Aug
2014
Bonnievale was founded around the railway station that was built to serve the farmers in 1922. To describe Bonnievale as picturesque would be doing the town no justice as it is surrounded by some of the Western Cape’s most spectacular mountains namely the Langeberg Mountains which rise in the north-east and the Riviersonderend Mountains in the South-West.
The region did not always look this lush with plantations of deciduous fruits and vineyards. The irrigation system to farmers has been a hundred year effort which has placed Bonnievale on the map with its unique chardonnay wines and this is in part due to the lime rich soil in the region.
Samora Biko is the son of the political activist Steve Biko. The relevance of this translates to something unique for Bonnievale in that the Biko Family Trust has been into wine making and stock farming for a while. There is a collaboration between the families in a BEE business venture namely the Jonker family which is well entrenched in producing wine and the second part of this collaboration being the Biko family. Jonkheer is a name synonymous with Bonnievale and Samora has found a beneficial collaboration in this new venture.
The Rigg family which has its origin in Scotland found its roots in Bonnievale and a church was built in what can only be described as a deep love for Christianity and devotion.
Myrtle Rigg, the daughter of Christopher Rigg and Lillian Isobel, contracted meningitis around her 9th birthday. She had a very strange request while on her death bed, she requested her father Christopher build a small church in the town of Bonnievale.
Looking at the dates of the construction and consecration of the church this must have been a Labour of love. The church was constructed close to Myrtle’s favourite playground in the lucerne fields nearby. The first cornerstone was laid in 1921 and the completion it seems took all of 3 years and the first Anglican service commenced in 1924. A whole 11 years had lapsed since the tragic death of Myrtle but Christopher held his promise.
On a positive note, the town enjoys scores of national and international visitors and there are lodges catering for all.
Visit this beautiful town and you may fall in love with the serenity and absolute beauty of nature.
Take a tour of tons like Bonnievale courtesy of the MyRoof website. There are properties on offer for every need.
