History of the Karoo National Park : SANParks September 15th, 2017

Some Interesting History of the Karoo National Park

During the late 1950’s a local farmer and avid birder, William Quinton, campaigned for a conservation area in the Beaufort West vicinity.  However, it was only in the 1970’s that South African National Parks (SANParks) proposed the establishment of a National Park that would be representative of the Nama Karoo Biome. The South African Nature Foundation (SANF), funded through the commission and sale of specially illustrated art stamps, campaigned to make this happen.

As a gesture of support, the Town Council of Beaufort West made a donation of 7209 hectares of communal land to SANParks. In May 1976 the SANF bought a farm, “Stolshoek”, and together with the land from the Town Council, the area then formed the heart of the Karoo National Park. The Park was proclaimed on the 12th September 1979 and officially opened by the then Prime Minister PW Botha. SANF purchased additional land to be incorporated into the Park and in 1989 a luxury rest camp was opened.

Visit SANParks website for more information ... This article and more are available within the new Karoo National Park official guide books