Oude Wellington Overview & Comments

Overview & Comments

Oude Wellington was originally known as Onverwacht, meaning "un-expected" in Dutch. This rings true, because unexpectedly a green valley opens before you when entering the Wamakersvallei (valley of the wagon builders) at the foot of the Hawaque Mountains. Its slopes extend to the farm. First buildings date back to 1790 and was allocated to Johannes Jacobus van der Merwe, an immigrant from Holland. The town of Wellington (named after the Duke of Wellington) developed only later with the steady growth of new immigrants that were heading towards the Karoo with their ox-wagons and all their possessions.

The mountains stopped the trek until the wagons were taken apart for the difficult passage across the passes. A small industry of wagon builders settled at the foot of the mountains. Hence, the valley was dubbed Wamakersvallei until Mr. Bains, a British engineer, built the Bainskloof road across the pass. In the following decades the renamed Wellington received city-rights and grew fast to almosy reach today's size