Situated on the Roggeveld Plateau, 2000 m above sea leve, Sutherland is one of the coldest places in the country, with the Roggeveld Mountains often covered in snow and average minimum temperatures well below freezing point. The town was established as a Dutch Reformed parish in 1857 and named in honour of the Rev Henry Sutherland, minister of the mother parish in Worcester at the time.

GENERAL INFORMATION

How to get there

Calvinia 168 km, Fraserburg 113 km, Matjiesfontein (N1) 119 km, Williston 138 km

Altitude: 2000 m above sea level

Average Rainfall: 243 mm per annum

Average Temperatures - Summer 20,3°c; Winter 5°c

Banks – Absa, Standard

Mountains - Ouberg, Rebelskop, Roggeveld, Salpeterskop

Rivers – Rhenoster, Riet and Vis

HISTORICAL VIEW

Dutch Reformed Church

Building and Hall

A national monument. In 1901 the British occupied the town and the church. They used the church tower as a lookout post and the gallery as sleeping quarters. The body of the church was occupied by the horses. The English names and addresses carved in the tower and still legible today.

Caves

Old Jewish and British graves, as well as handmade gravestones can be seen in town.

Louw House

NP van Wyk Louw, arguably one of the greatest Afrikaans authors and poets, was born and raised in Suterland. Some of his possessions are housed in the museum. Collectables, an old baking oven, a wheat and water mill and a horse drawn hearse, originally purchased for 85 pounds, can be seen here. Also on display are some of the possessions of the poet WEG Louw, the brother of NP, and doctor Henry Olivier, a world famous engineer. Dr Olivier, Sutherlander by birth, designed and helped to build the Kariba Dam and the Cahora – Bassa Hydro Electric Scheme.

Old Diamond Diggings

Reputedly the most southerly point where a diamons has been found.

Tuinplaas Church

50 km from Sutherland on the Matjiesfontein road. Built before 1829. Propably the oldest church in the country, it is still used by seasonal ‘trek’ farmers. Dr HC Hopkins, a church historian, believes that the first ‘ trek’ farmers came to the Roggeveld, partly in search of grazing for their sheep and cattle, as early as 100 years after the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck. They built a little church. The graves around the church date back to 1750. The church has a thatched roof and the antique pedal organ is still in use.

NATURE

Ouberg Pass

Approximately 45 km on the Upper Fish River. Panoramic view of the lower lying Karoo.

‘Sterboom’ and Sutherlandia

The ‘Sterboom’ (Cliffortia arborea) which grows at Komsberg and Vinkfontein, and blooms in September, is only found in this region as far as is known. The Sutherlandia, better known as ‘Hoenderkloek’, is indigenous to the Roggeveld.

Snow

Sutherland is considered to be one of the coldest places in South Africa with temperatures regularly dropping below 14°c.

Accommodation in and around Sutherland