The village of Magaliesburg offers the ideal weekend and holiday retreat for city dwellers.
Lying just below the Witwatersberg and cuddling up to the foothills of the majestic Magaliesberg mountain range to its north, the village of Magaliesburg offers the ideal weekend and holiday retreat for city dwellers. The area also has become a popular choice for those who prefer to live close to nature and commute to one of the nearby cities for work. This is made possible by Magaliesburg’s convenient location – it’s only 40km north-west of Mogale City (Krugersdorp), approximately 80km from Johannesburg and about an hour’s drive (100km) from Pretoria. The village lies in the western part of Gauteng, close to the border with North West province, and just over 60km away from Rustenburg. Magaliesburg is a small farm-like town offering the necessary shopping and business amenities.
Residential properties mostly comprise smallholdings and farms varying in size and nature. Many owners of smallholdings focus on being self-sufficient, while bigger working farms focus on beef, maize and large-scale vegetable farming. With its picturesque mountains, forests and gorges, abundance of fauna and flora and the Magalies River meandering through it, the region naturally lends itself to tourism as another key source of income. For resourceful residents, recreational options are endless. Weary city folk longing to simply unwind in nature find solace in the serene beauty of the landscape, whereas the adventurous find Magaliesburg to be the perfect destination to gratify their thrill-seeking souls.
Nature lovers also have a lot to explore. The area boasts more than 120 species of trees, over 100 types of grass, about 90 species of mammals, more than 300 species of birds and much more. Weekends can be spent abseiling, mountain biking, taking treetop canopy tours, having a picnic, or visiting art galleries, farmers’ markets and more.
Things to do:
- Spend a day at one of the beautiful health and wellness spas in and around the area.
- Book a hot-air balloon flight and experience sunrise over the scenic countryside.
- For the energetic, there are horseback rides, hiking trails, fly-fishing and more
Best in food:
- Blackhorse Brewery and Restaurant
- Die Ou Pastorie (restaurant and guesthouse)
- Goblins Cove (restaurant and venue for weddings and accommodation)
- The Colonial Restaurant
Attractions nearby:
- The Cradle of Humankind
- The Crocodile Ramble
- Hartebeespoort Dam
- Buffelspoort Holiday Resort
- Pilanesberg Game Reserve
- Sun City Resort
There are a number of brewery houses as well as restaurants with lovely food
Anita Steenkamp, Resident for over 20 years
Estate agent Q&A on Magaliesburg:
What are the key attractions of Magaliesburg?
“People move to Magaliesburg for the small-town feel and the beauty of the area. Since Magaliesburg is reasonably close to several of the bigger towns and cities, it is used as the home base and people travel to the city for business and work. There are very good schools in the area, both primary and secondary, in English, Afrikaans and Tswana. People are often surprised with everything the town has on offer. There are numerous lodges, game farms, spas, industries and a thriving farming community that forms the foundation of our beautiful town. It has the closeness of a small community.
Anita Steenekamp, RE/MAX Town and Country
How would you spend a weekend in Magaliesburg?
“As a weekend retreat the calm atmosphere of the area provides an excellent opportunity to experience country living at its fi nest from a possible income-producing second property. Magaliesburg is 40 minutes away from Johannesburg, and that makes it even more attractive for a weekend breakaway. In and around Magaliesburg, one can find ample opportunities for the explorer and 4x4 enthusiast, beer tasting at Black Horse or high tea at Mount Grace. One can visit the world heritage site, Maropeng and the Sterkfontein caves which form part of the Cradle of Humankind. Blaauwbank Original store and candle dipping is a must too.
Rawlin (Rolo) Armer, Armer Properties powered by Keller Williams Explore
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood, Sunday Times.
