Area Guide: Ermelo

Located right in the middle of Secunda, Piet Retief and Standerton, Ermelo is one of Mpumalanga’s biggest towns and it’s surrounds are spectacular. It’s the gateway to the Swazi Kingdom, as well as the unmissable Panorama Route, and is surrounded by grasslands, wetland and scenery that leaves many jaws ajar.

Within close proximity to attractions such as the Songimvelo Nature Reserve and the Nooitgedacht Dam Nature Reserve, the dams surrounding the local neighbourhoods offer water sport devotees and tourists a host of first-class sporting facilities and attractions.

The town was named after the town of Ermelo in the Netherlands by the Reverend Lion-Cachet in 1871 and was practically destroyed during the Anglo Boer War. With only the church and one house standing after the war, the phoenix was raised from the ashes and the town was rebuilt in 1903.

Since then the town has grown at a good pace and the region has seen significant development in both commercial and residential sectors. Some of the biggest drivers behind the expansion can be attributed to the Camden Power Station and the Usuthu Colliery. Even through the recession in 2007, there was an increase in property for sale in Ermelo, bucking the trend set by the rest of the country at the time.

Some of the most popular things to do around  Ermelo include hiking, swimming, bird watching and of course fishing in one of the 277 lakes that are scattered within a 20km radius of the town. So if you love nature, being outdoors and a spot of fishing, Ermelo is the perfect destination.