Greytown is very much a farming area - wattle, sugar cane, pine and gum trees. The Voortrekkers laid out this scenic site in the 1850s and it was the birthplace of Boer leader and first Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa, General Louis Botha. Almost a century ago, the liberation struggle for a democratic South Africa began in the town of Greytown with the Bambatha Rebellion.
Interesting buildings include Greytown’s Mosque, built in 1946 to replace the Shri Vishnu Mandir Temple and St James Anglican Church, which has an archway and stained glass windows imported from England. Don’t miss out on a wonderful drive in the Muden Valley, where you will be awed by a collection of aloes and euphorbia trees.
The little known Umvoti Flower reserve lies on the edge of Lake Merthley, just outside town. You may have to tap into insider knowledge to find it though as its location isn’t entirely obvious. If you visit between January and March, you will see the scarce Hilton Daisy, one of more than 100 flowering plants in the reserve while at other times of the year you can view ground orchids and Dieramas.
The Albert Falls Amble markets itself as “the road less travelled” as it is not as well known as its rival, the Midlands Meander. Rather than crafts, this route is more about historical locations, nature reserves and farm stays. There are also lots of outdoor pursuits.
- Greytown mosque
- Umvoti flower reserve
Greytown was established in the 1850s and named after the governor of the Cape Colony Sir George Edward Grey who later became Premier of New Zealand. A Lutheran church was built in 1854. A church bell which was brought to the town for the Dutch Reformed Church in 1861 to summon worshipers. The Dutch and English congregations was the centre of a series of theological arguments and the church bell was stolen and buried, only to be found 74 years later upon the construction of some cottages near the old church. A strikingly designed Town Hall was opened in 1904. In 1906 following a poll tax and other oppressive measures imposed on the Zulus, the Bambatha Rebellion took place.
