Van Wyksdorp

• Province: Western Cape
• Garden Route
• Coordinates:33.733°S 21.466°E
• Area:21.25 km2
• Municipality­ – Kannaland

Van Wyksdorp is a small village in the Western Cape, located in the southern Karoo region near the foothills of the Langeberg mountains. It lies north of Mossel Bay and south of Ladismith. The surrounding landscape is semi-arid, with rolling plains, small farms, and dry riverbeds, typical of the Little Karoo area. Van Wyksdorp is a quiet agricultural settlement with a sparse population and limited infrastructure.

History of Van Wyksdorp

Van Wyksdorp was founded in 1838 on the farm Buffelsfontein, which was owned by Gerrit van Wyk. Today, it is a small village. A few direct descendants of Van Wyk still live in the area. The choice of name reflected the large number of residents with the surname Van Wyk, more than 200 at the time, living in the village and on surrounding farms.

Van Wyksdorp lies at the foothills of the Rooiberg Mountains, between the Swartberg and the Langeberg Mountain ranges. The region is called Kannalad is probably from a KhoiKhoi word for a type of vygie/mesembryanthemum.

The area was home to Hottentots before the white settlers arrived. The earliest buildings in the area date from about 1820 and were built from clay bricks. The small settlement grew into a small hamlet with several families living there. The fertile space was extensively farmed using old stone terraces and kraals, which are still standing. The remains of threshing mills, two of which were water mills, can still be seen today.

A consistent water supply from a mountain spring known as “The Eye” supported these farming activities.
The area used to be more forested than it is today; much of the deforestation happened during the Anglo-Boer War. VanWyksdorp was a Boer stronghold; nearby Ladismith was British-controlled.

During the ostrich feather boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Van Wyksdorp stood out as an educational hub in the Little Karoo. The local school, built in 1912, enrolled more than 200 learners, including some from nearby towns. The town’s importance later waned as railway links boosted the growth of Ladismith and Riversdale, while Van Wyksdorp stayed small and rural.

Things to see and do in Van Wyksdorp

• Watermill farm
• Old Karoo architecture and gardens.
• There are several churches to see, the NG Kerk Van Wyksdorp is one of them.
• Saamwerk project, this is a cement brick-making and apricot drying employment project
• Cloete’s pass
• The Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve (GCBR)
• A dried flower industry flourishes here
• Van Wyksdorp is one of the few villages that is accessed only via gravel roads.
• The clear night skies are great for stargazing.
• Slideshow

Resources

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

WEATHER IN VAN WYKSDORP

Browse businesses and things to do in Vanwyksdorp

Useful Numbers

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

• Emergency Services

• Police:028 551 1367 / 082 411 2724
• Fire: 028 551 1023 / 8000
• Ambulance: 10177

• Medical

• Closest hospital; Alan Blythe Hospital-ER-Ladismith-028 551 1342
• Clinic-028 581 2304

• Municipal & Utilities

• Municipality-028 581 2354
• Water: 028 581 2354
• Electricity:028 581 2354

• Transport & Roads

• Traffic department: Ladismith-028 551 8000
• Road Emergencies / SANRAL: 0800 204 204

• Community & Safety

• NSRI 087 094 9774
• 24-hour Poisons Information Helpline of the Western Cape:  0861 555 777.
• SPCA: Karoo animal protection-072 277 1056 – 023 1110058

• Local Contacts and Community Resources 

• Tourism – 082 559 1777   info@vanwyksdorptourism.com
• Watermill farm
• Post office; agency- 028 55 127 90/2
• Library:028 581 2009

• Schools in Van Wyksdorp

•  Van Wyksdorp Primary School-028 581 2308