Yzerfontein

Yzerfontein is situated on the West Coast of the Western Cape, approximately 90 km north of Cape Town. The town lies south of Darling and north of Grotto Bay, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the southern boundary of the West Coast National Park. It is accessed via the R27 West Coast Road and the R315. The name, translated from Dutch, is “Iron Fountain” due to the highly magnetic, iron-rich mineral spring that early farmers discovered right near the coastline.

History of Yzerfontein

Archaeological Finds

Archaeological digs in the area have uncovered remnants of food and tools left by ancient inhabitants. Dutch settlement in Yzerfontein began in 1732 when Cornelius Heufke was granted permission to graze his livestock on a farm called Eijzerfontein, named for the iron deposits in the local water.

The town grew in the 1930s when the farm  was bought by the Katz family, and they started dividing the farm into plots

Holiday Destination

The area became a popular seaside retreat for inland farmers. Many brought their supplies, including cows for milk and hens for eggs. To protect their livestock from jackals, farmers would keep their animals on an island that was cut off from the mainland at high tide.

Cement Production

Yzerfontein was once known for producing lime and cement from the millions of mussel shells washed up on its beaches. The shells were collected and burned in stone kilns, two of which are still visible today. The resulting lime was used to make cement and whitewash for buildings, as well as a waterproofing mixture made with animal fat. Lime produced from Yzerfontein’s mussel shells was transported to Cape Town and used in construction, including the Castle of Good Hope. The kilns were declared national monuments in 1980.

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Salt Pans and Harbour

Yzerfontein also has a long history of salt production. The salt pan northeast of the town covers about 116 hectares and was originally used to extract salt. The salt was of good quality and was an important commodity in the days when salt was sometimes referred to as “white gold”, as it was essential for preserving meat and other food on long sea voyages. The pans were reportedly closely guarded to prevent sailors from taking salt illegally onto passing ships.

The remains of a harbour built in 1911 can still be seen. The harbour was used in connection with the area’s salt industry and for transporting salt to Cape Town.

The oldest surviving building in the area is Vishuis, a thatched cottage that now serves as the tourism office.

Today, the salt pan is mined for gypsum, a sulphate mineral used in products including fertiliser, plaster and wallboard.

World War II

During World War II, a few ships were torpedoed near Cape Town, so 17 radar stations were built in 1943. The local station was operated by six women who tracked enemy ships and air activity, watching the screens in five-hour shifts. They had to take an oath of secrecy. The buildings were fenced off and guarded by Zulu watchmen armed with assegais. Read about Operation Eisbär and the  U-boat attacks around the Western Cape coast

Town Development

In 1937, parts of the farm were sold to “Yzerfontein Seaside Estates,” and the area received town status, being referred to as a “township.” It became a Local Area in 1960, and a Local Council was elected in 1989. The motto on the town coat of arms is Mare didat, flores decorat, meaning ‘the sea enriches,

Meeurots (Gull Rock)

About nine kilometres offshore from Yzerfontein lies Meeurots, or Gull Rock, a jagged island that supports a large colony of seabirds. In the late 19th century, Yzerfontein was known for guano collection. Labourers would row out to the steep, slippery cliffs, where they scraped bird droppings from the rock and loaded them onto boats. The guano was exported to Europe, where it was valued as a high-quality fertiliser.

Sixteen Mile Beach

Yzerfontein’s Sixteen Mile Beach is described as the longest uninterrupted sandy beach on the South African coastline. It stretches northwards towards the Tussenkop ridge near the West Coast National Park. The firm, level beach provided a useful route for early travellers, and ox-wagons could sometimes travel along the shoreline when the inland sand was too soft.

West Coast Cape Dune Mole-rat

The coastal area around Yzerfontein is home to the West Coast Cape Dune Mole-rat, a subterranean rodent adapted to life in the coastal sands. It can grow to around 35 centimetres long and has prominent front teeth used for digging. The animals live in extensive underground burrow systems and can significantly disturb the soil as they excavate their tunnels.

Find a list of shipwrecks that occurred near Yzerfontein

The license plate prefix for Yzerfontein is CK and the postcode is 7351