Country South Africa District Cape Winelands Established 1853 Area 23.5 km² Area code 023 Number of airports 1 | Province Western Cape Municipality Langeberg Postal code (street) 6705 Population 27,715 (2011) Local time Monday 6:58 PM | |
 | ||
Weather 33°C, Wind S at 10 km/h, 30% Humidity | ||
Robertson is a town in the Western Cape Province of South Africa known as the valley of wine and roses, at the heart of the wine route - Route 62.
Contents
- Map of Robertson South Africa
- History
- Tourism
- Hiking Trail
- Wine Industry
- Skydiving at Robertson
- Robertson Airfield
- References
Map of Robertson, South Africa
History
The town was founded in 1853 and named after the Scottish Dutch Reformed Church Minister, Dr William Robertson.
Situated in the fertile Robertson Valley, farming and wagon building were the town's original industries. However, after the Second Anglo-Boer War of 1899, the wagon building industry collapsed when the railways took over the transport of all goods.
Robertson subsequently became famous for its ostrich farming, but this industry collapsed as well shortly after World War I and thus the farmers of the area turned to wine and fruit farming. Later, several successful racehorse stud farms were founded. Agriculture remains the mainstay of the town's economy up to the present day.
Tourism
Tourism has grown in recent years and the town has several Western Cape provincial heritage sites, such as the Pink Church (1859), the Museum (1860), the Edwardian-style house 12 Piet Retief Street (1904), the Victorian-style house 59 Van Reeneen Street (1914) and the Powder House (which was used as a store for gunpowder).
Hiking Trail
The Arangieskop trail is a circular route, starts and ends at Dassieshoek nature reserve. The first day of 11 km climbs to the top of Arangieskop (1620 m) where there is also an overnight hut. The second day of 9.5 km returns via a different route.
Wine Industry
The wine industry in Robertson has grown from less than 25 cellars in 1995 to more than 50 registered wine cellars as of today. There are a number of wine cellars that receive the highest awards both locally and internationally every year. Some of the best Robertson wine cellars include:
Skydiving at Robertson
Western Province Sport Parachute Club (WPSPC) - Skydive Robertson, founded in 1972, is the oldest remaining skydiving club in South Africa. In July 2008 the club relocated to Robertson.
WPSPC operates from the Robertson Airfield on weekends and public holidays and facilitates tandem skydiving and student training, and provides a facility for sports skydivers.
The 2011 South African National Skydiving Championships was hosted by Skydive Robertson and held at Robertson Airfield. This is the first time the national skydiving championships has been held in the Western Cape.
Robertson Airfield
Robertson Airfield is an unmanned airfield, with a 1 600 meter asphalt runway, situated 1 km to the east of Robertson.