Jackadder Lake is situated on Mooro Country, a region that extends from Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River) to Yanchep and inland to Ellenbrook. Nyoongar people report that the chain of lakes is fed by an underground water system created by the Waugal (the Rainbow Serpent) and these lakes extend along Mooro Country.
This seasonal chain of lakes holds special significance for the Wadjak Nyoongar people, who would migrate from coastal areas to inland wetlands in winter and spring. It was also a place of important cultural practices, such as birthing and ceremonial dance.
In Reflections of Woodlands, the author records the following information regarding the naming history of the lake:
“In 1842 the swamp was recorded as ‘Jacadup’, the Aboriginal name for the area, but over time this was adapted to Jackadder” (p. 1), and “included a swampy area that was recorded as ‘Jackadder Lake…believed to be an Anglicised version of the Aboriginal name for the lake ‘Jackadup’, but the meaning is not known” (p. 9).
However, another theory is that the name 'Jackadder' derives from the Nyoongar word “djakat" or “djakut”, which is a small perennial root that grows in seasonally wet locations, harvested during the season of Kambarang, and eaten by Aboriginal people. Jackadder Lake would have been a rich source of food for the local Aboriginal people, so if this is the origin of the name, then a literal translation would be something like “a place where the djakat grows”.
The Manning family acquired the land around the Lake in the 19th century and later established a dairy. The dairy was later leased to Robert Bruce who expanded it into one of the largest in the district.
The area is now a nature reserve and open space for recreation.
