Nature's Valley, and the surrounding Coastline, was occupied by Old Stone Age or Paleolithic, 1 Million Years ago. Paleolithic man lived in the Area in caves and under overhangs, collecting food in the tidal zone and hunting for a rich variety of wildlife. Various glacial periods interrupted this coastal occupation, San hunter-gatherers lived in this Area from about 10,000 years ago until they were displaced by Khoikhoi herders from the interior about 400 years ago the Qua and later the Houteniqua (Strandloper) peoples lived here.
After the completion of the Groot River pass by Thomas Bain in the 1880’s, three families settled in the Valley. Later, Hendrik Barnardo became the sole owner of all the Land, which he then farmed. He allowed the first holiday shack to be erected in 1918 and in 1936 sold about 250,000 square metres to a syndicate of nine families. A Township was declared in 1953. Electricity was connected only in 1986. Today the Village comprises the original 426 erven with 397 houses, the majority being wooden structures. The nearest other small Community is in Covie, on the beautiful fynbos covered Plateau 8km to the East, where about one hundred live. Natures Valley is flanked by an escarpment on one side and the Indian ocean on the other side and it forms part of the Tsitsikamma National Park and the Mouth of the Groot River at the bottom of the Groot River Pass.

Having been established in 1912, this is the oldest gold mining Town in the District. The Town was a group of Farms with one central Church. However, when gold was found in 1946, Odendaalsrus earned its place on the map, attracting a number of settlers who wanted to be a part of the Gold Rush. This is where the richest Gold Reef in the World, was discovered. In 2000, it was incorporated into the Matjhabeng Local Municipality, with the City of Welkom. There are a number of gold Mines in and around Odendaalsrus.
The farming Community continues to grow and develop, making for beautiful Landscapes, at 1,344 M Above Sea Level. Although it only obtained Municipal Status in 1912, Odendaalsrus remained little more than a Village until 1946, when the highly profitable goldfield was discovered 3 km away, North West of Odendaalsrus. It is bounded to the East by Jeanette Gold Mines, Limited. The former Riebeeck Gold Mining Company, Limited, was amalgamated with Loraine in 1958 and forms the Southern portion of the property. Since the discovery of the World's richest golf reef on the Farm; 'Geduld' in 1946, the local Economy has revolved around mining activities! Odendaalsrus gives artists and art lovers the opportunity to express themselves freely. It is a Town where Culture and Religion plays an important role in everyday life!

Pearston, in common with many of the small town and villages scattered across the Great Karoo, had its origins as a parish of the Dutch Reformed Church. Since 1850 parishioners would gather in the shade of a large pear tree on the farm Rustenburg, owned by Casper Lotter, to celebrate communion. The minister of the church in Somerset East travelled the 48-kilomtres, over the Bruintjieshoogte to celebrate Communion. In 1858 a notice to establish the Village was published in the 'Kerkbode', which is the official publication of the Dutch Reformed Church.
The church would buy a suitable Farm, subdivide it into lots, reserve some of the plots for its own purposes and then offer the remainder for sale to defray the cost of purchasing the Land and the building of a Church.

Although the Pear tree was significant in the history of Pearston it was not named after the tree but rather after the much loved and respected Reverend John Pears a Minister of the Presbyterian Church and a school teacher. Pears was born in the Scottish village of Duns in 1790 and accepted a call to the Presbyterian Church in Cape Town arriving at the Cape in 1829. He was approached by the Dutch Reformed Church in 1836 to join their Church. After a spell in Holland to learn Dutch he was dispatched to Somerset, later renamed Somerset East, as Minister. He remained in Somerset East until his death in 1866.

The management of the Church of the new village of Pearston was short-lived and in 1861 the town management board acquired all the rights to manage the village from the Church for the sum of £1,000. Pearston was proclaimed a municipality in 1894.

The story of the Huguenot Memorial Museum is quite fascinating, and lends the Building and its contents a certain charm and intrigue. In the 1700’s, the Saasveld Building was the home of: Baron Willem Ferdinand van Reede from Oudtshoorn, who built it in 1791. His Estate was in what is now the heart of Cape Town at the foot of Table Mountain and Signal Hill. However, in 1957, the Dutch Reformed Church won the appeal to demolish the Building (to replace it with a youth hostel), despite its History and Heritage ties. So, it was decided to move the entire structure, numbered brick by numbered brick, to another location-alongside the Huguenot Monument in the nearby Village of Franschhoek! Each brick was placed precisely where it had been in the original Building, which was designed by famous French Architect, Louis Michel Thibault. 

“That was part of the deal. The resurgence of (what would one call it?) Afrikaans awareness, language, who we are. We had a terrible past. We had to get over that. Somehow either bury it and start anew - I don’t know - or try and understand what had happened. Identity was probably the main thing. We didn’t even know it, but that was what we were doing. We were identifying ourselves.” - Martie Meiring

It took ten years to complete entirely, and the museum was reopened in 1967! The exhibition includes original silverware, furniture, bibles, and even documents. There are lovely Gardens at the Huguenot Memorial Museum, and visitors are invited to bring along a picnic basket and enjoy the loveliness of Franschhoek, which is one of the main Towns of the Cape Winelands! The Huguenot Memorial Museum is open seven days a week, and offers its visitors the opportunity to learn about: French Huguenots before their arrival in South Africa; the challenges they faced getting here; their lives and customs and the effect they had on modern South African Culture! His estate was in what is now the heart of Cape Town at the foot of Table Mountain and Signal Hill. However, in 1957, the Dutch Reformed Church won the appeal to demolish the building (to replace it with a youth hostel), despite its History and Heritage ties.

This Historic Town, is a living Museum with a vibrant 'Street Culture'. The Town has a variety of soils and locations ideally suited to flourishing of a wide variety of grape cultivars. This has seen Stellenbosch continue to dominate the South African wine scene in terms of quality. With the growing acceptance of South African wines globally, Stellenbosch remains at the forefront of growth in the wine Industry. "Discover and explore the more than 150 Wine Farms and Estates where both connoisseurs and novice wine-drinkers can enjoy the fruit of the vine. Sample award-winning wines, relax and drink in the atmospheres of the Winelands." The Stellenbosch Winelands, have undisputed Gourmet Capital, offers something for all tastes. From the most discerning of diners to those who enjoy relaxed honest hospitality or celebrating the best of 'local is lekker'. Or do some Outdoor Activity by participating in one of Stellenbosch's many Hiking Trails.

Stellenbosch is the second oldest Town, in South Africa, has fondly been called ‘Eikestad’, which is Afrikaans for; 'City of Oaks'. The Streets are also lined with some of the most beautiful surviving examples of Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian Architecture in the Cape. 'Dorp'-(Afrikaans meaning town)  this Street is a National Monument and taking the time to walk around this old part of Stellenbosch, with its secluded lanes, water furrows, cosmopolitan restaurants and coffee bistros, with superb views of mountain, vineyards and orchards, is an idyllic morning venture.

The name ‘Stellenbosch’ is almost synonymous with the wine industry. Not only does it have the oldest wine Route in the Country, and arguably the most famous, but the Town has one of the most modern experimental Wineries in the World. The only Viticulture and Oenological Department in the Country, are at its University. Stellenbosch hosts South Africa’s, oldest Music School, the famous Stellenbosch Conservatoire and there is a collection of Galleries and Museums housing National and International art collections worth viewing.

For the nature lover there are a number of excellent hikes in the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. The full-day Vineyard Hiking Trail, a fairly new, 24 kilometre long trail, starts on the slopes of the 'Papegaaiberg' Mountain and winds its way through Vineyards, Forests, Olive Groves and the Coastal Renosterveld.

While many of the Historical Buildings are close by and it is possible to discover some of Stellenbosch, on foot! The Toy & Miniature Museum is situated behind the Information Bureau and is the only one of its kind in South Africa! Close to Market Street is the Town Square, known as 'Die Braak'. The Braak (Village green) in Stellenbosch is an open Area about the size of two rugby fields. It borders 'Bird Street' which on one side has modern shops and offices while on the other, the History surrounding the Braak! The first Building we come across on the Northern side of the green is 'St Mary's Church', which was built in 1852 and is an example of the type of Cape Dutch Architecture that was in fashion in the 1850's. To the West are a number of Buildings and the most interesting is the old VOC 'Kruithuis', which was built in 1877. Kruit is the Afrikaans and Dutch word for gunpowder and ammunition and this Building was used to store, the local supplies for the Dutch East India Company. Its round roof is not thatched like all the other Buildings of that era but is built of bricks to protect the ammunition stored in it! Outside its Main Gate are two Cannons, that date back to the 1800's as well! In the old days the 'Kruithuis' was on the outskirts of the Town but, due to the growth of Stellenbosch, it now finds itself in the Centre of the Town.

On the Southern side of the green is the lovely old Rhenish Church which dates back to 1823. It was built by Missionaries and was inaugurated, on the 5th February 1824. The Northern wing which faces 'Die Braak' and was added in 1840. "A very interesting fact is that the two Church bells, which hang close by in the Church Garden. Both of them still have their bell ropes so are obviously rung on Sundays, to invite worshipers. The lettering on the bells is in German, so they must have been cast in Germany and brought to South Africa!"

Also to be found, on the Braak is the P J Olivier Art Centre which Houses an Educational Centre for the Arts. Most of the old Buildings around the Braak have been declared National Monuments and as such are not allowed to be altered in any way!