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DIAMOND FIELDS
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| Diamond Fields
Destinations and Attractions: During the world's greatest diamond rush, hordes of
prospectors converged on the region, scouring the river banks and sifting soil in a
frenetic quest for wealth. At times, there were as many as 30 000 diggers labouring all
day and far into the night. Although the name Kimberley evokes images of glamour and
romance, the diamond heyday was an era of blood, sweat and tears, high stakes and ruthless
power struggles. |
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DIAMOND FIELDS DESTINATIONS
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  Kimberley: During the
world's greatest diamond rush, hordes of prospectors converged on the region, scouring the
river banks and sifting soil in a frenetic quest for wealth. At times, there were as many
as 30 000 diggers labouring all day and far into the night. Although the name Kimberley
evokes images of ... more about » Kimberley Info |
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Barkly West |
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| Scene of one of the first diamond rushes in
the Northern Cape (1869). To this day, the Vaal River diggings attract hopeful
prospectors. At Canteen Koppie, there is an open-air archaeological museum and nature
reserve. The Mining Commissioner's Museum features a variety of interesting exhibits. |
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Griquatown |
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| At the end of the 18th century, Griquas
(people of mixed Khoikhoi and Dutch origin) settled in the area north of the Orange River,
many of them in the region now known as Griquatown. A mission station was established here
in 1803 by the London Missionary Society and headed by Robert Moffat from 1820. The
station and the original home of the family now comprise the Mary Moffat Museum. Today,
Griquatown is an important centre for the production of wool, karakul pelts, cattle and
asbestos. |
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DIAMOND FIELDS ATTRACTIONS
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Big Hole |
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| Kimberley developed around this huge hole in
the ground, formerly a small hill known as Colesberg Koppie, where diamonds were
discovered early in 1871. An observation platform provides a good view of the Big Hole,
about 365 m deep and covering an area close on 15,5 ha. Between 1871 and 1914, men toiled
to remove some 25 million tons of earth from the site. It yielded about 14,5 million
carats of diamonds. |
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Bultfontein Mine |
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| Five kilometres out of town, the Bultfontein
Mine is still operational. Surface tours are offered twice a day from Monday to Friday and
include a video presentation on the history of Kimberley, modern diamond mining and
recovery methods and a tour of the surface workings. Advance booking is required for
underground tours. |
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Diggers Memorial |
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| A fountain and statue in the form of a
diamond sieve held aloft by five life-sized diggers. |
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Duggan-Cronin Gallery |
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| An outstanding collection of some 8 000
photographs of the indigenous people of Southern Africa taken between 1919 and 1939 by
Alfred Duggan-Cronin, an Irish mine manager who was also an excellent photographer.
Labourers were recruited from most of South Africa's tribal people to work on the mines.
In those days, they retained their traditional hairstyles, face markings and clothing, but
items have changed and such a unique collection never be compiled again. Historical
background is provided. |
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Dunluce |
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| Built in 1897, Dunluce is one of Kimberley's
most stately homes and an outstanding example of late Victorian domestic architecture. The
mansion forms part of the McGregor Museum. Guided tours may be undertaken by appointment
at the museum. |
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Honoured Dead Memorial |
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| Designed by Sir Herbert Baker and built with
granite from the Matopo Hills in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia), the memorial commemorates
the defenders of the town who died during the Siege of Kimberley in 1899 and 1900. |
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Kimberley Africana Museum |
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| Apart from one of the finest collections of
Africana, much used for research purposes, the library houses the missionary Robert
Moffat's translation of the Bible into Tswana. (Moffat was the first man to translate the
Bible into an African language). |
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Kimberley Mine Museum |
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| Situated next to the Big Hole, this open-air
museum (one of the finest in the world) depicts Kimberley in its Victorian heyday during
the diamond rush. It incorporates shops and houses, a church, diggers' tavern, Barney
Barnato's Boxing Academy, and the De Beers directors' private railway coach. The Transport
Hall contains an assortment of late 19-century vehicles, and De Beers Hall houses a
display of uncut diamonds, stones of different colours and items of jewelry. Also on
display area the "616" (616 carats) - the largest uncut diamond in the world,
and the "Eureka" - the first diamond discovered in South Africa. Open daily:
08:00 - 17:00. |
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Kimberley Tram Service |
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| A refurbished vintage tram dating from the
early 1900's transports passengers from the City Hall to the Mine Museum every hour. The
route leads past a number of historically interesting buildings. Special trips can be
arranged at the Kimberley Information Office. |
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Magersfontein Battlefield |
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| This famous Anglo-Boer War battlefield was
the scene in December 1899 of a fierce battle between Boers and British soldiers. A field
museum containing displays of uniforms, equipment, weapons, documents and photographs
relating to the battle is situated on the site. |
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McGregor Museum |
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| Housed in a gracious building erected in 1897
as a sanatorium and later used by Cecil John Rhodes during the siege of Kimberely, the
McGregor Museum features a collection of natural history specimens and Bushman (San)
relics. Other exhibits reflect the early history and development of Kimberley, including
the most opulent period in the history of the city. Open Monday - Friday: 09:00 - 17:00;
Saturday: 09:00- 13:00; Sunday: 14:00 - 17:00. Closed Good Friday and Christmas Day. A
circular historical walking tour begins and ends at the McGregor Museum. The route
provides a glimpse of the affluent lifestyles of those who made their fortunes in early
Kimberley, and includes some of the city's most historic places. A map is available from
the Information Office. |
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Pioneers of Aviation
Museum |
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| Kimberley was the "nursery" of
flying in Southern Africa. On the site of South Africa's first flying school, established
in 1913, the museum features a reconstruction of the original hangar, a replica of the
Compton-Peterson biplane used in flight training, and photographs of the early days of
aviation. During World War II, many pilots were trained in Kimberley under the Empire Air
Training Scheme. The flying school led to the establishment of the South African Air
Force. |
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Rudd House |
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| Built in 1888, this elegant house was the
home of the mining magnate, H P Rudd. It has been beautifully restored in opulent style as
a period house. Guided tours are available by appointment at the McGregor Museum. |
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William Humphrey's Art
Gallery |
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| This is the only art gallery in South Africa
to be awarded a Number One grading. It encompasses a representative collection of South
African paintings, as well as fine examples of 17th-century Duth, Flemish, English and
French Schools. |
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Vaalbos National Park |
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 Go to » Vaalbos National Park: The
Vaalbos National Park is an extraordinary area along the Vaal River where wildlife such as
black rhino, white rhino, buffalo, eland, red hartebeest and tsessebe are to be seen in
the former heart of the the alluvial diamond diggings near Kimberley. The name Vaalbos ...
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