The Winterhoek homestead and adjacent wagon shed in Camdeboo National Park near Graaff Reinet are currently being restored to their original condition by the Rupert Historic Homes Foundation. The end product will be a guest house for the accommodation of overnight visitors to the Park.
Prior to the purchase of the farm “Winterhoek” for the expansion of the Park in 2007, the house was used as a homestead from which Dickie van Rensburg and his family conducted their farming operations. Thought be about 160 years old, the original buildings were considerably modified and enlarged in more recent times.
Park Manager, Peter Burdett, says, “Following an architectural assessment of the buildings by Moffat and Whitlock Architects, the historical core of the house and wagon shed were deemed worthy of restoration. This was firstly for its architectural features (which are of regional significance), secondly their importance due to the general scarcity of pre-1850 farm dwellings and finally owing to the fact that the architectural heritage of South Africa’s farms is under threat due to the depopulation of the farms and the seeming lack of statutory building control systems in rural areas.” The report recommended that all additions to the historical core, of which there were many, were of little heritage value and were as such expendable and should be removed, he says.
While a number of proposals were put forward as an appropriate use for this site, it has been agreed to restore Winterhoek with a view to managing it in association with the South African College for Tourism as an up-market visitor lodge. This option fulfills SANParks’ cultural heritage and tourism mandates.
“It is expected that construction will be complete by mid-September, but the opening of these facilities to the public will depend on the capacity of the Park to acquire the required period furnishings with which to outfit the building,” concludes Peter.
