Drama of landscape sells
Tsitsikamma a ‘very desirable’ destination
When ERA Real Estate’s Jeffreys Bay agent and PrivateProperty.co.za advertiser Albe van der Westhuyzen first arrived in the Tsitsikamma area from the Western Cape, he spent huge amounts of his time driving around to meet and talk to locals.
“In fact, we did a proper survey of the area, because I wanted to know what it has to offer, and why people would invest here,” he said.
It’s an example which any potential investor could take to heart.
The Tsitsikamma area – centred on Tsitsikamma Village (about 70km east of Plettenberg Bay and 160km west of Port Elizabeth) – truly is the garden of the Garden Route. This is where nature has lavished on the landscape her most prodigious gifts for beauty: the high Outeniqua Mountains, the narrow gorges of the Storms and Bloukrans rivers, the enduring mystery of the yellowwood and stinkwood forests, and the spectacular, rocky coastline of an ocean so rich in its diversity of life, so precious to the international community that it was declared Africa’s first marine protected area back in 1964.
Large parts are managed by SANParks – the Tsitsikamma section of the Gar- den Route National Park encompasses more than 80km of the seashore, as well as significant areas of forest and fynbos – and this is appropriate as it’s nature that’s the great attraction of the region.
The local economy is small, and business is confined largely to tourism and farming (and the two some- times meet quite successfully, as at Forest Ferns’ The Fernery Lodge & Chalets).
The local tourism industry has made the best use of the drama of the landscape through products like Storms River Adventure’s Tsitsikamma Canopy Tours, Face Adrenalin’s bungee jumping off the Bloukrans Bridge, the Oudebosch Farm Stall – which also serves as a local info centre – and accommodation at places like the Tsitsikamma Village Inn and At The Woods Guesthouse.
And, of course, according to Van der Westhuyzen, this makes the Tsitsikamma a very desirable destination, and one for which he and other agents in the area re- ceive numerous enquiries.
“However, investors need to know that while prices in the area seem to have fallen in the last year, it also seems that some sellers aren’t in touch with this trend – so they’re not realising the prices they want.”
Nevertheless, he said, the Tsitsikamma offers a good stock of vacant land, small holdings, and farms – and these are the types of properties most buyers are after.
“We’re getting enquiries from artists, writers, pensioners and successful businesspeople looking for a peaceful lifestyle – and I know of a number of people from Gauteng who run their businesses from here via the internet.”
In terms of new directions, Van der WEsthuyzen sees a number of opportunities.
“I think there’s a shortage of affordable accommodation, and a need for a tour guide equipped with a minibus to show small groups and families around.
Van der Westhuyzen currently has 47 investment opportunities listed with PrivateProperty.co.za.