blackwood |
| Fedgov: | O'Connor |
| Dist1: | 267 |
| Location1: | Perth |
| Dist2: | 83 |
| Location2: | Busselton |
| Dist3: | 42 |
| Location3: | Nannup |
| Near-Nw: | Scott River East |
| Near-N: | Peerabeelup |
| Near-Ne: | Peerabeelup |
| Near-W: | Scott River East |
| Near-E: | Yeagarup |
| Near-S: | Indian Ocean |
Lake Jasper is a rural locality of the Shire of Nannup in the South West region of Western Australia. Central within the locality lies the lake of the same name while, in the south, it borders the Indian Ocean. A large part of the locality is taken up by the D'Entrecasteaux National Park; its south-eastern border runs along the Donnelly River.[1] [2] The north of Lake Jasper is taken up by agriculture, among them the large dairy farms of Lactanz 1 and 4, while Lactanz 2 and 3 are in the neighboring locality of Scott River East.[3] Lactanz Dairy was Western Australia's largest dairy producer when it was sold for A$30 million in 2016 to Australian Agribusiness Group.[4]
Lake Jasper and the Shire of Nannup are located on the traditional land of the Bibulman and Wardandi people of the Noongar nation.[5] [6] [7] Scientific evidence proves a Noongar presence in the South West region for at least 47,000 years, while the oldest evidence for presence in the D'Entrecasteaux National Park dates back 6,000 years.[8]
The heritage listed Black Point on the Indian Ocean coast is located with the locality of Lake Jasper, an outcrop of the Bunbury Basalt, which is rarely exposed. It is an important scientific research site,[9] and dates back 135 million years ago, when it was formed by a volcanic lava flow.[8]
The historic Jangardup Stock Route originally started in the north of the locality on the route heading north to what is now the Vasse Highway. It was last used as a stock route in the mid-1960s.[10] The heritage listed Quannup House, dating as far back as 1864, is also within the locality.[11]
Access to the locality and the lake has been historically difficult and underdeveloped. A 1944 newspaper report complaint that to get to the lake for the purpose of exploring its potential to stock trout, a round trip of 100miles and a 2miles track through swamp had to be made, despite the fact that it was only 28miles from Pemberton. Roads in the coastal region, especially within the national park, are still four-wheel drive often only and closed in winter because of rain.[8]