Ermelo is an educational, industrial as well as commercial centre, surrounded by maize, cattle, wool and sunflower farms. Anthracite, coal and turbinate mining also take place here.
Ermelo boasts magical beauty and this spectacular area with several nearby dams affords visitors the opportunity to enjoy numerous adrenaline pumping water sports, fishing, swimming and bird watching. Game viewing can also be enjoyed in the Ermelo area.
For an historical experience of the area, there are a few ruins of the Leghoya Stone Hut settlement dating back to the 14th century, which can be found and explored on the Tafelkop Mountains. In addition, there are a few fascinating San paintings located on the Welgelegen farm.
The region has much to boast about in terms of cultural, natural and geographic attractions. Ermelo is often used as a base by those wanting to explore the surrounding region, such as the stone circle ruins of the Bakoni people near Machadodorp, the Bonnefoi ghost town that was home to the internationally-acclaimed Everard group of artists and the bushman rock art of the Thiqwa Caves (also known as La Rochelle Caves).
Two of South Africa’s most famous musicians come from Ermelo, namely Jennifer Ferguson and the late Lucky Dube.
- Fishing
- Birding
- Game viewing
- Adrenaline sports
- Rich history
- Tafelkop mountains
- Stone circle ruins
- Bonnefoi ghost town
- Thiqwa caves
Ermelo was established on the site of a church built in 1871 by the Reverent Frans Cachet.
The site was named after his loyal friend from a town named Ermelo situated in the Netherlands. Ermelo was for a long time, used as a stopover place for wagon trains travelling between Lydenburg on the Mpumalanga Escarpment and KwaZulu Natal.
The area was well known for its excellent horse breeders and small livestock. Unfortunately, Ermelo was totally destroyed during the second Anglo-Boer War. Since then, it has been rebuilt and has again become the focal point of the Eastern Highveld.
