De Aar: Railway History, Culture and Leisure

De Aar can be explored through several distinct themes: its role as a railway junction, Olive Schreiner’s years living there and the history of St Paul’s Anglican Church. There are also leisure activities, such as golf, a visit to the weather station by prior arrangement and paragliding launch sites at the airfield. First consider which themes you would like to include in your stay.

De Aar as a railway junction

De Aar is an important railway junction, with around 110 kilometres of track and 29 tracks. The town was regarded as South Africa’s second most important railway junction.

Historical connections in De Aar

Olive Schreiner lived in De Aar from 1907 to 1913. These dates place her stay in the early 20th century and give the town a biographical point of reference. Another historical thread leads to St Paul’s Anglican Church: the church was built in 1894 and is one of only three buildings in De Aar with full heritage status. Its year of construction therefore predates Schreiner’s time in De Aar.

The Anglo-Boer War is also part of the church’s history: it was used by British soldiers during the war. A stained-glass window commemorates British soldiers. The year it was built, its historical use and its commemorative window offer different perspectives on the same building. Together with Schreiner’s years in De Aar, they provide two distinct ways of approaching the town’s history: a personal connection and the story of a building.

Leisure and planning your visit

An older municipal tourism description places De Aar Country Club just outside town and mentions an 18-hole golf course with gravel fairways and grass putting greens. The fairways and putting greens differ in both function and surface: the fairways are gravel, while the putting greens are grass. If you would like to include golf in your travel plans, check in advance whether the course is currently in use.

An older municipal tourism description mentions visits to De Aar’s weather station by prior arrangement. Plan your visit for an agreed time and check in advance how visits are currently organised.

An older municipal tourism description mentions paragliding launch sites at De Aar airfield for all wind directions. If paragliding is important to your trip, check whether the sites are currently in use before making plans.

Planning your stay in De Aar

The topics mentioned differ in how they factor into your plans: Schreiner’s years in De Aar and the church’s year of construction are historical reference points; a visit to the weather station requires an appointment, while you should check in advance whether the golf course and paragliding launch sites are currently in use. Consider which aspect will shape your stay, then use it to guide your search for a hotel in De Aar.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Britstown, Douglas, Noupoort, Constantia, Kleinberg, Victoria West, Hanover Road, Carnarvon

Back to the main travel overview: Pixley Ka Seme.