INFORMATION AND HISTORY ABOUT ARCADIA

Arcadia is a suburb in Pretoria, South Africa that is known for its historical buildings, embassies and hotels.

The Union Buildingsand the President's residence are also situated here. The main thoroughfare is Park Street.

Landmarks on Park Street are

• The Pretoria Art Museum in its Mid-Century Modernist building,
• The Gerard Moerdyk Restaurant which serves traditional colonial African fare in a house built in 1920 by this famous architect
• Loftus Versfeld Stadium where local and international rugby and soccer matches are played.
• The University of Pretoria is also near Arcadia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcadia,_Pretoria

INFORMATION AND HISTORY ABOUT BRITS

Brits is a large town situated in a fertile, citrus, vegetable and grain-producing area that is irrigated by the waters of the Hartbeespoort Dam in North West Province of South Africa. It is close to the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, which includes Pretoria and it has the same dialling code as Pretoria. In addition to being a centre for agriculture, the town is home to several heavy industries.A factory of the Italian car manufacturer Alfa Romeo produced cars for the domestic market and export to Asia from 1974 to 1985.

The town also plays an important role in the South African mining industry: 94% of South Africa's platinum comes from the Rustenburg and Brits districts, which together produce more platinum than any other single area in the world. In addition, there is a large vanadium mine in the district.

The Indian area in Brits is called Primindia. Brits is part of the Madibeng Local Municipality. Brits is linked to Sandton by the R511 and to Randburg by the R512, and to Pretoria by the R513 and the R514. Freeway access is by the N4 Bakwena Toll Route, which was constructed in the early 2000s.

INFORMATION AND HISTORY ABOUT BROOKLYN

Brooklyn is a suburb of the city of Pretoria, South Africa.

It is a well-established area, lying to the east of the city centre, encompassing high-end residential properties and several upmarket mall developments. It borders the University of Pretoria to its north and the suburbs of Groenkloof and Waterkloof to its south.

Brooklyn is also the location of Pretoria Boys High School.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn,_Pretoria

By JMK - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,

INFORMATION AND HISTORY ABOUT CENTURION

Centurion (previously known as Verwoerdburg) is an area with 236,580 (2011 Census) inhabitants in Gauteng Province of South Africa, located between Pretoria and Midrand (Johannesburg). Formerly an independent municipality, with its own town council, it forms part of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality since 2000. Its heart is located at the intersection of the N1 and N14 highways. The R21 also passes through Centurion.

The Waterkloof Air Force Base, as well as the Swartkop Air Force Base (which includes the South African Air Force Museum) are located in Centurion.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion,_Gauteng

INFORMATION AND HISTORY OF HARTBEESPOORT DAM

The original owner of the farm ‘Hartbeespoort’ was General Hendrick Schoeman. A cross in his memory is visible on a small hill on the Johannesburg side of the dam. General Schoeman’s farm now rests beneath the waters of Hartbeespoort Dam. Early work on the dam began around late 1895. Construction was on and off over the years up until 1923 when a young engineer took over the building of the wall. The Dam was constructed in 1925. The Crocodile and Magalies Rivers led into the Dam and complete capacity is 205 million cubic metres and its shoreline, when full, is about 56km.

The Hartbeespoort Dam was built as an irrigation dam for the surrounding agricultural areas. The Dam Wall is the only example of a Roman Triumphal Arch Styled Wall in South Africa.

Hartbeespoortdam is the second most-visited destination in South Africa.

Surrounded by the majestic Magaliesburg Mountains, the dam is a very popular weekend getaway.

Air-ballooning, browsing flea-markets, visiting the aquarium, the private zoo, the snake-park, a breath-taking trip up the mountain on the cableway, these are just a few of the many activities guests will enjoy at this splendid destination.

There is an aquarium, private zoo, a snake park and a cableway. Explore and discover the scenic beauty, entertaining attractions, fun activities and places of interest of Hartbeespoort Dam

TEAM BUILDING IN HARTBEESPOORT DAM

INFORMATION AND HISTORY ABOUT CONSTANTIA PARK

Constantia Park is a suburb in the city of Pretoria, South Africa. It borders other upmarket areas like Garsfontein, Waterkloof Glen and Lynnwood Glen.

Constantia Park is positioned near the N1 highway and major shopping malls Menlyn Park, Menlyn Ratail Park, coffee bars, restaurants and cafés. It is the site of Constantia Park Primary School and lies only 6 km from the University of Pretoria.

Constantia Park is an up-market suburb with modern homes

Both the Groenkloof Nature Reserve, a green space right in the heart of the suburbs of Pretoria with a network of hiking and mountain bike trails, and the Rietvlei Nature Reserve, one of the world’s largest urban nature reserves, are close enough to warrant an outing.

Constantia Park is also fairly close to the Waterkloof golf course, the Zwartkops golf course, and the Wingate park golf course, making Constantia Park an obvious choice for the golf club fanatic.

INFORMATION AND HISTORY ABOUT GARSFONTEIN

East of the city centre of Pretoria is the neighbourhood of Garsfontein which is only 3 kilometres from Menlyn shopping centres in Pretoria. Access onto the N4 and N1 is effortless.

The Rietvlei Nature Reserve is within easy distance of Garsfontein with 3000hectare and plenty of game.

Woodhill Golf Estate, an 18-hole championship course not only hosts the South African PGA Championship but also provides a distinct and challenging golfer’s game and is situated in Garsfontein.

INFORMATION AND HISTORY ABOUT HATFIELD

Hatfield is a suburb in Pretoria, South Africa with a high density of students and student accommodation due its proximity to the University of Pretoria's main campus. Hatfield is home for one of the majour campuses of University of Pretoria.

Hatfield also houses one of the main stations for the Gautrain, South Africa's premiere mass rapid transit railway.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatfield,_Pretoria

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution

INFORMATION AND HISTORY OF LYNNWOOD

Lynnwood is a suburb of the city of Pretoria, South Africa. It is a well-developed area, lying to the east of the city centre. When it was first established in the 1960s, it was the most eastern suburb of Pretoria, but the city has since considerably expanded eastwards and southwards.

Together with Brooklyn and Menlo Park, it was most likely named after American counterparts. Today these suburbs are known as the old east and boast to have some of the city’s most high-end residential properties.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynnwood,_Pretoria

INFORMATION AND HISTORY ON MENLYN

Set just off the N1 highway in amongst Pretoria's other more sought after eastern suburbs.

Menlyn lies between Atterbury and Garsfontein Roads, neighbour to Faerie Glen, Garsfontein and Waterkloof Glen. The Melrose Arch-style collection of Green Star SA-rated commercial buildings known as Menlyn Main marries flats, shopping areas and a business district in a new trendy 'precinct'.

Menlyn Park Shopping Centre is a shopping mall in Pretoria, South Africa, with a total floor space of 118 253m². It is situated at the corner of Lois Avenue and Atterbury Road close to the N1 Johannesburg - Polokwane Highway

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menlyn_Park

INFORMATION AND HISTORY OF RIETFONTEIN

Rietfontein lies a few kilometers to the north-east of Pretoria’s CBD, situated between Waverley to the East and Wonderboom South to the West.

The suburb is bordered in the North by Wonderboom Nature Reserve which occupies the kopje that splits North and South Pretoria.

The suburb is ideally placed for visitors with plans to visit the Roodeplaat Nature Reserve with its many species of birds, or the Bon Accord Dam just a few kilometers to the North.

Waterkloof (Afrikaans for "Water Ravine") is a suburb of the city of Pretoria, South Africa. It is named after the original farm that stood there when Pretoria was founded in the 19th Century. Located to the east of the city centre, Waterkloof is a leafy, established area that is home to some of the city's most expensive real estate. Like large parts of Pretoria, its streets are lined with many jacaranda trees that blossom in a riot of colour during October.

During the apartheid regime in South Africa, Waterkloof was associated with the Afrikaner elite as several high-ranking government officials made their home here. Today it is a highly sought-after area, boasting some magnificent hilltop homesteads on Edward and Victoria Streets that command an impressive view of the South African capital, including the Union Buildings. The suburb bears the imprint of the British Empire as many of its streets are named after British royalty. It houses the Pretoria Country Club which has a fine 18-hole golf course.

Several ambassadorial residences are located in the suburb. It is the home of the noted South African soprano Mimi Coertse, and the location of the upmarket Dube-house in the Academy Award winning film Tsotsi. The main thoroughfares are Crown Avenue, which links Waterkloof with the affluent suburb of Brooklyn, Pretoria to its north, and Albert Street, which runs East-West between the neighbouring areas of Menlo Park and Groenkloof.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterkloof

INFORMATION AND HISTORY OF WAVERLEY

Waverley is situated at the foothills of the Magaliesberg mountains, east of Rietfontein and north east of the centre of Pretoria.

The Wonderboom Nature Reserve which is situated on the kopje just past the gap in the Magaliesberg range is well worth a vist. Famous for the miracle tree that began growing there over 1000 years ago. Today the original wonderboom is a shadow of its former self due to a combination of fire and recent parasite infestation and all that remains is a 5.5 metre diameter trunk, but the tree has rooted a number of daughter trees and the reserve is also home to monkeys, dassies, birds and antelope.

INFORMATION AND HISTORY OF WONDERBOOM

Wonderboom lies just on the other side of the Wonderboom Nature Reserve of the city centre; neighbour to Magalieskruin, Montana and Annlin in the northern suburbs of Pretoria.

Wonderboom is in close proximity to Pretoria's main attractions - the State Theatre, the Kruger Museum, Melrose House, the Pretoria Zoo and further afield the Voortrekker Monument, Smuts House Museum and Freedom Park. The major advantage to staying in Wonderboom, nestled at the foot of the Magaliesberg as it is, is that it is on the main route to the Kruger National Park. Wonderboom also has its very own airport used mostly for light aircraft and the Pretoria Flying Club.

The Wonderboom Nature Reserve should be high on the itinerary list, to catch a glimpse of the incredible wild fig trees after which the reserve is named. Tthe Onderstepoort Nature Reserve is also worth a visit, particularly as it forms part of an area of rehabilitated bushveld and provides some wonderful birding opportunities.