Towns and suburbs

Rawsonville

Rawsonville is a small Breede River Valley town near Worcester, surrounded by vineyards, mountains and farm stalls. Visitors come for wine tasting, river activities and a relaxed rural setting.

Rawsonville is a small town in the Western Cape’s Breede River Valley, bordered by Worcester to the east and Paarl to the west. It lies approximately 120 km northeast of Cape Town, accessible via the R43 and N1 highways. The town is known for its vineyards, fruit farms, and scenic valley views, offering visitors a mix of a rural setting and outdoor activities.

History of Rawsonville

First sales in Rawsonville

In 1858, Johannes Petrus Jordaan was put in charge of the farm Aan -de-Smalblaar and he divided part of the farm into 57 small plots, which were sold by public auction. The town was then named after William Rawson, who was the Cape Colonial Secretary from 1854 to 1864. It was decided with the participation of 45 local”deelhebbers” that a school should be built. It was called De Goudini School. The high school there still bears this name.  The word Goudini is most probably from the Khoi expression meaning”Bitter honey valley”

Church discussion

In 1878, a public meeting was held to establish whether a Dutch Reformed church was needed and permission was granted for the Goudini Dutch Reformed congregation to be formed. Town management was granted  under the “Village Management Act” in 1883

Farming Community

Rawsonville is a farming community in the Breede River valley. The area has been settled by European farmers since the early 1700s. Farms here produce table grapes and grapes for wine.

Flooding

By the 1850s, it became necessary to form a hamlet for the local farmers, as the Breede River regularly burst its banks; therefore, it became impassable, so farmers could not reach Worcester. If it rained for 6 hours or more, even the Smalblaar River flooded, and water ran through the village.

The postcode in Rawsonville is 6845

local WEATHER TODAY

Browse businesses and places to visit in Rawsonville.

 

Things to see and do in Rawsonville

  • Slanghoek Valley Road
  • Goudini Spa at the east end of Badsberg (Bath Mountain). The water here surfaces at a temperature of 40 degrees. It is somewhat radioactive, but there are very few impurities.

Resources

For permits, fishing rules, regulations and other practical outdoor information relevant to Rawsonville, see the Colourdots coastal and nature use guide

Useful Numbers in Rawsonville

  • Emergency Services

  • Police: 023 3498300
  • Fire: Breede Valley Fire Brigade 023 348 9060
  • Ambulance: 10177 023 342 0478

  • Medical

  • Closest hospital; 023 3491042

  • Municipal & Utilities

  • Municipality-023 348 2600
  • Water:023 348 2600
  • Electricity:023 348 2600

  • Transport & Roads

  • Traffic department: Worcester: 023 347 0959

  • Community & Safety

  • SPCA: Worcester Animal Welfare 023 347 1049

  • Local Contacts and Community Resources in Rawsonville

  • Post office; Post agency 023 349 1050
  • Library: 023 349 6646
  • Tourism: 023 614 2471

  • Schools in Rawsonville

  •  Goudini High 023 349 1070
  • Rawsonville Primary 023 349 1721

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