"Sutherland is not a holiday destination and that is one of the best reasons for going there"                                                                                                     - Going Nowhere Slowly.

Sutherland Observatory & S.A.L.T

PLACES OF INTEREST

Tel: 023 571 1444   |   e-mail: whitehouse@africaunplugged.co.za

Louw Museum

Salpeterkop Volcano

Dutch Reformed Church

Probably one of the most important reasons why anyone visits Sutherland can be found 18 km outside of the town in the direction of Fraserburg, the largest telescope in the Southern Hemisphere namely SALT (Southern African Largest Telescope).

Sutherland is the birth place of the two very famous poets and writers N.P. Van Wyk Louw and W.E.G. Louw. One can only relate in Afrikaans to try and understand their passion for the town and its people. The Louw museum houses several items of interest such as the old lykswa which was used from 1912 to 1950 and is really worth a visit

The church was named after the Worcester minister at that time - Ds Henry Sutherland - in 1855. It was designed by Charles Freeman who also designed the Standard Bank in Cape Town and the Dutch Reformed church in Graaff Reinet.The building contractor was John Delbridge. Building started in 1899 and was completed in 1901.

On route to the observatory, one will find Salpeterkop, the last active volcano south of the Equator some 66 milion years ago. It lies at a height of 1767 metres above sea level. An intensive study was made by the University of Cape town in the early 1970. They found traces of 77 minerals and only one Barite was worth exploring.