[1A] Aurora

AURORA50KM North East of Velddrif, on the West Coast, lies the quaint town of Aurora.

AURORAThe village is set against the Piketberg Mountains in the Sandveld. The town originated as a New Dutch Reformed parish in 1906. P.J. Kotze granted part of the farm, Klipfontein, for the development of the town.

On the same farm, one finds the northernmost of three beacons used in 1751 by Abbe de le Caille (of the French academy) to measure the southern arch of the meridian. The eastern point of the triangle was at Kasteelberg, near Riebeeck West and the southern point at the corner of Srand & Adderley Street in Cape Town. A National Monument has been erected on Klipfontein.

From a certain vantage point on the mountain to the north of the town, one can see Table Mountain in the south, St Helena Bay in the west, the Swartland wheat fields in the east and the village of Graafwater, 50km to the north. Aurora is known for it’s Sandveld Houses. A fully restored Sandveld Home can be seen on the farm, Kapteinskloof.
AURORAAttractions:
The Dutch Reformed Church – designed by WH Ford

 

Read ourĀ blog post – Visit the Sandveld Village called Aurora…