Victoria West

Established in 1843, and named for Queen Victoria, Victoria West is still a predominantly sheep farming community of 11000 citizens. As the town was at the beginning of the diamond route to Kimberley, it has the charm of the old historic buildings and Cape cottages culturally juxtaposed against the modern side of town. The town setting is between two mountains with a river running through it. Views from the edge of town include windmills, artistically restored homes and breath-taking vistas.

Imagine a small town like Victoria West being the location for the second Standard Bank in South Africa. The original building was constructed in 1856 and although the bank moved to a new building, the signatures of the first stock holders can still be seen on a piece of pig skin in the Victoria West Regional museum.

Victoria West is well worth a visit for its historical buildings and homes; its association with the legendary rugby player, Mannetjies Roux, whose wife Charlotte, runs the Trading Post, which also houses his museum of rugby memorabilia and for the annual Apollo film festival, which celebrates South African cinema, features, documentaries and short films. Every year the festival invites film makers, producers, directors, scriptwriters, commissioning editors, actors and journalists from all over South Africa to attend. The film festival takes place in the Apollo Theatre, the only surviving example of a 1950’s Art Deco cinema in South Africa – a heritage site. Visitors are accommodated in restored historic homes.

Make sure you take in De Oude Pastorie, the oldest building in town. This tiny Anglican Church was built in 1869, restored in 2009, and boasts lovely stained glass windows. The Dutch Reformed Church bought a section of the farm Zeekoegat in 1843 and the church building was consecrated in 1855.

The museum has a range of displays on the history, archaeology and fossils of the area. The fossil displays include examples of fossilized fish, a reminder that the Karoo was an inland sea some 200 million years ago. Other animal fossils are also displayed. The Nama-Karoo Biome exhibit focuses on the 1 000 plant species, characteristic animal species and landscape of the Karoo.

Time has stood still in the print shop of the Victoria West Messenger, a local publishing house that was established in 1876 and is still running.

Victoria West Nature Reserve forms some of the last remaining natural habitat for the rare Riverine Rabbit. Phone +27 53 621 0026 for enquiries.

Victoria West is a typical and flourishing Karoo town on the N12 between Cape Town and Johannesburg via Kimberley, a minor detour off the N1 of some 60 kilometres or so.  You can also reach the village via the R63.