Capertee, New South Wales

Capertee is a village 45km north of Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia located on an elevated site (800 metres) above the Capertee Valley. In 2006, the town had a population of 72 people. Situated on the Castlereagh Highway (previously known as the Mudgee Road) between Lithgow to Mudgee, Capertee is surrounded by National Parks and grazing land. Principal employment is in coal mining, farming and tourism related services. The Capertee Valley forms a part of the catchment area of the Hawkesbury River.

History
Prior to European settlement, the Caperteee district was occupied by the Wiradjuri people. The first European explorer to traverse the district was James Blackman, who journeyed through to the Mudgee area in 1821. Sheep properties were later established in the area during the 1840s, producing quality wool.

The town itself dates from the time of the establishment of the railway station in 1882. The station and nearby station master's residence date from this period while several other extant buildings date from the late 19th and early 20th century. Henry Lawson mentions the wild beauty of the Capertee area in his poem Song of the Old Bullock Driver which was published in Verses Popular and Humorous (1900).

Capertee has a public school, police station, bush fire brigade hall, community hall (Progress Hall), public house (Royal Hotel), public telephone, two (rare) fibro constructed churches, and a combined garage/shop/post office. A community market is held on the third Sunday of each month in the Progress Hall. Being an isolated community there is poor mobile coverage in the area.

Dating from 1882 Capertee was a temporary terminus of a railway branch line from Wallerawang on the main Western railway line. When the line was extended to Mudgee, there was no flat ground on which to build a crossing loop, so Capertee ended up with an unusual dead-end crossing siding instead. The line still operates although the railway station is closed.

Attractions
Capertee is located in an area of great natural beauty and is popular with landscape painters, photographers, bird watchers and walkers. In the (2007) US published book Fifty Places to Go Birding Before You Die, author, Chris Santella lists Capertee Valley as one of only two locations in Australia selected in his top 50 world bird watching locations. Bird watchers are attracted by the diverse birdlife in the area. One 'destination' bird is the rare Regent Honeyeater (Xanthomyza phrygia). Pearsons Lookout located 2km south of the town offers panoramic views of Capertee valley.

Accommodation
Overnight accommodation is limited but is available at the Royal Hotel in the middle of the town. Houses and cabins, of varying quality and price range, are also available in Capertee and the surrounding area.