PUBS - YARNS - GOOD TIMES!

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Nestled in the rolling hills of southern New South Wales, Captains Flat is a tiny town with a big heart. With just 600 residents, this historic spot is steeped in Aussie heritage, tales of booming mining days, and stories that grow taller with every retelling. At the centre of it all is the Captains Flat Hotel, a pub as iconic as it is mysterious.

Closed for years but recently reopened, the hotel is once again the heartbeat of the community—a place where history meets camaraderie, and the beers come with a side of legendary tales.

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The Legend of the Floating Schooner

If there’s one story you’re bound to hear at the Captains Flat Hotel, it’s the one about the floating schooner. According to locals, there’s a spot in the pub where the walls seem to defy gravity. Slide a schooner of beer up and down against the tiled surface just right, and the glass will hover mid-air, as if held by some unseen force.

It sounds too good to be true—like the kind of yarn you’d expect after a few too many beers. But longtime locals insist there’s more to it. “It’s not just a tall tale,” says Brett Marmont, a resident with deep roots in the area. “You’ve got to see it to believe it.”

Recently, the story got a new lease of life when a local named Geoff Brownlie managed to pull it off. A photo circulated, showing the schooner seemingly floating. Whether it’s a trick of physics, a ghostly presence, or pure Aussie ingenuity, the mystery has become part of the pub’s enduring charm.

 

Meet Harry: A True Local Legend

No one embodies the spirit of the Captains Flat Hotel quite like Harry. He’s a staple at the pub, a man who’s spent so many hours within its walls that he’s practically become part of the furniture. But Harry isn’t just a regular—he’s an essential part of the pub’s history.

Having learned to read and write at the very pub that now serves as his second home, Harry has witnessed the ebb and flow of Captains Flat’s story. The bar, the tables, the worn walls—they all hold stories of Harry’s countless hours spent there, and anyone who’s lucky enough to sit down with him will get a taste of that history.

But what really sets Harry apart is his connection with everyone who walks through the door. Whether you’re a local or a stranger passing through, Harry has an effortless way of making people feel welcome. He’s the kind of bloke who’ll share a yarn about the town’s rich history, crack a joke that’ll leave you in stitches, or tell a story about the good old days that’ll make you feel like you’ve known him for years.

Harry’s easy-going, old-school nature is a reminder of a time when pubs were more than just places to drink—they were the heart and soul of the community. And for Harry, the Captains Flat Hotel is no exception. He speaks about it with the kind of affection that only comes from decades of history, a true testament to the pub’s role in keeping the community connected.

 

The Floating Schooner Trick

Of course, no conversation about Harry would be complete without mentioning his floating schooner trick. This is something that’s become a part of pub legend. It’s a bit of magic that Harry’s perfected over the years, and it never fails to amaze anyone who witnesses it. It’s not just the trick itself—it’s the way Harry delivers it with a knowing grin, the way it becomes part of the pub’s character.

For those who haven’t seen it, the floating schooner trick involves holding the glass against the pub’s wall just right, making it appear as though the glass is floating mid-air. No one really knows how it works—some swear it’s a trick of physics, while others think there might be something a little more supernatural at play. But one thing’s for sure: Harry is the master of it. And if you’re lucky enough to catch it, you’ll walk away with a memory you’ll never forget.

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A Bar That Goes the Distance

Step inside the Captains Flat Hotel, and you’ll find another jaw-dropping feature: a bar so long it could tell its own stories. Built in 1937 during the town’s mining boom, the hotel was designed to accommodate the 3,000 miners who worked just down the road.

During the six o’clock swill—when pubs had to close by law at 6 p.m.—workers packed the bar ten-deep, yelling orders and passing schooners overhead. To keep up with demand, the pub boasted what was reportedly the longest bar in the southern hemisphere, stretching an impressive 36 metres.

Legend has it that one night, a patron who’d been kicked out returned with an axe and hacked off a chunk of the bar in protest. Whether true or not, the story is immortalised by a concrete patch in the floor where the tiles don’t quite match up.

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The Pub’s Second Life

For new publican Sharanne Witt, taking over the Captains Flat Hotel was a twist of fate. “My daughter had always dreamed of owning a pub,” Sharanne recalls. “When we saw this one for sale, she convinced me to make a call. By the time I hung up, I’d bought it. I was in shock—I’d just bought a pub!”

Sharanne’s connection to Captains Flat runs deep. Her grandparents owned the local butcher shop, her grandmother cooked at the pub, and her parents met within its walls. Though she left the town as a baby, it always held a special place in her heart.

Now, Sharanne is on a mission to bring the pub—and the town—back to life. “The heart and soul of this place is the pub,” she says. “If we can get that pumping again, the rest will follow. We want this to be a true country pub, a destination where people come for the characters, the history, and the stories.”

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A Town That Refuses to Fade

Captains Flat is a town built on resilience. During its mining boom, it thrived with oyster bars, roller rinks, and a bustling population. When the mines closed in 1963, the town faced tough times, but its spirit never wavered.

Today, the pub stands as a testament to that unshakeable character. Whether it’s locals like Jason Platt reminiscing about the good old days, or newcomers discovering the pub’s charm for the first time, the Captains Flat Hotel is more than a watering hole—it’s a symbol of hope and community.

“Every time this town goes down, it finds a way to come back up,” Sharanne says. “It’s a town that never dies, and this pub is its heartbeat.”

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Visit for the Stories, Stay for the Magic

The Captains Flat Hotel isn’t just a pub; it’s an experience. Whether you’re testing your luck with the floating schooner, soaking up the history of its legendary bar, or simply sharing a yarn with the locals, you’ll leave with a story worth telling.

So, next time you’re passing through southern NSW, make a detour to Captains Flat. Who knows? You might just witness the magic of a schooner floating mid-air—or at the very least, create a memory you’ll never forget.