DESCRIPTION
Jerramungup is rather an isolated town in the Great Southern region of W.A. The only other notable town in the shire is Bremer Bay.
A nice campsite is located on the Beaufort Inlet at Millers Point (off the Bremer Bay Road). Fees of $7.50 per person per night are charged. A good overnight rest are is located
next to the Pallinup River at Marra Bridge.
One of the town's major attractions was the Jerramungup Military Museum. The collection, which was started in 1959, included a 1916 FWD truck, a 1942 White Scout Car and a
1954 Daimler 'Ferret' Scout Car as well as extensive collections of medals, rifles, bayonets, and uniforms. Sadly the museum closed down in 2001. We don't know what has become
of the exhibits.
There isn't a great deal in town to attract casual visitors but there is a pleasant park with a playground and BBQ facilities. Public toilets are located in the adjacent hall.
HISTORY
John Septimus Roe explored the area in 1848 on what turned out to be his last major expedition.
His diary entry on the area is as follows:
'we were gladdened by the view of a large extent of good grassy country to the N.E. lightly timbered, and at this time well watered by a river and its numerous branches. It is known
to the natives as Jeer-a-mung-up'.
Roe gave this name to the river and then on reaching the mouth of what he believed to be a different river he named that the Gairdner River. The river was actually the same one he
had already found and the name Gairdner was eventually retained for the whole river and Jerramungup was adopted for the town when it finally developed.
Although the area was first settled in 1849 by Capt. John Hassell who gave the name 'Jerramongup' to his land holding. The Hassell family were the only ones to settle the land and
they gradually increased the size of their property until 44,000 acres were acquired.
The town was established in 1953-4 and gazetted in 1957. It was developed as a war service resettlement town. Other areas that were opened up as part of this settlement
scheme were; Many Peaks, Rocky Gully, South Stirling, Gairdner River, Eneabba and Denbarker.
The name is said to come from the Aboriginal word 'Yerramoup' which means place of tall yate trees.
In 1969 the shire council levied a fee on local rate payers to help construct a church. This caused an outcry but 'city hall' carried the day; tough luck for any atheists in the town.
TALL TALES AND TRUE
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OTHER INFORMATION
ATTRACTIONS
Hassell Homestead, Roe Park, Lions park, Heritage trail, Monkey Rock, Miles Rock.
BUILDINGS OF NOTE
Old Hassell Homestead 1859-61, Old power Station 1963, Hall 1958.
ELECTORAL ZONES
State : Wagin
Federal : O'Connor
OTHER INFO.
Postcode : 6337
Local Government : Shire of Jerramungup
PHOTOS
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