Queenstown

Queenstown is the commercial, administrative and educational centre of a prosperous farming district. It's a pleasant sort of place, lying on the Komani River and has a refreshing climate and plentiful water supply from the surrounding rugged mountains. The water is collected in Bongolo Dam, set in the hills and used extensively for recreation and watersports.

Each year, around the beginning of June, Queenstown holds an art exhibition with the emphasis on paintings and sculpture. Perhaps they are inspired by some of the most interesting Bushman paintings in nearby caves, which are accessible to the visitor.

The layout of the town reflects its original intention (as a defensive stronghold for the frontier area) and has a most unusual design. It was built by English settlers in the mid-nineteenth century in a time of colonial expansion and conflict.

There is a central hexagonal area where cannon or rifle fire could be directed down six thoroughfares radiating from the centre. Happily, the cannon sites have now been replaced with gardens and a central fountain is the dominant feature.

Close to Queenstown is a nature reserve with numerous antelope and spectacular flowering plants, together with panoramic views from the mountain summit. It's also about an hour and a half from the Mountain Zebra National Park with its population of endangered Cape Mountain Zebra.

Enquire now |  Add to my enquiry