NSWMining
Captains Flat
A rich ore body created a company mining town in a narrow valley.
1883Copper mining began at Captains Flat
WHAT STARTED IT
Mines, smelters and transport required workers’ housing, shops and public services.
WHAT SUSTAINED IT
The field boomed again from the 1930s before the Lake George Mine closed in 1962, causing a sharp decline.
TURNING POINTS
1883Copper mining began at Captains Flat
1930s–1962The field boomed again from the 1930s before the Lake George Mine closed in 1962, causing a sharp decline.
2021The NSW Environment Protection Authority began precautionary testing of surface soils in public and community spaces after the mining era’s contamination legacy.
WHAT IT DOES NOW
A small Queanbeyan–Palerang village with mining ruins, community facilities and bushland.