Sunland

Description

Sunland is a small farming community situated just 12 kms from the malaria free Addo Elephant National Park.

Many of the accommodation establishments in this area are situated on working citrus farms, off the main R 336 to Kirkwood, and on which farms export quality oranges and lemons are harvested for the overseas market.Guests are therefore able to benefit from seeing this important local agricultural activity in Progress.

The area incorporates the local citrus pack-house, on the main road ( R 336) through to Kirkwood, where the fruit is prepared for the international market. Local farmers can be seen at this central point where their needs are provided for by the Sundays River Citrus Co-operative.

The Lookout is situated a few kilometres off the R 336. At this point is situated a memorial to Sir Percy Fitzpatrick. He established the Sundays River Settlement Company which encouraged people to settle in this area. There is an outstanding view of the Sundays River Valley from this point.Sir Percy Fitzpatrick is also the author of the famous book Jock of the Bushveld. As a young man, and prior to his settlement in the Sundays River Valley, he was involved in prospecting for diamonds and gold in Mpumalanga.This book chronicles his adventures with his little Staffordshire bull terrier, Jock who is buried in the Kruger National Park under a huge monument.

The amazing irrigation system of this area was the brain child of Sir Percy Fitzpatrick who unfortunately did not live to see it go into operation. His idea was to channel water from the Orange River , six hundred kilometres away from Sunland, into this arid area thus enabling agriculture to flourish here, as it does today, providing employment for the many local people.

A tribute to the man is the Sir Percy Fitzpatrick Library which attends to the reading needs of not only the local residents but also involves itself in the social responsibility of providing reading matter, through mobile libraries, to the underpriveleged people of the valley.

Situated at the entrance to Sunland is the Addo Polo Club, the first club of this kind to be established in South Africa. This activity was a priority of the early settlers arriving from England who wanted to establish a bit of 'old country'.

Many of the magnificent homes in this area date back to the early 20s and 30s.