Gouda is a little Village just 37 km South of Porterville, at the Western entrance to the Nuwekloof Pass that links Tulbagh to Wellington. "The Town does not produce or, in fact, have anything to do with Cheese. The only Gouda you will find here, is in the local Supermarket!"
But it does have some connection with Gouda, the Town after which it is named, in Holland. The story goes that originally Gouda was a Farm, known then as; 'La Bonne Esperance', owned by three Sisters who had Immigrated from Gouda, in Holland. They donated their Farm to establish a Town, on the provision that the Town, be named Gouda! There are others however, that believe that the name actually originates from the Khoi word meaning 'Antelope' or 'Honey Kloof'. Gouda was once the Rail Terminus, for Porterville, and another Branch Line fed from Porterville to Hermon. Gouda's Residents are predominantly Farmers and Seasonal Workers who work on the grape, peach and banana Farms in the District. Gouda has found itself back on the map by erecting, forty-six 3 MW Acciona Wind power Turbines. This is now known as; Gouda Wind Park. Not only do they supply 138 MW of power to the grid, but this is the first Wind farm to use Concrete Towers, as opposed to Steel. Wind Turbines work on a simple principle: instead of using electricity to make wind—like a fan—wind turbines use wind to make electricity. Wind turns the propeller-like blades of a turbine around a rotor, which spins a generator, which creates electricity. Due to this new Wind Turbine Farm, Gouda's Population has increased according to Census Readings, from 2 574 (2001) to 3 441 (2011).