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Bed and Breakfasts in Barberton - Essential Travel Info
South Africa Mpumalanga Barberton | B&&b B && B B&B in Barberton Mpumalanga South Africa
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Bed and Breakfasts in Barberton Mpumalanga South Africa (1 Results)
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Barberton Manor Guest House- Barberton Mpumalanga South Africa Bed and BreakfastBuilt in 1927 after a Sir Herbert Baker design, this National Heritage Site is still in its original state, but offers modern-day comfort. Situated 40km from Swaziland, 60km from Kruger National Park and 65km from Kruger International Airport/Nelspruit.
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Geography: Barberton, known as the "Gem of the Lowveld" is situated 350km east of Pretoria in the picturesque surroundings of the De Kaap Valley.
History: Barberton can boast as the town where South Africa's gold mining industry really began. It was in 1884 that Graham Barber discovered a rich reef of gold in the area, and it wasn't long before a bottle of gin was broken on the rocks, and the camp was proclaimed as Barberton. Soon, thousands of diggers were lured to the valley and with their arrival a collection of shacks, stores and canteens sprang up. It developed a real frontier mining town characteristic and the bars included the notorious Cockney Liz where barmaids got tipped for pouring drinks amongst other activities! Although the golden days have disappeared, Barberton is still a town full of character, with an economy based on agriculture including timber production, citrus, tobacco and various fruit and vegetables.
Art and Culture: San rock art exists throughout the hills and mountains of the area, and visitors are afforded a glimpse into the lives of these interesting nomads. More modern sites of cultural interest include several buildings of the boom time era that have survived and been proclaimed provincial heritage sites. Some of these nostalgic relics include the fa<\#231>ade of the Gold Stock Exchange, the first in South Africa, the Lewis and Marks Building (the first double storey in town). Museums in the town include Belhaven House Museum with its interesting displays on geology and mining, Swazi history and general history of Barberton, as well as the Stopforth and Fernlea Houses, two original wood and iron houses, which also contain museums. Another building of historical importance is the 1901 South African (Anglo-Boer) War blockhouse, while a fascinating excursion would be to visit the ruins of Eureka City with a local tour guide. For those tourists interested in local literature, Barberton is well known as "Jock of the Bushveld Town", and a statue of the terrier can be seen in front of the Town Hall. The Diggers Retreat Hotel has an interesting frieze of scenes from Jock's life along its walls, painted by wandering artist Frederick Genal.
Science and Nature: The beautiful De Kaap Valley is renowned for its ancient rock formations which are 4-billion years old, while the town itself is famed for its indigenous Barberton Daisies which flower in August through to December in explosive displays of red, pink, orange or yellow.
Entertainment: Visitors to Barberton can soak up the old mining atmosphere of the town by arranging to pan for gold at Noordkaap, 14km out of town. Other activities to keep you busy include going on lovely scenic drives or checking out the 20km cableway from Barberton to the Havelock Asbestos Mine in Swaziland, which is a marvel of engineering.
Sport: Perfect thermal conditions in the area mean that paragliding is popular and experienced pilots take off from the 425m high Lone Tree hill. Less daring challenges include numerous good hiking trails.
Did You Know? The Daisy family is one of the largest plant families in the world, with over 23,000 species.
South Africa Mpumalanga Barberton | B&&b B && B B&B in Barberton Mpumalanga South Africa