Tourist Attractions in Carolina, Mpumalanga, RSA
Explore the History, Attractions and Accommodation at Carolina
Sep 14, 2009
Tourists driving on the N4 from Pretoria or Johannesburg towards the Kruger National Park and Mozambique, will find the signpost to Carolina approximately six kilometers before the town of Belfast. After turning onto the R33, tourists are confronted with the contrasts of the Mpumalanga grasslands, which are bordered, by several mountain ranges and pine forests. This is a summer rainfall area and typical Highveld thunderstorms are frequent in the afternoons.
The mainstay of the town of Carolina is the production of beef, dairy, wool and wood products.
What Lead to the Proclamation of Carolina South Africa
The origin of the name of the town is somewhat unclear with a notice in the then Transvaalse Government Gazette stating that the town was laid out on the farms Groenvlei and Goede Hoop according to Erasmus BPJ, Op Pad Deur Suid Africa, Jonathan Ball Publishers, 2004. Other sources state that farmer Cornelis Coetzee donated a portion of his farm Steynsdraai to facilitate the foundation of the town on the prerequisite that the town be named after his wife, Carolina.
On 16 June 1886, the town of Carolina was proclaimed on the area where transport riders used to overnight on their journeys between the town Barberton and their offset for the gold mined there. In the Anglo -Boer War the town was demolished but later rebuilt in the same place. Despite the demolition of the town during the war, several sandstone buildings still line the quiet streets and are worth a visit. Other historical heritage sights in town include the Market Square, the Burger Monument and historical memorials.
Nooitgedacht Dam Nature Reserve Close to Carolina
The Usutu-Vaal project necessitated the building of the Nooitgedacht Dam in the Komati River approximately 15 kilometers northwest of Carolina. The project provides water to Eskom's Komati power plant close to Middelburg. Eskom is South Africa's sole electricity provider.
The Nooitgedacht Nature Reserve around the dam provides excellent opportunity for bird watchers to enjoy the solitude of the Mpumalanga grass and wetlands and more than 200 bird species have been recorded in the area. The annual Morula Fishing festival attracts hundreds of visitors to the area every year when anglers pit their skills against the variety of freshwater fish in the dam.
Besides bird watching and angling, tourists can also enjoy an easy 43-kilometer cycling route and hike on the available trails to enjoy the beauty and splendor of the grass and wetlands around the dam.
Accommodation at Carolina
Four Flies nature farm is situated between Carolina and Machadodorp. The farm offers accommodation in a self-catering guesthouse, which can accommodate ten to twelve people. One of the major attractions of Four Flies Nature Farm is the fly-fishing on the farm as well as hiking trails.
Mountain Trout Lodge nestles against the mountains between Carolina and Badplaas and offers tourists a variety of accommodation options, fly-fishing, mountain biking, hiking trails (one to a magnificent waterfall) as well as a guided tour to the hatchery operating on the premises.
Waterfront Guesthouse B&B at 89 Hamman Street, Carolina provides the tourist with a luxury overnight stop or a place to stay while exploring the area further. Contact Annatjie Oosthuizen on 0027 17 843 2632 for bookings and further information.
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