CHARMING AND CENTRAL

On the eastern the slopes of Devil’s Peak, Rosebank is accessible, has a mixture of housing stock, is close to UCT and good schools, and has the green lung of Rondebosch Common

DEFINED by three landmarks – Rondebosch Common, the Liesbeek River and Mostert’s Mill – Rosebank is a central suburb rich in history and natural treasures.

Set on the lower eastern slopes of Devil’s Peak, it is a vibrant haven reflecting the cosmopolitan city that Cape Town has become, providing a unique living space for scholars, students, academics, active families and senior citizens.

Rosebank’s outstanding characteristic is its centrality, says Linda Gibson, Knight Frank property consultant for the area. “It’s close to highways leading in every direction. Access is easy and public transport, both the southern suburbs train line and buses, is within in walking distance of the entire suburb.”

Much of the land on the mountain side of the railway line and Main Road belongs to UCT with the rest of the suburb bordering on Rondebosch and Mowbray.

“Properties in Rosebank are so sought after that when one comes on to the market it is quickly sold,” says Gibson. “Finding my own home here when I moved from Joburg was very lucky.

“Rosebank has a friendly communal spirit, a robust neighbourhood watch and active community care organisations such as Friends of the Liesbeek and Friends of the Rondebosch Common. I love living here.”

Stretching from Rhodes

Drive below UCT all the way to Campground Road and the edge of Rondebosch Common to the east, Rosebank is divided in half by Liesbeek Parkway, the Main Road and the railway line. Below the parkway you’ll find a mixture of blocks of flats and detached houses; many of the residences in this area are occupied by UCT students.

Proclaimed a national monument in 1961, the common was originally used as a military camp (hence the name of Campground Road, which borders one side of the common). It was here early Dutch farmers rallied before the decisive Battle of Blaauwberg in 1805, and troops were regularly stationed here, even up until World War II.

As housing encroached over the decades, stealing the land piece by piece, the open area steadily decreased until only the current 40ha remained.

Those hectares are, however, an important conservation area for the endangered Cape Flats sand-fynbos vegetation, which exists only in Cape Town. A few patches of renosterveld and a seasonal wetland host a hugely varied biodiversity for such a small area, and this piece of land also protects 110 species of bird, as well as small mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

Leading schools such as Bishops, Rustenburg and others are “just around the corner”, says Gibson. “Newlands cricket and rugby stadiums and Hartleyvale are 3km away as are Vincent Pallotti hospital and Rondebosch and King David Mowbray golf courses.”

The Cape Town offices of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – South Africa’s premier scientific research and development organisation – and the South African Bureau of Standards are also located in Rosebank.