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HOMEWelcome to KwaZulu-Natal’s SOUTH COAST HAPPENINGSA catalogue of everything South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal South Coast has to offer, including tourism, tourist destinations, where to stay holiday accommodation, businesses, conference and wedding venues, home improvement, birding, golf, Aliwal Shoal and Protea Bank diving, fishing and other action sports, places of interest and things to see and do along South Africa’s subtropical eastern seaboard.
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WHAT'S ONCLICK HERE |
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Stretching for nearly 200 kilometres south of Durban, the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast is a sparkling necklace of bustling small towns, quaint villages, rolling sugarcane fields and natural coastal forest, punctuated by a hundred different rivers, streams and lagoons all merging with the warm blue Indian Ocean.
A short drive from Durban, it is a place of serene calm, bright sunshine, endless golden beaches, lush subtropical foliage and a thousand exciting things to see and do.
Whether you are looking for self-catering, bed & breakfast or full board accommodation, you can be sure the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast caters for every tourist’s taste, budget and need. But golden beaches, a subtropical climate, endless sunshine, good food and comfortable accommodation are not the only things South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal South Coast has to offer. Visitors can expect some of the finest fishing, diving, surfing, spear fishing, bird-watching, abseiling, hiking, river rafting, whale watching, through to eleven challenging golf courses … just about everything a pleasure-seeker needs!
Long before the off-shoots of various Central African tribal groups began filtering down to begin populating the southern end of the African continent the original inhabitants were the San, or Bushmen. With the countryside teeming with game, the sea with fish and the climate most agreeable, baring their own squabbles and clan infighting, they had not a care in the world.
However, with the arrival of the African tribal southerly migration and relatively shortly thereafter the first European settlers, life changed dramatically for the Bushmen.
What with the challenges of establishing Durban, the continual interaction and jockeying for position with Shaka and other Zulu Kings to the north and the birth of Pietermaritzburg as the gateway to the then Transvaal Republic, any interest and thoughts of development along the South Coast was the last thing on anyone’s mind.
The recorded history of the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast falls into two basic periods: pre- and post-rail. Prior to the start of the South Coast railway, in 1895, the region was the domain of a few Zulu clans that chose to distance themselves from their more northerly Zululand brethren and a few dozen intrepid hunters, adventurers and farmers who were prepared to tackle the criss-crossing of the one hundred rivers and streams that cut through this region to the sea. The enormity of the transportation logistics for ox-drawn wagons to ford so many rivers and ravines made any serious development south of Durban a highly unattractive proposition. Hence, prior to 1895, the focus was on circumventing the overland transport nightmare via establishing shallow-draft harbours in some of the South Coast’s river mouths.months after starting, the first boat ran aground. Further attempts were made during 1861 and then again in 1873, but all were eventually wrecked.
A SOLID LINK AT LAST
Even by today’s standards the challenge of building the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast railway would be a monumental task. Imagine: besides hacking through dense coastal forest and negotiating endless rolling hills, the work also entailed bridging some seventy-five rivers and streams. Work started from the Durban Station in 1895. The first stage was to Isipingo, where Natal’s very first sugar mill had been established in 1852. From there they pushed on to Umkomaas, where the first train, with fifty excited passengers, arrived in 1897.
ALL AT SEAThe first attempt was in 1856 when a Captain Maxwell surveyed the navigational potential of the uMakhosi – 'the river of the Chief' in Zulu – at today's Umkomaas, for extracting the ever-expanding sugar cane crops lining its banks. He assessed it navigable for vessels of no more than 60 tons for nearly 25 km upstream which naturally excited the local farmers.
Their excitement was short-lived though
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WHAT'S ON IN KZN SOUTH COAST
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‘What’s On?’ & Club News/Events listings are free!To submit yours simply click on judy@haps.co.za and send details and dates. |
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CALENDER OF EVENTS
Note: South Coast Happenings reserves the right to edit/shorten any contribution if deemed necessary and refuse to publish anything CLUB EVENTS/NEWS
Probus Club Scottburgh : Scottburgh Golf ClubFirst Monday of month / 12h30 for 13h00 : All male social get-together of retired and semi-retired professional and businessmen. Visitors welcome. Good fun, good nosh, interesting talks. Hugh Lindsay : 082 782 1779
Village Chess Club : Village of Happiness : MargateEvery Monday / 13h30 : All levels catered for and welcome. 039-312-1878
S C Racing Pigeon Club : Turaco Concrete Products : Sunwich PortEvery Tuesday / 18h00 : All pigeon fanciers are welcome. Anetta Holmes 039-681-2920
Cancer Support Group: South Coast Hospice Assoc. : Conner St. : Port ShepstoneFirst Tuesday / 15h00 : Family members also welcome Josephine Smith 039-695-1587
S.A. Association of Retired Persons : Village of Happiness : MargateEvery second Tuesday / 10h00 Invited speakers and interesting outings arranged. Starts 10h00 Jill Lamont 039-317-1876
Pennington Rec Club : Relton Hall, PenningtonEvery second Wednesday : Various topics covered by interesting speakers Joyce Horvath 039-975-1317
St Paul's Bridge Club Scottburgh Library activity roomsMondays / 13h30 : Visitors welcome Irene 039-976-0105
Please note: If your e-mail address does not appear on this site, please contact us as soon as possible.If the contact details change, please inform us. Email judy@haps.co.za
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