The centre is a big win for better quality local health care because patients, particularly mothers with young children, the elderly and the disabled, will no longer need to make Queanbeyan or Canberra their first stop for medical treatment.

"These new facilities will enable visiting health practitioners to consult here," said Southern NSW Medicare Local's chief executive Kathryn Stonestreet at the launch.

"Palerang Council contributed to the publicly owned project and it is appropriate that the local council committee maintains it as an investment in community health.

"It's not something private enterprise could manage."

The former community health centre further down Foxlow Street on the T-junction of the road to Queanbeyan looks almost derelict now and is being overgrown by greenery. Many doctors would not practice at Captains Flat because of the quality of the facility.

Dr Majorie Cross travelled from the Bungendore Medical Centre to run a half-day of appointments there for 17 years and said it was unsuitable as a medical practice and would never be accredited.

This among many factors inspired Dr Cross to start the project for a new centre together with others in the community including the Captains Flat Progress Association and former Eden-Monaro MP Mike Kelly.

The Federal Government's Regional Development Australia Fund, Southern NSW Medicare Local and Palerang Council contributed to the construction and fit out of the new health centre at a cost of more than $480,000.

Current Federal Member for Eden-Monaro Peter Hendy officially opened the facility on Monday, June 29 with a large community lunch.

The local senior and pensioners group was the first to use the new facilities just a day after the opening.

Having shown huge spirit in adversity to build the centre, the Captains Flat community hopes not just GPs but also mental health specialists and community nurses will now come now to consult, and to create a hub for community education on issues like exercise, nutrition and chronic disease management.