Escape the hustle and bustle of nearby Queanbeyan and Canberra and step back in time at Captains Flat.
Anyone with an interest in mining will relish the historic assets of this tiny town. Wander amongst the heritage buildings and see mining relics from yesteryear, including the old Lake George mines and the historic Captains Flat Hotel that once boasted the longest bar in the southern hemisphere.
Or explore the nearby national parks. Get back to nature with some amazing bushwalking, mountain biking and camping experiences.
The Ngarigo people originally occupied the area around Captains Flat. Europeans settled in the region from the 1830s, but it was the discovery of gold in the late 1870s that established the town itself.
Captains Flat grew rapidly in the gold rush. By the late 1890s it boasted several hotels, services and a population of 3,000. But this was short-lived.
By 1899 the mines were closing down and the population faded away. Then in 1937, circumstances changed once more.
New mining ventures – and a railway line from Bungendore – saw Captains Flat become a mining mecca. Again, the town prospered.
But it wasn’t forever. By 1962 it was all over once more. The railway stopped, businesses closed and the town became the quiet rural retreat we see today.
And why the name? One story says a white bull called Captain would slip away from a nearby station to graze on the river flats. Hence the name: Captains Flat.