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Province: Northern Cape
Region: Namaqua
Town: Sutherland

Sutherland 

The people who live here are mostly farmers. The people who visit us are usually in search of an undisturbed, simple lifestyle; eager to indulge in stargazing, fossil-searching, hiking, taking on difficult but beautiful 4x4 trails, and finding rare animals and plants.

People who take to the Karoo Hoogland love nature and enjoy eating cultural food and experiencing local cultures. Thus the Karoo Hoogland becomes the ideal destination for travelers who enjoy out-of-the -ordinary, yet value excellent but down-to-earth hospitality.

You therefore stand invited to visit this unique destination - one that is with reason referred to as "The Gateway to the Universe" - and experience our tourist offerings.

The three towns that make up the Karoo Hoogland Municipality is Fraserburg, Sutherland and WIlliston. Each of these towns boasts with its own well-known poet/writer, namely MIKRO (Williston), NP van Wyk Louw (and his brother WEG Louw) (Sutherland) and also AG Visser (Fraserburg)


Established in 1855 and named after a prominent Worcester cleric, Reverend Henry Sutherland, the town on the Roggeveld plateau 1 600m above sea level is known for its brilliant night skies and cold, biting winters. From 1750, trekboers settled in the area, built the thatched-roofed Tuinplaas Church and its antique pedal organ – still in use today! (The church is 50km along the Matjiesfontein road.) The "sterboom" (star tree), which blossoms in September at Komsberg and Vinkfontein, is found only in Sutherland. Birthplace of Afrikaans author and poet NP van Wyk Louw, the town is said to produce the finest mutton in the country and is home to the world-renowned South African Astronomical Observatory. The largest of its four main telescopes has a mirror 1,9m in diameter, weighing 1 600kg! 
Tourist information: The town clerk, Piet Retief Str, PO Box 24, Sutherland 6920.
Tel: (02392) 20. 

Activities and Attractions 

1) N G Church. The church was designed by Charles Freeman who also designed the Dutch Reformed church of Graaff Reinet and the Standard Bank in Cape Town. During the Anglo Boer War, the church was invaded for 8 months by the British troops. Filled to capacity, it can seat 1200 people

2) Louw Museum. The two very famous Afrikaans poets and writers N P van Wyk Louw and W E G Louw were born in this very same house. Together they achieved 6 Hertzog prices for literacy. Several other interesting displays are also to be seen.

3) Planetarium Highway. Plinths for the nine planets of the solar system were built to scale in the main road representing the size of the sun in comparison to the size of the planet and also the distance between the planets. Craftsman of the local community dressed the stonework.

4) English Cemetery. The most interesting grave is that of a soldier drowned in a flash flood. He was given a communal burial and after the war the British government sent a military cross and a second grave was made. The soldier was thus buried twice.

5) Jewish Cemetery. The grave of a well-known business man and several others can be observed.

6) Observatory. 18 km out of town, one can enjoy the site of seven telescopes one being “SALT’’ (South African Largest Telescope) When in use 2005, it will be able to observe a candle flame on the moon. It has a mirror diameter of 11 metres.

7) Ouberg Pass. Ouberg is a lovely lookout post on the escarpment of the Roggeveld mountains 45 km out of town in a westerly direction. One is able to see the Ceres Karoo mountains about 200 km away.

8) Fransplaas Sheep Cheese. The only sheep cheese farm in the country about 50 km out of town in the Calvinia direction.

9) Koornlandskloof Tulips. They flower at the end of September, an interesting site and worth visiting. Hiking and biking trails with ample lodging
10) Skurweberg, Verlatenkloof and Banksgate 4 × 4 farms. Besides the exciting routes they also have hiking and biking trails with ample lodging and beautiful scenery.
11) Sterboom, Rye grass, Elephants feet and veld flowers are only some of the endangered species of flora to be found in this area.

12) Tuinplaas Church. When the farmers move their sheep from the cold Roggeveld area down to the Karoo, they have a communal once a year at the church 55 km out on the Matjiesfontein route.

13) Salpeterkop. The last active volcano south of the equator is to be found close to the observatory. It was active 66 million years ago. Seismological the Japanese found out that Sutherland and this area are the quietest in the world!

14) Silhouette Hiking trail. On the farm Ezeljaht, 20 km out of town, one can enjoy a scenic two day hike.

15) Verlatenkloof Pass. Coming from Matjiesfontein, one has to drive the winding 15 km pass climbing nearly a 1000 metres. It was designed by Thomas Bain, the son of the famous Bain who built the Bainskloof pass near Wellington.

Incorporating Sutherland, Williston, Fraserburg
Tel: (023) 571 1265
Fax: (023) 571 1307
Website:
www.karoohoogland.co.za
E-mail: hooglandtourism@telkomsa.net
Our Ref: Allistair Gibbons
Cell 072 714 7496

P O Box 24
SUTHERLAND
6920

OBSERVATORY VISITS SUTHERLAND

The public is welcome to visit the SAAO ( South African Astronomical Observatory) near Sutherland at the following times:

Monday: 10h30 and 14h30
Tuesday: 14h30
Wednesday: 10h30 and 14h30
Thursday: 10h30 and 14h30
Fridays 10h30 and 14h30
Saturday: 11h30 and 14h30

SOME FACTS ABOUT THE TOUR

? All visits must be booked through the Sutherland Tourism Office. Tel: (023) 571 1265
? Fax: (023) 571 1307

? Maximum size of group per tour - 20

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