History of Dullstroom, Mpumalanga
A South African Premier Flyfishing Destination Founded by Dutchmen
Nov 3, 2009
Dullstroom is situated on the R540 between Belfast and Lydenburg in Mpumalanga, South Africa and approximately two and half hours drive away from Gauteng. Today the town is mostly known for the excellent fly-fishing in the town and surroundings.
Dullstroom has several claims to fame according to the town's web sites. One of the most important for fly fishermen is that the town is one of the coldest villages in South Africa. Situated in the Highlands Meander, visitors are treated to rolling hills and spectacular scenery.
Dullstroom Before the Anglo- Boer War
Dullstroom is one of the few places in the world where beech and elm trees grow in a significant number. A group of immigrants from the Netherlands initially planted these trees in the 1880's. Wolterus Dull, a trader from the Netherlands, formed a committee in Netherland in 1880-1881 to assist the people living in Transvaal who suffered losses due to the war between the Transvaal Republic and Great Brittan. The committee was subsequently convinced to use the funds to stimulate immigration from the Netherlands to South Africa.
According to BPJ Erasmus, Op Pad in Suid- Afrika, Jonathan Ball Publishers, 2004, they bought the farms Groot Suikerboschkop and Elandslaagte and the first settlers from the Netherlands arrived on the farms in September 1883. In 1887, around 48 settlers lived in the area and proclaimed the town on 9 October 1893. The name Dullstroom is derived from Wolterus Dull and the Crocodile River (stream) which flows nearby.
Dullstroom after the Anglo- Boer War
During the Anglo - Boer War in 1880-1881 both sides utilized the hills around the town as strategic positions and several battles were fought in the area. Most of the buildings in town, including the Dutch Reformed Church, which was built before the town was proclaimed, were destroyed during the war. The church was rebuilt in 1905 and housed the first school in Dullstroom.
The stone shrine built by the settlers in 1887 was also destroyed during the war, but rebuilt in 1934 and the townspeople added a garden of remembrance in 1988. One of the most popular restaurants today, Rose Cottage, dates back to the 1880's and is one of the few buildings that survived the War.
How Did Dullstroom Become a Fly Fishing Paradise?
In 1912, the postmaster of Lydenburg, J Gurr, caught a fish that reminded him of a trout in the town's river. He pondered if trout would take to the waters of the Highlands around the town and ordered ova from Stellenbosch. These ova were hatched and the first fingerlings released into the streams and dams around Dullstroom in 1927.
The trout flourished in the cold mountain streams and today fly-fishing for trout plays an important part in sustaining the economy of Dullstroom. Besides trout fishing, several other tourist attractions cause thousands of tourists to flock to Dullstroom during all times of the year.
Other popular tourist towns in Mpumalanga include Machadodorp and Badplaas.
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