A Unique Freshwater Wilderness
Lake Jasper is a four-square-kilometre freshwater lake within D’Entrecasteaux National Park. The lake forms part of a broader wetland system where seasonal flooding connects ecosystems across the surrounding lowlands. The area provides important habitat for migratory birds and supports rich biodiversity linked to the wetlands and nearby forests. Lake Jasper is also culturally significant. Archaeological discoveries revealed Australia’s only known underwater prehistoric Aboriginal site, with seven Aboriginal sites identified on the lake floor. The surrounding D’Entrecasteaux landscape contains shifting dunes, granite and limestone headlands, beaches, wetlands and forests linking the Cape region to the karri forests of Shannon and Walpole.
The Threat
In 1996, the Court Government excised part of D’Entrecasteaux National Park to allow mining near Lake Jasper. Conservation groups warned that mining operations could severely damage the lake and surrounding wetlands. When mining proposals intensified again in 2005, campaigners raised concerns about the potential release of acid sulfate soils, which could create destructive acid plumes difficult to contain. There were also fears that mining could alter the lake’s water table, damaging vegetation and threatening the ecological systems dependent on the wetlands.
The Campaign
The Wilderness Society joined the D’Entrecasteaux Coalition, formed by Geoff Evans and Andy Russell. The coalition brought together more than 50 environmental organisations, including the Australian Conservation Foundation. Campaigners conducted research, raised public awareness and highlighted the environmental risks associated with the proposed mine. Public pressure steadily increased as opposition to mining near the lake grew.
Protection Restored
The campaign eventually succeeded in stopping the mining proposal. Between 2008 and 2009, mine owners removed infrastructure from the site. Then in 2021, the excised land near Lake Jasper was officially returned to D’Entrecasteaux National Park.
Legacy
The Lake Jasper campaign protected one of Western Australia’s most significant freshwater and wetland ecosystems from industrial development. It also demonstrated the effectiveness of large environmental coalitions working together to defend ecologically and culturally important landscapes.