JERRAMUNGUP

HEMA Map reference 75/G8

33° 56' 22" S 118° 55' 14" E

Statistics

Caravan Parks

Jerramungup           08 9835 1174

Services

Attractions

Hassell Homestead, Roe Park, Lions park, Heritage trail, Monkey Rock, Miles Rock.

Buildings of note

Unknown

Calendar of events

October: Agricultural show.

Description

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, the town was not declared until 1954 (another source quotes 1957) after it became a war service resettlement town. The shire was established in 1982.

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.

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.