Sterkstroom, picturesquely situated among the foothills of the Stormberg range, 1349 m above sea level, was founded by the Dutch Reformed Church in 1875. In 1898, a town council consisting of six members was nominated and all rights to the town were purchased from the church for the sum of 5000 pounds. The town itself is rich in examples of the architecture of the 19^th century and the beginning of the 20^th. The main street is named after a former State President, John Vorster, who spent much of his childhood here. Those interested in hiking and the great outdoors will enjoy the Black Eagle Trail on the farm Carnarvon. The Koos Ras Game Reserve is stocked with Impala, Gazelle, Kudu, eland, mountain zebra, blesbuck, reedbuck, springbok, wildebeest and ostrich and is a true haven for relaxation. A restcamp here offers all the necessary amenities at reasonable daily tariffs. The museum portrays an outstanding replica of the way of life of the 19^th century. The entrance hall depicts a 19^th century shop, complete with advertisements and containers with penny-line sweets on the counter.

GENERAL INFORMATION

How to get there

The town is situated on the main railway line from East London to Johannesburg and is about 55 km from Queenstown, 258 km from East London and 132 km from the hot springs at Aliwal North.

Banks – Standard

NATURE

Koos Ras Game Reserve

This reserve was established in the 1970’s and named after a local doctor. A number of chalets (self catering) are available at very reasonable rates and caravans are also catered for. The reserve is situated approximately 3 km from Sterkstroom and the following species of wildlife may be observed ostrich, zebra, eland, hartebeest, kudu, springbok, gemsbok, wildebeest and blesbok. There is also a hiking trail within the reserve, which can be covered in three hours. Coal was once mined here on a small scale and the mine can be seen, much as it was 100 years ago. The local indigenous fauna is well represented whole botanists will find the flora of an interesting and diverse nature.

Carnavon Estates

This family owned estate is situated 8 km east of the main Johannesburg – East London national road, 50 km north of Queenstown int eh Halseton district. First purchased in 1853 by Frederick Halse, the estate has seen successive generations try their hand at harnessing the available potential. This has given rise to various diverse enterprises over the years all of which create their own unique character and historical atmosphere of the estate. In a cold and treeless area, Carnarvon’s water and trees serve as a reminder of a bygone era of sawmills and fourmills, but today continues to supply water for irrigation and wood as a much needed heating fuel. With three generations of Halse’s now actively involved on the estate, the main enterprises revolve around stock farming. These include the three varieties of shorthorn cattle, namely beef, dairy and Weebollabolla Shorthorns, the latter being a pioneering importation from Australia. On the sheep side is the well known Suffolk flock of Carnarvon. Through the history of Carnarvon, there is a very deeply ingrained ethic of conservation of fauna and flora. This in turn has led to an active game ranching business, the anchors of which are the fallow deer and Greywing Partridge. The latest addition, however, to this long line of conservation was the declaration of the Henry Edward Halse Waterfowl Reserve in 1989. To facilitate the enjoyment of this unusual experience, one can make use of either the Stagger Inn Lodge, which is more suitable for families, or, for the connoisseur, the Black Eagle Lodge offers a chance to enter the heart of the Andriesberg. Both lodges offer full board and lodging, but for the visitor who would rather enjoy the day excursion. Sunday lunch packages are organized out of Stagger Inn Lodge. These include a day of activities, the highlight of which is a guided tour around the HEH Waterfowl Reserve. A four course lunch is served at the Lodge and use can be made of the good bass fishing on the dams to round of the afternoon.

The Henry Edward Halse Waterfowl Reserve

This reserve was proclaimed on 31 August 1989 and has been named after the grandfather of the Carnarvon’s present owner, ARD Halse who was involved in the first moves towards wildlife conservation in 1886. At much the same time he was involved in a settlement scheme for British immigrants from the East End of London called the Tennyson Settlement after the sponsor, Lord Tennyson. The settlers were established on the farm Beaconsfield on the Halseton plains and, water having been provided in a 6 km contour furrow, a shallow artificial pan was built to accommodate the overflow to provide a habitat for waterfowl. Throughout the 1800’s a large herd of indigenous springbok roamed the Halseton plains, but by the early 1900’s had been reduced to a remnant by over hunting and the advent of fencing. By the 1930’s, despite every effort of conservation and a total ban on shooting for 20 years, there remained but twenty springbok. These managed to maintain themselves until 1970 when all sheep were withdrawn from Beaconsfield and strenuous attempts were made to prevent poaching. The result was miraculous and within 10 years the herd, living between Carnarvon and it’s neighbour Pieter Jordaan, stood at 120. However it was not to last and within six years a continuous onslaught of poaching, illegal hunting, dogs and snaring had reduced it to 40. With the cooperation and help of Pieter Jordaan it was decided to form the reserve out of the farm Beaconsfield and it was net-fenced to 2,2 m. By great good fortune 39 of the 40 springbok were enclosed in the reserve and in the first season produced 19 young. Hopfully now that the herd is safe it will soon be possible to return springbok to Pieter Jordaan and the Halseton flats. Perhaps changing attitudes to conservation may get more local farmers to give this unique herd, into which there has been no genetic interference for 150 years, a home. Despite the herd size the springbok are healthy and good looking and have produced a number of Rowland Ward trophies. The formation of the reserve had three objectives:

1.  

   1. To preserve the springbok

   2. To establish a Waterfowl Reserve

   3. To include the Tennyson Settlement site and also record the site where General Smuts, after the battle of Penhoek (as recorded in Denys Reitz’s book ‘On Commando’s), cut the Carnarvon fences on his way through to invade the Cape Province. The pan that was built covers 50 ha of the 320 ha reserve and with it’s reed beds, trees and wetland, is host to a very wide variety of birds, ranging from fish eagles to snipe and seven varieties of duck – possibly over 100 species of birds in all. To the springbok population has been added small herds of common reedbuck, lechwe, waterbuck, some steenbok and ostrich. If obtainable, sitatunga and, if allowed, oribi and Indian black buck will be introduced at a later stage.

ACTIVITIES

Outdoors

Horse Riding, Hunting

Accommodation in and around Sterkstroom