Great Brak River (town)

Great Brak River (Afrikaans: Groot-Brakrivier) is a coastal village in the Mossel Bay Local Municipality in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is a historic village built around the lagoon of the Great Brak River, 17 kilometres (11 mi) north-northeast of the town of Mossel Bay.

For the river, see Great Brak River (river).

Great Brak River Groot-Brakrivier
Great Brak River Show map of Western Cape Great Brak River Show map of South Africa
Coordinates: 34°02′33″S 22°13′53″E
Country	South Africa
Province	Western Cape
District	Garden Route
Municipality	Mossel Bay
Area [1]
• Total	22.06 km^2 (8.52 sq mi)
Population  (2011)[1]
• Total	10,619
• Density	480/km^2 (1,200/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011) [1]
• Black African	5.3%
• Coloured	66.8%
• Indian/Asian	0.5%
• White	24.6%
• Other	2.7%
First languages (2011) [1]
• Afrikaans	90.8%
• English	5.4%
• Sotho	1.1%
• Xhosa	1.1%
• Other	1.7%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	6525
PO box	6525

History

The town was founded by the Searle family of Surrey, England, of which the elder brother, Richard (originally a labourer), emigrated to South Africa under a government-sponsored scheme in 1845. He arrived in Great Brak River to work for the Central Road Board in 1850.[2] Richard's brother, Charles, and sister-in-law, Pamela, are credited with founding the village in 1859. The Searle family went on to become toll keepers (toll houses were operated by private contractors during the 1800s), and would establish shopping, accommodation, shoe-making and timber businesses in the village.

Modern day

Today, Great Brak River is chiefly a holiday destination, with beaches and the lagoon providing the major attractions. The island residential area is linked to the mainland by a single lane bridge. Other highlights in Great Brak River include a local history museum,[3] historic buildings built between 1852 and the mid-1930s, the Wolwedans Dam, and a restored power station dating back to the early 1900s. The 4-star Botlierskop Private Game Reserve[4] is the biggest commercial attraction in the Great Brak area, along with several small shops and restaurants located in the town center. The 250 year old shoe factory of Bolton Footwear,[5] originally started by the Searl family, is still in operation today in Groot Brak River and is one of the primary employers in the town.

Getting there

The town can easily be reached by vehicle using the N2 national highway that runs through the town. Great Brak River is halfway on the N2 between Mossel Bay to the west and George to the east. The nearest commercial airport is 15 km away at George International Airport to the east.

References

1. "Main Place Great Brak River". Census 2011.
2. The Story of Great Brak River, Margaret Franklin, 1975, reprinted 2009, C. Struik Publishers, Cape Town. ISBN 0-620-01619-1.
3. Visit Mossel Bay | Great Brak River Museum | Blog Archive | Mossel Bay Tourism Accommodation Mossel Bay Real Estate Mossel Bay Restaurant Hotel Resort Mosselbaai
4. Botlierskop
5. http://www.bolwear.co.za/about/ Bolton Footwear