Cultural Heritage

Khoisan scene with Table mountain in the background

Khoisan shell middens

Landing of the British troops at Losperd's Bay (now Melkbosstrand) in Jan 1806

WWII ​Artillery Observation Post

The Blaauwberg Nature Reserve presents a rich cultural and historical heritage of various periods in history - declared a Provincial Nature Reserve on 20 October 2017..

Shell middens dating back to approximately 15 000 years have been observed, indicating early human occupation.  The reserve contains Middle Stone Age and Late Stone Age occurrences, which contribute to the understanding of the occupation of the South-Western Cape by the indigenous groups over time.

The Reserve conserves the site of the Battle of Blaauwberg in 1806, where the British took second occupation of the Cape and retained ownership until South Africa’s independence.  The site includes the landscape where the events around the Battle of Blaauwberg took place, including the iconic Blaauwberg Hill, the battlefield and the site of the field hospital.

Blaauwberg Hill features several buildings constructed during World War II, one of which includes the first radar station built in South Africa.