Green Point Biodiversity Park

The Green Point Biodiversity Park is located near Mouille Point, next to the Cape Town Stadium. ( MAP )  The park showcases Western Cape vegetation, with clearly marked sections for sandveld, renosterveld, mountain fynbos and coastal thicket. There is also a wetland garden and a historical habitat area.

The central dam attracts birdlife, including Cape sparrows, kingfishers and yellow-billed ducks. Frogs, dragonflies and squirrels are also common in the wetland areas. See our wildlife guide)

Green Point Common surrounds the park, with open lawns, sports fields and a golf course. It’s a popular spot for walking, running and cycling. Public braai areas are available on a first-come basis. The Park Café is open daily.

There are three play areas. The tot-lot is for younger children, while the adventure park suits older children. There is also an outdoor labyrinth. Each area includes climbing frames, swings and slides.

Near the Biodiversity Garden, Khoi-style huts show how early communities lived. On the central lawns, an analemmatic sundial allows visitors to tell the time using their shadow.

Outdoor gym equipment is available near the entrance, including stationary bikes, pull-up bars and weight machines.

The park has multiple entrances along Fritz Sonnenberg Road and Bay Road. It sits between the stadium and the Metropolitan Golf Course. Free parking is available around the perimeter.

   

During the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902), the British established a prisoner of war (POW) camp on Green Point Common. It housed around 5000 Boer prisoners. Green Point Camp was one of several across the Cape Colony, part of Britain’s strategy to detain Boer fighters captured during the conflict. The area was used as a transit camp for prisoners of war to be shipped to remote islands. The camp remained in use until the end of the war in 1902.

A notable feature at the camp was its internal currency system, known as “Good For” notes, introduced by camp manager G.W. Barnes. Issued in various denominations, these notes were used by prisoners to buy goods within the camp. Some were signed and dated by the commandant, J.H. Money, (ironically) and are now considered valuable for their historical interest.

Military camp 1901

Parking: Free parking is right outside. Dogs are welcome on a leash.

1 Fritz Sonnenberg Rd, Green Point