From Stone Age people to modern day hikers

The Melville Koppies is a nature reserve almost in the heart of the city and gives residents the opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and take in the beauty of nature.

According to Lucille Davie, author of A Journey Through Johannesburg Parks, Cemeteries and Zoo the reserve was proclaimed a nature reserve in 1959. The walking trails in the reserve takes people past three-billion-year-old rock formations. The Koppies is the last conserved remnant of Johannesburg’s ridges as they were before the discovery of gold in 1886.

It is clear that Early Stone Age people roamed the Koppies, because of the stone tools found in the nature reserve. “Middle Stone Age people followed in their footsteps, roaming the ridges and valleys of Johannesburg for some 200 000 years,” said Davie. They lived in camps along the Witwatersrand.

In 1963 an iron-smelting furnace was excavated by Revil Mason, a retired professor of research at Wits University’s Department of Archaeology. The furnace can still be seen today. Wendy Carstens, chairperson of the Melville Koppies Management committee said that they host regular hikes for school groups, university students and interest groups.

“Wits University has been involved in the Koppies since 1922. They extracted specimens of all the plants in the reserve over the years,” said Carstens. She added that she has created a CD range telling people the history of the Koppies as well as the archaeology, geology, plant and flower growth as well as information on the Westdene Spruit. These CDs are available when people go for hikes at the Koppies.

Details: Wendy Carstens, 011 482 4797

Related articles:

Alberts Farm – more to be discovered