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GPS co-ordinates: S 27° 21.337 E 030° 08.444
PLEASE NOTE: If you are travelling from either Johannesburg or Pretoria, please set your GPS to shortest route rather than fastest/quickest route as it tends to direct via major highways and can add as much as 2 hours to your journey! Happy travelling!
General
Wakkerstroom is situated in a beautiful valley, 27kms from the town of Volksrust. It lies at an altitude of 1760m.
Newcastle and Piet Retief are the closest big towns, both 80km away.
The Wakkerstroom district is a major farming area, with the main crops being maize. Cattle and sheep area the main livestock farmed in the area
Facilities and services in Wakkerstroom
As well as the many tourist shops in the village, Wakkerstroom has a
Total garage; a bakery; 2 butcheries; a bottle store and a Mini Market as well as shops selling building materials, general household goods and foods.
There are 2 delis and a cheese shop, so you can pick up fresh produce such as fruit and vegetables, cold meats, cream, butter, cheeses etc – everything you will need to put together a quick meal!
THERE IS NO BANK IN WAKKERSTROOM, although there is an ATM at the Total Garage and at the Mini Market, and two mini ATM’s in the village. Please note that a few shops in town do not have credit card facilities.
There is a post office, a library, a local municipality and a Magistrates court which function daily from Monday to Friday
Wakkerstroom has a large police station as it houses a stock theft unit covering 800 square kilometres. For this reason, crime in Wakkerstroom is very low.
The is a part time doctor’s surgery open on Mondays from 2.30pm – 5pm
Wednesday 9am – 11.30am every second Friday from 2.30pm – 5pm.
There are 3 full time doctor’s surgeries in Volksrust, a 15 minute drive away.
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There are a couple of local builders, a carpenter, a mechanic and an electrician in the village.
Wakkerstroom has a local hairdresser and beautician, and for fitness fanatics, Callenetics classes are held 3 times a week. Contact Mandie 072 800 5405 There is also a gym in the village. Contact Jan & Jolene 073 373 5905
Please enquire at the Info centre for contact numbers should you require their services.
Clubs in Wakkerstroom
Wakkerstroom Bird Club: Contact John 082 330 3072
Cycling Club: Contact John 082 224 3326
Village Voices: Contact Theodoris 083 307 1229
Wakkerstroom Natural Heritage Association (WNHA):
Contact John 082 224 3326
Bridge Club: Contact Trish 017 7300268
Town Garden Project: Contact Stella 083 629 9517
Walking Club: Contact Diana 017 7300679
The 50 Club: Contact Pat 083 2965163
Church services in Wakkerstroom
The Ned Geref Church has a service every Sunday at 10am in their large church on the village square.
St Joseph’s Catholic Church has services on an irregular basis. Please contact Jesse 083 500 0212 should you wish to attend a service.
There is a Methodist Church in Volksrust, a 15 minute drive away.
There is now an Anglican Church - St Marks - which holds services 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month at 8am. Contact Gwynne.
Wakkerstroom Climate
Wakkerstroom has a varied climate – locals often experience four seasons in one day!
SUMMER:
Days are warm with high temperatures not normally exceeding 28 degrees.
Wakkerstroom is a summer rainfall area with annual average rainfall of 814mm. This, however, creates a perfect climate for the wonderful birding for which Wakkerstroom is renowned.
Heavy thunderstorms and magnificent lightning displays are often seen in summer in the late afternoons/early evenings.
As the weather can be changeable, always bring a jersey, whatever the time of year!
WINTER:
Days are mild and normally sunny, with highs not normally exceeding 18 degrees.
Nights and early mornings can be very cold, with temperatures of -12 degrees being recorded in previous years.
It is not unusual to have light sprinklings of snow in winter, and snow is often seen on the mountain peaks in the area.
Wakkerstroom is dry in winter, with strong winds blowing in August and September.
One of the charms of Wakkerstroom is snuggling up around roaring log fires, enjoy friends, conversation, good food and wine.
“Summer is undoubtedly a better time to visit than winter, for birds, for flowers, for weather – but winter has its own attractions too. Only then does one get the shades of gold and purple in the hills, and this is when the cranes and ibises form flocks”
Wakkerstroom bird and nature guide
By Warwick & Michele Tarboton.
(available for sale at the info centre)
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