Stepping in the footsteps of our ancestors at Melville Koppies
Come and see for yourself but make sure you pre-book and pay. Cost is R80 for adults and R40 for children.
Most people know Melville Koppies as that beautiful koppie with 360 degree views.
In the past, people lived in this area and although it is a nature reserve today, some of its stones and rocks still tell a story of who once lived there and what they did. Because of lockdown there are no guided tours at Melville Koppies, but instead you can self-guide yourself around with a map that points out some of the key historical spots.
From one particular spot, at the foot of a small rise and sheltered from the freezing southerly wind, you can then walk just 200m up to the top of the rise and down again and walk through 100 000 years of human history.
First you’ll stand in what was once an early San/Bushmen settlement with views to Magaliesberg. If you’ve got sharp eyes you’ll be able to pick out stone walls against the slope – these are the remains of the early farmers that lived on the koppies from about 1000 years ago and also knew how to smelt iron from the rocks.
If you climb up the slope and over the top you’ll find a blast hole from the 1880s and an adit (a mine entrance) where the Geldenhuys brothers tried to find gold. Unluckily for them, but luckily for us, they didn’t find enough to warrant mining.
More details about all of this as well as how iron was smelted from rocks can be found at the lecture hut. Come and see for yourself but make sure you pre-book and pay. Cost is R80 for adults and R40 for children.
Dates available for self guided tours are September 20 and 24 from 8am to 11.20am.
To book or for more details, email wendavid@mweb.co.za Or phone 011 482 4797.
