Utrecht

Utrecht lies at the foothills of the Balele Mountains in the Battlefields region of KwaZula-Natal. A unique feature of this town is that it is surrounded by the Utrecht Balele Community Game Park. There are no fences between the town and the park so the animals frequently wander into the town.

The town does have some historical significance in that it served as the headquarters for the commander-in-chief of the British forces, Lord Chelmsford, during the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879. Before that the Boer Commandant of Utrecht, Swart Dirk Uys lived in one of the oldest houses in KwaZulu-Natal, now a national monument. There are a number of historical buildings in the town, the most notable being the Old Parsonage Museum, the Dutch Reformed sandstone church, many old colonial houses and the original old cemetery.

Because of the Balele Mountains and the game park, the town is an eco-tourism centre and offers commercial hunting as part of the game management programme. There are several hikes in the area which will take you into the mountains, past waterfalls and obviously through the game park. The game park is well stocked with animals and has 250 registered bird species. The town is also the centre of a productive farming area beyond the game park.

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