TOURISM Train
TOURISM Train enthusiasts can get close to the Class 19D train which can be examined in the municipal grounds of the small town of Warrenton, about 70km north of Kimberley. Diamonds were discovered in the town and the train service allowed the farmers in the fertile area on the Vaal River to supply Kimberley with vegetables when it was a bustling town full of prospectors. The Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme is one of the largest irrigation schemes in the world. Unusually, the role of women in the creation of the scheme and in supporting their families through the Great Depression is memorialised in the shape of a small church at Hartswater. A charming feature of the approach to the town is the 38km road known as Poplar Lane. Among the many national and provincial parks from which the visitor can choose, the Augrabies Falls National Park presents the impressive spectacle of 18km of tumbling water at the Augrabies Falls, while a variety of fauna and flora are on offer at the Mokala National Park near Kimberley and Namaqua and Tankwa Karoo National Parks in the Namakwa region. Adventure-lovers flock to the Northern Cape because of the variety on offer. Camping with lions in the Green Kalahari, taking a kayak down the Orange River, stargazing just about anywhere in the Karoo but particularly around Sutherland, mountain-biking in the Richtersveld or hunting for fossils in the Karoo or searching for San rock art in the caves of the Diamond Fields, there really is something for everyone. The names of the main tourism routes available give a flavour of what is on offer: Quiver Tree Food and Wine Route – along the Orange River. Kalahari Red Dune Route – into the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Karoo Highlands Route – is a stargazers’ delight. Karoo Oasis Route – passes through Anglo-Boer war territory and tranquil villages. Go Ghaap Route – has a strong suit in archaeology. Richtersveld Route – explores South Africa’s only mountain desert. Namaqua Coastal Route – is for hiking and 4x4 enthusiasts. Cape Namibia Route – offers millions of flowers. Museum, Wonderwerk Cave near Kuruman and the Wildebeest Kuil Rock Art Centre. Vaal-Harts Dam Popular with fishers and boat enthusiasts, the dam offers a perfect setting for a day out. It is a vital part of the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme. Kimberley Diamond Brewery Company Another waterside experience can be had a short distance south of Kimberley, where the Kimberley Diamond Brewery Company operates on the banks of the Riet River, at Ritchie. IN AND AROUND KIMBERLEY McGregor Museum The McGregor Museum is a respected research institute with important collections in a variety of fields from archaeology to botany and South African history. Several satellite museums cover an even wider range of interest: the Duggan-Cronin Gallery (photography and ethnography), historical houses (Dunluce and Rudd House), the Pioneers of Aviation Museum, the Magersfontein Battlefield Khumba Skate Park Near to the Big Hole Precinct and the Mittah Seperepere Convention Centre (below), the Skate Park is the venue for the Kimberley Diamond Cup, a showcase for amateur and professional skateboarding. The Northern Cape Province hosted this international championship for the first time in 2011, then known as the Maloof Money Cup. 38 | www.opportunityonline.co.za
Welcome to South Africa’s fabled diamond fields Frances Baard District Municipality is nestled in the north-eastern corner of the Northern Cape Province, and contains four local municipalities, namely Sol Plaatje, Dikgatlong, Magareng and Phokwane Municipality. In 1870 diamond diggers proclaimed it the Republic of Klipdrift. Other towns in the area include Delportshoop, Longlands, Kutlwano, Sydney on Vaal, Ulco and Windsorton. Dikgatlong is the site of the first alluvial diamond digging in the region and is renowned for its excellent fly-fishing spots and luxury game lodges. The adventurous are encouraged to go in search of the Gong-Gong waterfall on the Vaal where the quiet river suddenly tumbles into a gully and fills out into a tranquil pool. PROFILE SOL PLAATJE MUNICIPALITY This municipality is named after the first secretary-general of the African National Congress and writer, Solomon “Sol” Plaatje. At the heart of Sol Plaatje Municipality is the bright metropolis of Kimberley, the capital city of the Northern Cape. The municipality also includes the towns of Modder River, Ritchie, Riverton, Beaconsfield, Kenilworth, Ronald’s Vlei and Spytfontein. Kimberley is a diverse city with a vibrant, colourful history. The city is renowned for its Big Hole and Mine Museum, the largest excavated hole on earth, and important archaeological discoveries; Kamfers Dam, a wetland that supports the largest permanent population of lesser flamingos; Wildebeest Kuil Rock Art Centre, a premier rock art centre with over 400 San rock engravings; and the sprawling and vibrant Galeshewe Township, the first and oldest township in South Africa. MAGARENG MUNICIPALITY The name Magareng is a Setswana word meaning “The Middle” and is derived from the fact that this region is literally in the middle of the country. Warrenton is an agricultural town located 70km north of Kimberley on the Vaal River and is the administrative centre of the municipality. Diamonds were first discovered in Warrenton in 1888. The town was originally known as Stanger’s Rest, then Fourteen Streams, but was finally named Warrenton after Charles Warren in 1880. PHOKWANE MUNICIPALITY Phokwane embraces Hartswater, Pampierstad and Jan Kempdorp, originally named Andalusia. Hartswater is home to Olives South Africa and boasts a variety of nuts and local wines from Hartswater Wine Cellar. The town offers accommodation, leisure activities and historical attractions such as the burial site of Chief Galeshewe and the Women’s Memorial building. The town of Jan Kempdorp hosts two World War II concentration camps and lies in the heart of the Vaalharts Valley and irrigation area. DIKGATLONG MUNICIPALITY Dikgatlong is a Setswana name meaning “confluence”, referring to the place where the Harts and Vaal Rivers flow into one another. The hub of Dikgatlong Local Municipality, Barkly West, was founded as a mission village in an area known as Pniel, “Face of God”. ____ ___ _ FRANCES BAARD DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY Tel: +27 (0) 53 838 0911 | www.visitdiamondfields.co.za
