Rhode House Museum, Mooi River

Rhode House Museum, Mooi River

At the furthest point north of the Midlands Meander in KwaZulu Natal lies Mooi River, which as the Afrikaans name implies, literally means ‘pretty river’. The early settlers were so taken by the area’s natural beauty, that they decided to name the place where they settled, on the banks of the river, accordingly. The rather chilly Natal town is home to five schools, as well as a large agricultural industry.

Mooi River is well known for its hospitality and one of the tourist spots to visit is the Rhode House Museum. The museum comprises an old house, displaying various exhibits of local history, including activities of the area such as dairy farming, polo and Zulu beadwork. The house was formerly home to Edgar Rhode, who chaired the first town board in 1921.

When visiting Rhode House there are also other activities in the area. The area is renowned for its abundant bird life and a number of local accommodation hosts offer great birding opportunities. There are also several breeding and study centres for birds which are endangered, including the South African Crane Foundation near Giant’s Castle and Falcon Ridge in the Champagne Castle area, which puts on a fantastic display by birds of prey rehabilitated at the centre.

The Giant's Castle Game Reserve alone is said to boast a total of 140 bird species, including black eagles and the rare Cape vulture. As one hikes through the area there is the opportunity to view the threatened bearded vulture, or lammergeyer, resident to the area.