Sannieshof is a small train stop and farming town in the middle of the North West Province’s maize farming belt, it lies surrounded by the four towns of Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp, Mahikengand Vryburg. The a vast rural area called: the ‘Stellaland' (Star Land) or Platteland (Flat Land), and is known for its massive bank of grain silos and plant nurseries. It started as a post office to serve the farms in the district and was named in honour of the first postmaster, John Voorendijk's wife Sannie.

Sannieshof is very small community, but well worth a visit if you are driving through the the North West on the N14, to enjoy the local hospitality, food and a few other delightful little surprises, in this small close knit town, before visiting the Barberspan Bird Sanctuary only 30km away, between Sannieshof and Delareyville.
Sannieshof is 70km south-west of Coligny on the N14. Look out for huge grain silos!

The first thing that strikes you about the leafy garden suburb of Yellowwood Park, just 14 kilometers from Durban, is that the majority of the roads are named after birds - Lark Lane, Kestrell Road, Wren Way - and that, as these may well indicate, this is a birdwatcher’s paradise, particularly with the Kenneth Stainbank Reserve well within its parameters.
Bordering on Chatsworth and south west of Durban, Yellowwood Park has a real sense of village life. The Community Hall or civic centre is a beautiful Cape Dutch building that is for hire for weddings and various other occasions, and the suburb is almost tranquil with its park-like surrounds. The Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW), based in Yellowwood Park and on many a junior school’s list of educational places to visit, cares for injured and orphaned wild animals and birds - most of their injuries due to human negligence. Not to mention the Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve, one of the most beautiful areas of coastal ravine forest and bush clump grassland mosaic still remaining in the greater Durban area, has some wonderful trails, picnic sites and the chance to see local birds, zebra and buck, some of them around the small dam just down from the car park.

The Barberspan Bird Sanctuary is a huge 2000 ha body of water located between Delareyville and Sannieshof. The Reserve is a pioneer in ornithological research. Bird Life South Africa has declared it an important national birding site. Given then that it is also a RAMSAR Convention-accredited wetland of international importance for migratory birds and waterfowl, it is well worth a visit. The pan is the focal point of a provincial nature reserve and is fed by the Harts River. Barberspan's terrain is flat and grassy and sometimes seems rather bleak, but its rich and varied birdlife makes it an ideal study area.
The pans, which are fed intermittently by the Harts River, are an important drought refuge for waterfowl which arrive in numbers from the surrounding pans to wait out the dry season. Barberspan and the adjacent Leeupan, connected by a shallow channel, are over 4 000 ha in extent comprising shallow alkaline waters ideally suited to the many species which favour such conditions.
The area around Barberspan is undulating grassland and agricultural land, leaving the pans largely undisturbed. Certain areas on the pans are designated for anglers to enjoy excellent fishing opportunities for carp, barbel and yellowfish.
Boating opportunities are offered and a number of photographers hides are available. Bird-watching from a canoe (bring your own) is rewarding. The reserve is flat and its grasslands support black wildebeest, springbok, blesbok, zebra and ostrich as well as smaller mammals including jackal, porcupine, yellow mongoose and ground squirrel. Summer is the best time to visit the reserve.
The Barberspan Bird Sanctuary is probably unique in South Africa, for the sheer numbers and variety of birds to be seen on the pans. 365 species have been recorded, including a number of rare migrants, making Barberspan an essential stopover for all birders. Pelicans and flamingo, grebes, terns, herons, cranes, ibis and bitterns to mention just a few. All but one of the South African duck species have been recorded at the pans.
Directions
The reserve is open daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Barberspan is signposted from the N14 which links the small towns of Delareyville and Sannieshof.

This Historical Town in the vast North West Province has a rich History that is deeply rooted in South African Culture.

It was founded in 1913, after the tragedies of the Anglo-Boer War, and was named after General Koos De la Rey. Today, it continues to be an important hub for farming and for the production of salt. The little Town of Delareyville and the surrounding Farms are occupied by fewer than: 2 000 permanent residents. The Area is an integral part of South African Agriculture. Here, sorghum, groundnuts, maize and sunflowers are the main crops. The farming of cattle and sheep is also common here.

The community’s farming methods are progressive which keep Delareyville, among those in the forefront of the South African Agriculture Industry. The salt pans, with their iconic pink colouration, are a hotspot for flamingos. These elegant pink birds gather in their hordes to feed on the salty little snacks in the pan’s waters.

Delareyville boasts a number of tourist attractions in and around the Town Centre. These include: • The Dutch Reformed Church – this is a National Monument, perched on the main street. • A round of golf at the Delareyville Golf Club. • Facilities for playing tennis, bowls, and netball. • Barberspan Nature Reserve – just 15 kilometers from the Town. 'This is a stunning spot to enjoy excellent bird-watching and fishing, as well as boating'. • The Henk Joubert Game Reserve – home to a number of antelope species (including kudu and springbok), as well as ostrich and zebra. • The Rooiwal Monument – (this is dedicated to some of the burghers who died during the Anglo-Boer War.) • Gestoptefontein – an old house with plenty of Historical import. • An Olympic-sized swimming pool for visitors that want to keep active (and cool). Delareyville is less than 100 kilometers South-West of Lichtenburg and just over 80 kilometers North-East of Vryburg. It takes about 3.5 hours by car from Johannesburg and its International Airport, to this Agricultural hub.