The famous fig tree of Fig Tree Creek
Before there were roads, filling stations or cafés, one giant fig tree became the most famous stop on the journey to Barberton.
Royal Albert Hall was once the beating heart of Barberton's gold rush
The Royal Albert Hall opened its doors on July 17, 1887, at a time when Barberton was flourishing as one of South Africa's richest goldfields.
Jock of the Bushveld: History, memory and the making of a legend
For more than a century, readers have followed the adventures of Percy FitzPatrick and his loyal Staffordshire terrier, Jock, through the wild landscapes of the eastern Transvaal.
Transport riders and ox-wagons of the De Kaap Valley
Before railways and proper roads, everything that sustained the De Kaap goldfields arrived by ox-wagon.
FitzPatrick's years on the wagon roads of the Lowveld
Before Jock of the Bushveld made him famous, Percy FitzPatrick spent years as a transport rider on the rugged wagon roads linking Barberton to the coast.
How the rush for riches changed the De Kaap valley forever
In 1884, everything changed. Before there was a gold rush, there was a valley. Before there was Barberton, there were communities.
Bornman family helped shape the De Kaap Valley
Among those early settlers were the Bornmans of Bornmans Drift, a family whose history became closely intertwined with the development of the Barberton district.