The Elrington Hotel (1856) and main street at Majors Creek

Majors Creek
Tiny historic goldmining town near Canberra
Majors Creek is a charming town on the edge of the Southern Tablelands. It is characterised by ruined buildings, handsome churches and a sprawl which hints at the fact that in the last century it was a bustling mining town. It is true that no two former goldmining towns are the same. A town like Bendigo or Ballarat is large and prosperous. Ophir is a picnic spot with not a single building left standing. Majors Creek is spread over a considerable area and consequently it is really little more than a solitary pub (the Majors Creek or Elrington Hotel), a church, a few buildings and a lot of ruins. Its uniqueness lies in its area.

The area had been settled in the 1830s but it wasn't until the Royd family gave the Reverend W. B. Clarke (an expert geologist) a sample of gold from the area that the true value of Majors Creek was appreciated.

An old ruined house at Majors Creek

There was a gold rush in 1851 and after the initial alluvial discoveries a large and important reef was discovered which was exploited from the 1860s until the mines finally closed down in the 1940s. The area is still rich in gold and consequently it is still possible to find those suffering from 'gold fever' trying their luck.

Things to see:  

Elrington Hotel
Sometimes known as the Majors Creek Hotel this is an historic hotel which is worth visiting. Over the road is a small park where it is possible to have a picnic.

St Stephens Anglican Church

St Stephens Anglican Church
Built by the local stonemason, Peter Rusconi, in the early 1870s it is a reminder of the prosperity which obviously existed during those times when gold was being extracted in the local area. It stands on the hill above the town and over the road, on one edge of the local sports field, there is a track which leads to Majors Creek Falls. Ask as the pub for directions.

Drive from Majors Creek to Araluen
A spectacular and beautiful dirt road which winds down the hill into the Araluen Valley. At one point (it is signposted) Clarke's Lookout overlooks the valley. It was named after the notorious Clarke Brothers, a well-known gang of local bushrangers who regularly robbed coaches making the slow descent into the valley.