Scottburgh

Scottburgh

Scottburgh Beach
Scottburgh
Scottburgh
Scottburgh

 Scottburgh shown within KwaZulu-Natal

Coordinates: 30°17′S 30°45′E / 30.283°S 30.750°E / -30.283; 30.750Coordinates: 30°17′S 30°45′E / 30.283°S 30.750°E / -30.283; 30.750
Country South Africa
Province KwaZulu-Natal
District Ugu
Municipality Umdoni
Established 1860[1]
Area[2]
 • Total 23.80 km2 (9.19 sq mi)
Elevation 19 m (62 ft)
Population (2011)[2]
 • Total 11,403
 • Density 480/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[2]
 • Black African 27.7%
 • Coloured 3.0%
 • Indian/Asian 22.0%
 • White 46.8%
 • Other 0.6%
First languages (2011)[2]
 • English 68.0%
 • Zulu 16.0%
 • Afrikaans 11.2%
 • Xhosa 2.1%
 • Other 2.7%
Postal code (street) 4180
PO box 4180
Area code 039

Scottburgh (pronounced scott-burra) is a coastal resort town situated on the mouth of the Mpambanyoni River (confuser of birds), 58 km south of Durban on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast in South Africa. Neighbouring towns include Pennington, Renishaw, Freeland Park, Umkomaas, Sezela, Bazley, Amahlongwa, Clansthal, Park Rynie and Dududu.

History

Named after Natal Colony Governor John Scott and in 1860 it became the first township to be laid out south of Durban, but was initially known as Devonport. Scottburgh then became a very promising port as well as a new attractive location for sugar farms and sugar mills. In about 1850 the town started to attract immigrants especially from the United Kingdom, known as the Byrne Settlers. They came to take advantage of the good harbours, both locally and at Durban, and to export their sugar both internally and externally. Scottburgh became a municipality in 1964.

Beaches

An aerial view of Scottburgh from a microlight
Pilot Noel McDonogh flying by the Save the Sharks
Picture taken by Noel McDonogh from WOW Flight School, Umkomaas

Scottburgh Main beach along with Pennington and Park Rynie have been awarded blue flag status as of the 2014/15 summer season. Scottburgh and Pennington are both very popular for tourists to make their way to the beach. Scottburgh along with the two hotels and many B+B's is also home to an award winning caravan park and camping ground. The summer season sees many tourists from the inland flock to the beaches of the South Coast.

Geography

Scottburgh is a bay situated on the South Bank of the Mpambanyoni River, a short river that culminates in a lagoon. It is one of the best geographic examples of a bay on the South African coast. Mpambanyoni mouth has fluctuated in surface area and volume dramatically over the years, largely due to the frequent droughts, occasional cyclones, and other extreme weather conditions that can affect KwaZulu-Natal.

Scottburgh can be separated into neighbourhoods: Scottburgh Central (north), Scottburgh South, Freeland Park (which is situated on the north side of the Mpambanyoni River).

Most notorious of the above-mentioned cyclones was Cyclone Demoina of 1984 and the floods of 1987, which resulted in widespread flooding and infrastructural damage, including the destruction of the Old Main Road bridge from Durban and Umkomaas.

Education

Scottburgh has a number of educational institutions, including pre-primary schools, a co-ed primary school, and an English medium co-ed high school.

Scottburgh Pre-Primary [Head Mistress: Carol Baikie], Hilltop Pre-Primary [Head Mistress: Nancy Scheepers {Finished Office in 2013}] Casa di Montessori Pre-School [Head Mistress: Natalie Kalamoudacos]

Scottburgh Primary (Grades 1-7), http://www.sps.org.za/. Mr Tom Robertson retired on 27 February 2015. He had been the principal at Scottburgh Primary School for 26 years. Gayle Armstrong is currently acting principal from 2 March 2015. Scottburgh High School (Grades 8-12) http://www.scottburghhigh.co.za/ [Head Master John Cafeteiro]

Umdoni Christian Academy (Grades R-12) http://umdonica.co.za/ Scottburgh Primary School in 1925

Wildlife

Wildlife found regularly inside the township includes snakes, skinks, geckos, numerous insects, millipedes, bushbuck, mongi, and most famously, large numbers of vervet monkeys. Genets have been sighted, and there are occasional unverified spottings of civets and similar small felines and cat-like mammals. Birds are abundant, perhaps the most noticeable being the raucous and much-loved hadeda ibis. The Indian mynah is widespread but regarded as a pest due to its habits of defecating in public restaurants and eating areas and pillaging the nests of native birds. This bird has presented similar problems in other areas in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The sardine run is also visible from the shores of Scottburgh and its surroundings most winters. The umdoni and Strelitzia are the best-known trees specifically associated with Scottburgh and its environs.

Famous inhabitant

Well-known people associated with Scottburgh include Dr T.C. Robertson, world-renowned conservationist and author; former Springbok rugby player Joel Stransky and the late conservationist Tony Pooley.

Economy

Scottburgh is also particularly renowned for its large surfing community. Superior waves are to be found along the coast, especially during the winter months. Popular spots include Green Point, Pennington, Kelso, Scottburgh and Rocky Bay. Many other perfect breaks along this coast can be found. Surfers and bodyboarders from around the world come for surf trips around the south coast, and would visit Scottburgh in particular for its worldwide surfing reputation.

However, one appeal of Scottburgh beach is its grass-covered banks leading down to sandy beaches, which have made it a popular holiday resort for holidaymakers for many years.

Most Scottburgh residents work for small local businesses or the state sector, while larger industries are located in the nearby towns of Umkomaas, Umzinto, and Sezela. A number of residents also commute to work in Durban and nearby parts the wider eThekwini metropolitan area such as Amanzimtoti and Kingsburgh.

North of the Mpambanyoni lies the suburb of Freeland Park, largely residential but also possessing the Cutty Sark Hotel and a river populated by juvenile and adolescent crocodiles. These crocodiles are also the product of the 1987 cyclone, when infant crocodiles escaped from the nearby Crocworld theme park. South of Scottburgh proper, and separated from it by the Country Club, Golf Course, and a considerable expanse of bush, is Scottburgh South, and a few kilometres inland lies the sugarcane farming hamlet of Renishaw, most well known for its chapel.

See also

Geographical location

 Durban 58 km (36 mi)
Pietermaritzburg 96 km Indian Ocean 0.3 km
   Scottburgh  
Hibberdene 41 km

[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Chronological order of town establishment in South Africa based on Floyd (1960:20-26)" (PDF). pp. xlv–lii.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Main Place Scottburgh". Census 2011.
  3. ↑ SA Explorer Scottburgh distances
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