History of Knysna

• Province: Western Cape
• Coordinates:34°02′08″S 23°02′56″E
• Area: 108.77 km2
• Municipality: Knysna

The name Knysna probably comes from the Khoikhoi word Naizna, meaning ferns or “fern leaves”, which grow naturally in the region.

In the mid to late 18th century, a few Dutch settlers hacked their way through the dense vegetation to establish farms in the area. The farm Melkhoutkraal, which included the lagoon and the heads, was granted to Stephanus Terblans in 1770.

The farm was bought by George Rex in 1804. George Rex(the illegitimate son of King George III.) arrived at the Cape during the first British occupation. At the time, he held some administrative posts in the government. When the country administration was taken over by the Batavian regime in 1803, he did not return to Britain but stayed on in the Cape. He was, by all accounts, a colourful man who, when he grew tired of the high life in Cape Town, settled in Melkhoutkraal in Knysna where he built a magnificent homestead. He and his family set about farming and forestry. By the time the Cape had reverted to British rule, he agitated for a harbour to be developed inside the lagoon. Thereby, the area would be economically viable. This would negate the difficulty with transportation, as a road through the forest was difficult to build.

Woodcutters

The car licence prefix for Knysna is  CX. The postcode for Knysna is 6571

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Browse businesses and places to visit in Knysna

Things to see and do in Knysna

See more information about things to see and do in Knysna

• Diepwalle Elephant Trail
• Jubilee Creek Trail
• Coney Glen Road
• Touw River Pass
• Swartriver pass
• Outeniqua trail
• Sparrebosch fisherman’s walk
• Knysna Fort
• The Knysna Literary Festival
•  Timber Festival event celebrating wood, usually in March, 072 024 1032, info@timberfestival.co.za
• Kom-se-pad is a scenic 9offroad) drive from the Gouna forest to Diepwalle
• Tsitsikamma Beach is considered one of the best in the country
• Knysna Forest marathon-076 195 4832
• San Ambroso Catholic church. This church was built in 1892
• Prince Alfred’s pass
• Klein Karoo Kampioenskappe Stock cars Oudtshoorn Motorklub, held in July
• Pink Loerie Mardi Gras and Arts Festival in April https://www.pinkloeriefoundation.com/
• 7 passes MTB challenge
• Oyster Festival is held in July

• Visit the SANparks office on Thesen Island, where you can see and learn about the only known estuarine species of seahorses in the world,

Useful Numbers

• Municipality: 044 302 6451
• Police: 044 302 6600 Law Enforcement 044 302 6551
• Traffic department: 044 302 6551
• Fire: 044 302 8911
• Water:044 302 6331
• Electricity: 044 302 6409
• Ambulance: 10177
• Post office: 044 382 1211
• Library:044 302 6544
• Closest hospital: 044 302 6544
• Knysna Town Clinic-044 382 0836
• Pharmacy; Central Pharmacy-044 382 5222
• SPCA:  Animal Welfare – 044 384 1603
• Town Halls and civic centres 
• Local newspaper Knysna Plett Herald 044 382 1185
• Schools

Knysna Montessori School -044 382 5316
Oakhill School -044 382 6506
Knysna High School-044 382 2137
Riverwood Primary School-044 382 2871
Little Elephants Pre-Primary School-044 382 6915
Percy Mdala High School -044 375 0020
Hornlee Primary School – 044 385 0306
Fraaisig Primary School – 044 385 0395
Sunridge Primary School -044 385 1698
Thembelitsha Primary School- 044 382 7144
Concordia High School-044 382 7144
Knysna Hornlee Secondary School -044 385 0310
Chris Nissen Primary School -044 382 0702
Bracken Hill Ek Primary School -044 375 9066                                                                                  Knysna Primary School -044 382 1422
https://www.knysnamuseums.co.za/pages/nsri-museum/

• Museum; Millwood Museum – 044 302 6320
• The Motorcycle Room – 079 497 4723
• NSRI Alex Blaikie Museum – 082 560 2611
  The Hollywood Homestead  044 384 0764
• Tourism (0)44 382 5510