Koppies, Northern Free State
The little town of Koppies lies roughly halfway between the towns of Kroonstad and Vanderbijlpark on the N1. It is a little farming town that began its life as a railway station near the Renoster River.
It boasts clear, starlit skies and time away from the hectic lifestyle of living in the city and its access, less than two hours from Johannesburg and roughly three from Bloemfontein, makes it a perfect weekend escape town.
Its name is a derivation of its original name, which was 'Honing Kopjes' or 'honey hills' when translated from the Dutch that apparently referred to the inundation of bees in the rocky hills near the town whilst they were trying to build the railway line back in 1904. This name was given to the town by General Christiaan de Wet and Dirk Conelis Lourens who lived here at the time.
The town's connection with Christiaan de Wet is stronger than his having supplied the dorp with a name. It was he who was largely responsible for creating the town on his former farm Rooipoort, which he donated to those who had survived the Second Boer War (1899 - 1902) fought between the Afrikaners of the two Boer Republics and the British Empire
The war left a large number of people virtually penniless. The story goes that de Wet also supplied these individuals with a means to survive by giving them a few eggs each, and a paraffin lamp with which to hatch them. At this time he was involved in the peace negotiations of 1902 as Acting State President of the Orange Free State, and the plight of individuals was possibly more obvious as a result.
The Koppies dam, just east of the town, was built during the 1960s. The Koppies area has recently been part of an exploration for coal bed methane by Badimo Gas.
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
La Belle Guesthouse
La Belle Guesthouse is located in the charming Free State town of Parys. The guest house offers five Double Rooms and one Family Room; comfortabl...
Tuscana Villa Guesthouse
Tuscana Villa Guesthouse is a classical, warm double storey Tuscan styled guesthouse with spacious rooms. There is a big garden with a swimming p...
Barn Guesthouse
Escape the city bedlam and experience the tranquility of nature. Barn Guesthouse is ideally situated for travellers from Limpopo and Mpumalanga t...
Riverrun Resort Farmhouse
Riverrun Farmhouse offers self-catering in Vredefort on the Riverrun Resort situated at the Vredefort Dome near Parys, along the Vaal River. The ...
Aqua View Riverside Guesthouse
Aqua View Riverside is a holiday home (accommodates 10 guests) situated in the picturesque town of Parys on the banks of the Vaal River within th...
At the River Guest House
At the River Guest House is located in the lovely town of Kroonstad in the Free State. The accommodation lies on the banks of the Vals River, a t...
Wild Olive Country Retreat
Wild Olive Country Retreat is a fully furnished holiday home offering accommodation for 12 guests. The house has six bedrooms and four bathrooms...
Cornerstone B&B
Set in the beautiful and quiet neighbourhood of Panorama in Kroonstad you will find Cornerstone B&B. By combining old world charm with modern lux...
Mirabel Guesthouse
Mirabel is a gorgeous guesthouse situated close to the centre of town and the Vaal River which both offer a wide variety of attractions and activ...
Noteworthy attractions
Willem Pretorius Game Reserve
The Willem Pretorius Game Reserve is situated in the heart of the Free State with the Allemanskraal Dam forming the central part. The reserve its...
Dome Bergland Nature Park
Dome Bergland Nature Park lies right on the border of two provinces – the North West and the Free State - 100 km south west of Johannesburg. Visi...
Parys Golf Course
Having originally been opened in 1876, the Parys Golf Club is infused with plenty of history and heritage, lending it a tangible charm. However, ...
Waterford Golf Course
The Waterford Golf Course has been designed so that all of the beautiful homes on the estate have views of the greens and fairways, and so that t...
Koppies Dam Nature Reserve
Just outside the little town of Koppies, 70 km northeast of Kroonstad, lies the 3 400 hectare Koppies Dam Nature Reserve. It is a popular reserve...
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