Secret Johannesburg: Paths less travelled

By: Getaway
27 September 2010
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Heritage walks

A cluster of people decked in sunglasses and hats of varying shapes and sizes were gathered in the parking lot of the Children’s Memorial Institute on the Braamfontein Ridge. Our host, a knowledgeable volunteer from the Parktown and Westcliff Heritage Trust, introduced herself and began a tour that took us into many of the ridge’s historical buildings.

Starting with the Children’s Memorial Institute, a one-time hospital and now home to a range of NGOs, our host recounted the history of the building and pointed out architectural details. We visited a memorial hall, honouring soldiers of the former Transvaal who died in World War I, before being shown the measles ward where the ghost of murderess Daisy de Melker apparently glides.

Daisy is clearly as active in death as she was in life because later, when we walked past the women’s jail on Constitutional Hill, we were told it was another of her haunts.

The heritage trust comprises a committed bunch of volunteers who are hell-bent on preserving the city’s old buildings. It holds regular walking tours of historical houses and gardens not generally accessible to the public.

The trust posts a quarterly programme of its tours on its website. Prices vary from about R75 to R120 (discounts for trust members).

Contact: Tel 011-482-3349 on weekdays between 09h00 and 13h00, e-mail parktown@intekom.co.za, web http://www.parktownheritage.co.za.

Stroll Brenthurst’s private gardens

Visiting the Oppenheimer family’s 16-hectare garden in Houghton just below the Johannesburg General Hospital is a soothing, soulful experience of its formal, informal and wild areas.

The garden was redesigned by landscape architect Joane Pim in 1959. These days, the late Harry Oppenheimer’s daughter-in-law, Strilli, is responsible for the grounds, together with head gardener Dawid Klopper and a team of 16 gardeners.

While maintaining the spirit of the original landscape, they have adopted a ‘working with nature’ approach and follow organic principles and a natural style of planting. The public can tour the garden by appointment only. The admission fee is donated to charity and is R100 a person for one to four people, R75 a person for groups of five to nine people and R50 a person for groups of 10 to 30 people. Bookings need to be made at least two days in advance.

Getting there: Heading north on Oxford Road, turn left into Federation Road. Pass under the viaduct, bear left at the roundabout and continue straight to the gates of the estate.

Contact: Tel 011-646-4122, e-mail thegarden@brenthurstgardens.co.za, web http://www.brenthurstgardens.co.za.

More to see in Johannesburg

Secret Johannesburg