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Humansdorp is a small town and surrounding district in the Eastern Cape.
Humansdorp is the centre of the district's farming and light industry.
The town is noted, amongst other things, for the fine trees lining many
of the residential streets. The trees were planted before the First World
War by the current mayor of the time, Ambrose Saffery.
The town marks the eastern end of the famed Garden Route and serves as
gateway to the villages and resort of the St Francis Bay area (among them
Jeffrey's Bay). It is an attractive little town with a watermill, a museum
(early farming implements and domestic items - see attractions below)
and a central park, laid out to form a giant Union Jack. There are some
lovely forest walks in the area, among them the three-kilometer Boskloof
trail.
Humansdorp was founded in 1849. The town was named after Matthys Gerhardus
Human and Johannes Jurie Human, who were joint founders of the Dutch Reformed
Church congregation there. During the early part of the 1800s the Reverend
Alexander Smith traveled here from Uitenhage to hold services on the farm
Geelhoutboom for the farming communities, about 10Km from the present
town. In 1849 Matthys Human gave a portion of his farm Rheeboksfontein
for the establishment of a town, and stands laid out in 1853 on a plan
following the crosses on the British flag. Humansdorp became a municipality
in 1906.
Areas:
The Kouga Region
The Kouga is situated in the western region of the Eastern Cape. It nestles
between beautiful, endless sandy beaches and the picturesque great Winterhoek
Mountains.
Humansdorp, is the service centre for a fertile and flourishing
farming area. Of interest in the town is the Museum, the Boskloof Hiking
Trail and the Kouga Cultural Centre. Yearly events include the Humansdorp
Agricultural Show and the Kouga Cultural Festival.
Thornhill boasts with the Longmore Flower Trail at Safcol. View
caracal, antelope, suricates, birds and raptors at the African Dawn Animal
Sanctuary.
Loerie is internationally known for hosting the Great Train Race
in August/September. The Loerie Reserve is an added attraction.
Hankey is the Gamtoos Valley’s oldest town and home to the
largest sundial in Africa. The Khoi San “ikon” Sarah Bartmann
was laid to rest on a hill top in Hankey. Another National Monument is
Phillip’s Tunnel, South Africa’s second irrigation scheme with
a natural window in the mountain from where you can admire the Gamtoos
Valley.
Patensie is renowned for its citrus farms. The area is also the
largest producer of tobacco in the country.
Baviaanskloof offers rugged passes, towering gorges and numerous
river crossings with rare and diverse animal, bird and plant species
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