Orkney, Southern Region
Orkney is a small town in the North West Province just outside Klerksdorp. It was established around, and known primarily for, its gold mining opportunities, and lies on the banks of the Vaal River. Although a relatively quiet (albeit growing) town, Orkney is convenient for its location, just about 180 kilometres from the bustling urban hub of Johannesburg and its international airport.
The town was proclaimed in 1940 on the Witkoppen farm. It was here that mining pioneer, Simon Fraser, had first started mining for gold in the 1880’s. He was originally from the Orkney Islands off the northern coast of Scotland, and named the town that developed after these. The town itself was laid out by another farmer, Maconachie, who used the names of British Isles’ authors for the names of the streets.
This was the site and namesake of a popular South African Afrikaans sitcom during the 1980’s and 1990’s, Orkney Snork Nie, which roughly to translates to “Orkney Never Sleeps”.
Local attractions in Orkney include the Bird Sanctuary (perched right on the banks of the Vaal River), the Likkewaan hiking trails, Orkney Vaal Resort (this resort is a perfect picnic venue, popular with anglers and water sports enthusiasts), the Vaal Reef Gold Mine and the Ground Nut Factory.
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
Why Not Guest Chalets
Why Not Guest Chalets offer great accommodation in Bloemhof and is situated within the vicinity of many great fishing destinations and birding op...
Potch Best Rest
Potch Best Rest is a guest house in Potchefstroom, a large academic town with a unique atmosphere and a historical legacy that includes the large...
Feather Hill Boutique Hotel
Feather Hill Boutique Hotel is a piece of heaven offering accommodation in Potchefstroom in the heart of the North West Province. Only one and a ...
Camelot Guest House & Apartments
Situated in the academic and sporting city of Potchefstroom, Camelot Apartments offers you comfortable self catering apartments with absolute pri...
Villa-né Guesthouse
This tranquil haven invites you to experience a blend of comfort, privacy, and warm hospitality. Villa-né Guesthouse offers a curated selection o...
Aloe Accommodation
Situated in a lovely garden, Aloe Accommodation in Klerksdorp offers guests lovely, en-suite self-catering rooms less than 6km from the centre of...
The Wild Ivy Guesthouse
Wild Ivy Guesthouse is a cosy self-catering guesthouse offering accommodation in Potchefstroom for business or leisure travellers, hospital visit...
Mon-Ae Guest House
Situated in Klerksdorp, Mon-Aé Guest House is full of character with pine floors, wooden window and door frames and antique baths in some of room...
Rob's Place
Rob's Place offers guests the best of two worlds: at this self-catering guesthouse, you'll be only minutes away from every facility in Potchefstr...
Noteworthy attractions
Barberspan Bird Sanctuary
Regarded as one of the largest waterfowl sanctuaries in Southern Africa, Barberspan Bird Sanctuary is a huge 2000 hectare body of water that is R...
Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserve
Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserve lies on the North West province side of the Bloemhof Dam, on the dam’s northern shores. Regarded as one of the larges...
Boskop Dam Nature Reserve
The Boskop Dam Nature Reserve is 3000 hectares of rolling grasslands that offer visitors sightings of black wildebeest, springbok, red hartebeest...
SA Lombard Nature Reserve
One of the earliest wildlife conservation research centres in the country, the SA Lombard Nature Reserve is the park credited with saving the bla...
Wolwespruit Nature Reserve
The Wolwespruit Nature Reserve lies on the Vaal River and is one of the least known of the parks in the North West province, possibly because of ...
Orkney Golf Club
Orkney Golf Course is a tree-linked parkland course with undulating greens. It has thirty-one bunkers and five water features as well as the Vaal...
Potchefstroom Golf Club
Set in beautiful surroundings, with hundreds of willow trees lining the banks of the Mooi River which winds through the property, Potchefstroom G...
Klerksdorp Museum
Located in Margarieta Prinsloo & Lombaard Street, the Klerksdorp museum also offers Peach Mampoer & Soet Blits liqueurs. A former prison this bea...
Faan Meintjies Nature Reserve
For bird enthusiasts the Faan Meintjies Nature Reserve often forms part of a bird spotting tour and is regarded as a place for ‘serious’ birding....
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