History

Just Bee Retreat has been developed on Spoelklippies Farm in the Donkerhoek valley of the Kwena Basin, between Lydenburg/Mashisheng and Machadodorp in the Highlands Meander Region of Mpumalanga.

Spoelklippies Farm was originally used for winter grazing by a sheep farmer from Belfast and it came into the Simpson family when Cath’s father bought it in 1969. As a retired building contractor he developed the roads, house, dams and extensive infrastructure including a farm school for the Sotho families who have lived here for generations. Cath then bought the farm in 1989 when it was put to use growing plants for the wholesale nursery and in 2000 it was developed as an adventure guest farm.

Just Bee Retreat came into being in 2010 after requests to use the facilities for group get-a-ways. It was decided to introduce the flavour of a retreat as the area offers an extraordinary opportunity to experience pristine Africa, magnificent surroundings, huge diversity of flora and birds with many elusive wild animals and wonderful ethnic people who live a traditional, rural life. The opportunity is to allow yourself to become grounded, out of the chaos of man-made civilisation and to ‘Just Bee’.

History of the Kwena Basin

This is the area between Chomse se Hoogte Pass and Witklip Pass on the R36 between Machadodorp and Lydenburg. The Kwena Dam is in the centre of this area, which extends to the surrounding mountains forming a natural boundary.

KWENA is the Sotho name for crocodile and is taken from the Crocodile River, which rises on top of the mountains by Dullstroom and flows into the Kwena Dam and out to the Schoemanskloof Valley and Nelspruit.

The Kwena Basin Conservancy was formed in 2000, but it became clear that to conserve it is first necessary to educate the community so they can understand the issues. Consequently the Conservancy became involved with local education particularly of the 5 farm primary schools. Fund raising events are organised of which the Kwena Basin Fly Fishing Challenge has become a prestigious annual event.

A Kwena Basin Police Forum was also initiated comprising the police and local inhabitants and it has been successful in addressing crime. The Inspectors take active interest in the area and we have a caring community where we respect each other’s differences and live harmoniously together.

This led to the Kwena Basin Community Forum which has representatives from all the different groups such as church leaders, farmers, labourers, teachers, property owners, government representatives etc. and this powerful group is building the foundation for a great future for all in the Kwena Basin.

HISTORY in the surrounding areas.

The Kwena Basin has seen many exciting events throughout the ages of history. Excerpt from the Highlands Meander booklet by Marion Moir (our local historian).

“The timeless ages of nature created a wealth of diversity in the Highlands Meander region. From the almost treeless savannah areas of the Highveld to the spectacular rock formations of the escarpment, the valleys formed by rock upheavals millions of years ago, add to the special uniqueness of the area.

Signs of stone age and iron age are to be found in the region. Hunter gatherers gave way to agriculturalists and pastoralists and rock engravings are dated to the pre-colonial period from the 16th to 19th centuries. Archaeologists have identified areas where ‘rainmakers’ and their people lived while traces of terraced mountainsides together with milling stones indicate that agriculture was practised here as early as 700 A.D.

Mzilikazi, who became known by his Sotho name, Moselekatze, moved north in 1823 to escape Shaka’s wrath. He attacked and looted local tribes, including the Koni people who lived at Motomatsi, where Dalmanutha is today. They were uprooted by Moselekatze and resettled at Blaauboschkraal, where ruins of their strange fortress built from stones still stands. Moselekatze’s reign of terror was short lived and in 1824 he moved out of the area.

It was 1834 when the Voortrekkers began moving from the Cape to escape British rule and another 20 years before they started settling in this area. A school was built in Lydenburg in 1851 and a Church in 1853, both now National Monuments. The town of Belfast was laid out in 1890 and Dullstroom was proclaimed in 1891. Waterval-Boven and Machadodorp both came into being with the arrival of the railway line in 1894 to open the Elands Valley through to the Lowveld.

In June 1900 the British thought that the 2nd Anglo Boer War was over and moved to Bergendal (near Belfast) to take out the last of the Boer forces. Tactical errors on the part of the English, and the Boers decision to fight a guerrilla war meant the war was not to be over until May 1902. Remains of Blockhouses can still be seen today on the Machadodorp / Lydenburg road and in the Elands valley. “