Captains Flat lead remediation

Crown Lands is managing Crown land in and around Captains Flat to reduce the risks to the community from lead contamination.

Two remediation projects have been completed, 2 are underway and 2 more are being planned.

NSW Resources is also undertaking remediation at the former Lake George Mine site (on Crown land). Those works include the construction of a 100,000 cubic metre containment cell for lead contaminated soil and historical mine waste.

Find out more about NSW Resources’ Captains Flat (Lake George) Mine project.

There are significant areas of Crown land in and around Captains Flat.

These include:

Managed directly by Crown Lands

• parts of the former Lake George Mine site
• the former preschool site
• various parcels of residential, rural and conservation land in and around the township.

Managed by Queanbeyan–Palerang Regional Council

• Foxlow Parklet and the bike pump track
• Captains Flat playing fields including the swimming pool, basketball court and tennis courts

Crown land at the Lake George Mine site will be returned to Crown Lands for ongoing management once NSW Resources has completed its remediation of the site.

Soil sampling to inform land uses

Crown Lands has recently spent $127,000 to undertake extensive soil sampling of Crown land at Captains Flat and found lead contamination levels that potentially pose health risks. This means that no new licences or leases can be issued by Crown Lands at this time for food production activities, including orcharding, grazing or poultry keeping.

Residents of Captains Flat may contact Crown Lands for more information about potential land uses at sites of particular interest.

Soil capping for containment cell

Crown Lands contributed $350,000 to NSW Resources’ Legacy Mines program in 2025 to provide additional soil capping for the containment cell which is being built as part of the remediation of the former mine.

Remediation of former Captains Flat preschool site

Crown Lands has plans to remediate the former preschool site at Captains Flat and make it available for an alternative community use.

The cost of these works is estimated to be $600,000. Budget is being sought for this project.

The Eastern Embankment

Crown Lands has plans for remediating the area of the former mine site to the west of Foxlow Street known as the ‘Eastern Embankment’.

Consultants Ramboll have been engaged to develop a remediation action plan and detailed abatement design for both the Eastern Embankment and former preschool site, at a total cost of $123,000.

Remediation of the Eastern Embankment is expected to involve a combination of excavation and disposal of contaminated soils, followed by re–instatement with clean soil, and capping or sealing areas where excavation is not practicable.

The cost of these works is estimated at $5 million, with progress dependent on budget availability.

Sealing Miners Road

Completed: October 2021

Crown Lands contributed $150,000 to Queanbeyan–Palerang Regional Council for the sealing of the dirt track known as Miners Road to help mitigate public health and environmental risks of contaminated dust being spread by passing vehicles using the track.

Clean-up of Foxlow Parklet

Completed: June 2025

Crown Lands provided $470,000 to Queanbeyan–Palerang Regional Council to assist in remediating this popular 630 square metre park, including soil excavation and replacement, to make the park safe for use by the community.
 

Captains Flat is a former mining town in the Queanbeyan–Palerang local government area with a population of around 300 people. The Lake George Mine operated in the town for several decades, producing lead, zinc, copper, pyrite, silver and gold until the 1960s.

These mining operations left significant lead contamination both in and around the town.

Testing by the Environment Protection Authority has found elevated levels of lead contamination on public lands in the township, including on Crown land.