• Province: Western Cape
• West coast
• Coordinates: 33.1452° S, 18.6680° E
• Area:27,8 km²
• Municipality: Swartland.

Moorreesburg is located in the Swartland within the Western Cape. The town lies north of Malmesbury and inland from Velddrif, along regional roads linking farming communities across the Swartland. The surrounding landscape is characterised by rolling wheat fields and agricultural land, and Moorreesburg serves as a service and trading centre for nearby farms.

History of Moorreesburg

The land in Moorreesburg has been used for large-scale wheat farming for most of its modern history, and it has become known as the breadbasket of South Africa. Moorreesburg was named after J.C. le Febre Moorrees (1807–1885), minister of the Swartland congregation of the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk from 1833 to 1881.

Wine and olive production also take place in the surrounding farmland. The oldest wine estate in the area dates back to 1696.
Moorreesburg was laid out in 1879 on the farm Hooikraal and was administered by a village management board from 1882. It attained municipal status in 1909. The railway line reached the town in1902.

Moreesburg station, Vintage picture from Saartjie Klipkop.

local stories

The license plate prefix for Moreesburg is CEA. The postcode is 7310

Things to see and do in Moorreesburg

• !863 Steel girder bridge over the Berg River
• Wheat Industry Museum is one of only three wheat museums in the world. It is dedicated to the history of wheat farming, the uses of wheat, and how the industry shaped the local economy.
• The art gallery at the high school displays work by over seventy local artists
• The attractive Edwardian Carnegie Library was designed by architects N.T. Cowin and E.M. Powers, and built in 1913 in Church Street on land donated by the Moorreesburg Dutch Reformed Church.

Resources

Practical information for the Western Cape, Regulations, permits and helpful tips. See the Colourdots coastal and nature use guide

• WEATHER IN MOORREESBURG TODAY

• Browse businesses and places to visit in Moreesburg

Useful Numbers

Residents and visitors can find important local contact numbers below, including police, medical services, utilities, and community facilities

• Emergency Services

• Police: 022 433 8660
• Fire: 022 433 8702
• Ambulance: 10177

• Medical

• Closest hospital/ Clinic 022 433 1666
• Pharmacy; 022 433 1001

• Municipal & Utilities

• Municipality: 022 433 2246

• Transport & Roads

• Traffic department: 022 433 2246
• Road Emergencies / SANRAL: 0800 204 204

• Community & Safety

• Childline-116
• 24 hour Poisons Information Helpline of the Western Cape:  0861 555 777.
• NSRI 087 094 9774
• SPCA: Swaartland spca 022 492 2781

• Local Contacts and Community Resources 

• Post office; 022 433 1222
• ” Die Courant”: 022 487 3221
• Swartland Gazette: 022 482 3817
• Library: 022 433 1647
• Museum; Wheat Industry museum 022 433 1093
• Tourism 022 433 2380

• Schools in Moorreesburg

• Dirkie Uys Primary School 022 433 1082
• Dirkie Uys High School 022 433 2253
• KleinKaringmelk vlei primary 022 433 1025
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Towns in the Swartland district include: Chatsworth; Darling;  Grotto Bay;  Jakkalsfontein; Kalbaskraal;  Koringberg;  Malmesbury;; Riebeek kasteel and Yzerfontein;

• Colourdots is an independent regional information resource for the Western Cape.
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