Wee Jasper, New South Wales


Wee Jasper is a village in the Goodradigbee valley at the western foot of the Brindabella Ranges, near Burrinjuck Dam in New South Wales, Australia in Yass Valley Shire. It is located about 90 km north-west of Canberra and 60 km south-west of Yass. At the, Wee Jasper and the surrounding area had a population of 100.

History and description

Wee Jasper Post Office was first opened in January 1886 and closed in March 1892. Three years later, it was reopened again and remained in service until 1994.
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. Others lie to the north and south, including Dip, Dogleg, Punch-bowl and Signature Caves.
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.

Heritage listings

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

Climate

Wee Jasper yields a typical climate of the upper South West Slopes, akin to that of Batlow; comprising warm, stormy summers and cold, very wet winters with frequent and heavy snowfall.
Maximum temperatures are significantly cooler than regions of similar latitude and elevation in the Australian Capital Territory, owing to its windward position on the western slopes of the Brindabella Range.