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Karoo region of South Africa can probably best be summed up in
the "Valley of Desolation" This entire valley has been
declared a national monument. With its towering dolerite capped
heights towering above the town of Graaff Reinet, crumbling
cliffs, massive piles of boulders and the Sundays River, this
valley is fairly typical of the Karoo geology. |
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The
name Karoo comes from the Khoikhoi word meaning "land of
thirst" and to anybody driving through its vast arid
interior the reason will soon become clear. The lasting
impression is one of endlessness, the landscape stretches from
one far horizon to the other.
Although at some time in
the distant past this area was a vast inland swamp with
dinosaurs roaming the land. Now however the land is in the grip
of an endless drought with the rain being erratic and usually in
the form of violent thunderstorms. |
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of the most remarkable features of the region are the dolerite
hillocks or "koppies". These were formed when a mass
of molten rock was forced upward and finding weaknesses in the
surrounding softer material. Through the action of water over
the years the soft sediments surrounding the dolerite
"umbrellas" are eroded away leaving the hillock capped
with dolerite. Eventually the hard cap is itself eroded away,
the entire koppie then disappears, washed away within a few
heavy rains. |
Tooverberg |
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Although
the area is constantly short of water it is the most important
sheep farming region in the country. Karoo mutton is said to be
the best in the world, the pasturage of herbs, succulents and
shrubs undoubtedly accounts for the flavour and tenderness.
A large proportion of the
sheep however, are raised for their wool, the most notable breed
being the "merino". There are an estimated estimated
34 million sheep in Southern Africa and the Karoo is home to the
great bulk of these. |
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Karoo is also home to a large variety of wildlife, amongst these
being the comical meerkat, nine of the worlds 39 known species
of tortoise and the graceful springbok.
The springbok, symbol of
South African sporting teams, is an unforgettable sight
bounding across the plains, hardly touching the ground before
leaping again sometimes as high as three metres.
Nineteenth century writers
described the springbok in great herds, hundreds of thousands
strong. The sight of these herds migrating to new pastures must
have been one of the great spectacles of the natural world. |
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 The
towns of the Karoo each have their own stories and have been
home to a variety of interesting characters. Hanover, centre of
the merino sheep raising area or Graaff Reinet, which lies to
the west of the Valley of Desolation, well known for its well
preserved architecture, especially its ornate Dutch Reformed
Church |
The
first settlers in the Karoo were a rugged and wild bunch,
shootings and rustlings were common. In 1786 when the government
of the day hoped that by establishing a town - with a minister
and a tax gatherer - order would be maintained so a church,
revenue office and a gaol were built in a bend of the Sundays
River. Their hopes were only partly fulfilled however, in 1795
the citizens of Graaff Reinet drove the government
representatives out of town and declared an independent republic
with Graafff Reinet as its capital. The "republic" was
overthrown by the British a year later. 
Of interest in the garden
of Reinet House is the largest living grapevine in the world.
Planted in 1870 it covers 124 square metres, has a girth of 2.4
metres and still bears fruit. Over 200 buildings in the town are
national monuments. The Karoo was also the scene of a number of
battles during the Anglo - Boer war of 1899 to 1902,
particularly in the northern parts.
Other interesting towns in
the Karoo are Prince Albert at the foot of the Swartberg
Pass, and gateway to the Klein Karoo and Garden Route. Sutherland,
site of the South African Astronomical Observatory because of
the clear skies and lack of pollution is holder of the dubious
honour of being the coldest town in the country, with a mean
minimum temperature of - 6.1 degrees centigrade. The
perfectly preserved town of Matjiesfontein or Laingsberg,
site of a disastrous flood in 1981. Colesberg, the
halfway point for travellers between Johannesburg and Cape Town
was an important landmark for early adventurers heading for the
interior of Africa because of the distinctive symmetrical 1707
metre high mountain known as Tooverberg (towering mountain). |
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Great Karoo
