Garden Route

Leisure Isle Festival - 7 to 8 November in Knysna
Join us for the 21st Anniversary of the Leisure Isle Festival! Support deserving local charities while enjoying local goods, delicious food, refreshing drinks, and fun activities for everyone!

Stall Holder Applications Open July 1st! Apply online at Leisure Isle Festival Applications. 10% of all stall sales go to local nonprofits and community organisations.
https://www.gardenroute.com/leisure-isle-festival-from-7th-nov-2026-till-8th-nov-2026_event_op_view_id_3895

Follow us or visit Gardenroute.com/event for more events

You asked and we answered!!

Come join us for a beautiful morning walk in the Swartberg Mountain

📅September 5
⌚️9am
📌Ou Tol Pizzeria (Swartberg Pass)
💲R160 per person

Space is limited so book now to avoid disappointment

❓Where can you stand in wonder amongst giants... 🌿✨
George, naturally.

Deep in the indigenous forests of Hoekwil lies a true ancient wonder, the Woodville Big Tree.

Part of the spectacular Garden Route National Park managed by South African National Parks this area is home to the “Grand Old Lady of the forest,” a breathtaking Outeniqua Yellowwood tree estimated to be over 800 years old, as well as many other magnificent indigenous trees, mammals and birds.

Choose your trail.....
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗸: A quick 200m stroll from the entrance Woodville 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿: A peaceful 2.1km circular loop through the indigenous canopy (30 mins to 1.5 hours).
𝗪𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹: A scenic, immersive 7km circular hike deeper into the forest (approx. 3 to 4 hours).

Head to visitgeorge.co.za to discover a world of hikes, trails, and nature-driven activities across George, Hoekwil and Wilderness.

📸 Travelbug Rose

📈 Unlock New Business Opportunities in the Garden Route!

Are you a registered business in the Oudtshoorn or George area? Don't miss the Garden Route Business Growth Symposium – a two-day strategic engagement designed to help businesses grow, connect and thrive.
Hosted by Wesgro, in partnership with SALGA, this symposium brings together businesses, government, industry experts and financiers to explore:

✅ Business growth opportunities
✅ Funding and finance
✅ Regulatory compliance
✅ Market access
✅ Business support services
✅ Dedicated B2B networking sessions

📅 Day 1: 26 August 2026
🕘 09:00 – 15:00
📍 Oudtshoorn Municipal Building

📅 Day 2: 27 August 2026
🕘 09:00 – 15:00
📍 George Town Hall, York Street, George Central

📝 RSVP by: Thursday, 20 August 2026

⚠️ Space is limited, and registrations will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Register here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=POENtB8BckCRjP9_NusIogxRzE9b9ddKlxotIxo35m9UM1FVSDFBV0cyNVNRMUw4UThUNk5MQjlBRi4u

For enquiries, contact Noluthando Saki at [email protected].

Hey Hey Divorce By Schalk Bezuidenhout - Tuesday 20th Oct 2026 in Knysna
Have you ever gone through a divorce? Well, Schalk has! And lucky for you, he has to talk about it. Actually... he NEEDS to talk about it! Why? Because it's cheaper than therapy. That's why!

Raw, real stand-up at its finest. And maybe even a single tear running down the left cheek. This is (hopefully, for the love of all things good) the first and only show about divorce Schalk will ever do, so it is not to be missed!
https://www.gardenroute.com/hey-hey-divorce-by-schalk-bezuidenhout-from-20th-oct-2026-till_event_op_view_id_3894

Topverkoperskrywer Irna van Zyl gesels by Klein Karoo Klassique met Elna van der Merwe oor haar blitslekker krimi “Kanniedood”, wat afspeel in Hermanus en die Klein Karoo.

Speuradjudant Storm van der Merwe en kollega Shirien Niemandt is vroegoggend eerste op die toneel, in ’n eenslaapkamerhuis in Zwelihle digby Hermanus. Op die oog af lyk die bejaarde Gerty Jonas se afsterwe na natuurlike oorsake, maar hoekom het Kai nie by sy ma se lyk gewag nie? En hoekom het hy soos mis voor die son verdwyn?

Die lysie raaisels raak al hoe langer.

📅 9 Augustus 12:00
📍 Oudtshoorn

📚 Lees meer by klassique.co.za/produksie/kanniedood-irna-van-zyl

Boekgesprekke word aangebied deur Human & Rousseau en Kwela.

, word aangebied deur die KKNK, moontlik gemaak deur die Rupert-Musiekstigting en ATKV, met ondersteuning van Le Lude Cap Classique, RSG, Oudtshoorn Courant en Greater Oudtshoorn Municipality.

Living with baboon – how to make life easier

George Municipality is sensitive to the problems our residents experience because of the baboon population in the northern areas of town, but it is also important that all stakeholders work together to find solutions to this complex situation. Residents need to learn to co-exist with the baboons, as we as humans have encroached on the natural habitat of the primates. Baboons are protected under Nature Conservation Ordinance 19 of 1974.

According to primatologist Dave Gaynor, baboons have been in the fynbos ecosystem for millions of years and have been a major population in terms of biomass. If they are removed, it is 100% sure to affect the fynbos. Baboons play a significant role in plant dispersal and reproduction”.

The primates also keep scorpions, snakes, and rats out of the areas where they roam. Research done in Pringle Bay showed that it is clear that baboons play an important role in the ecosystem and that we need them to forage in the fynbos. However, the residential areas and villages can be a tempting alternative with the possibility of high-calorie foods. For example, just half a loaf of brown bread is equal to four hours of foraging in the fynbos for a female baboon, making up her daily nutritional supplement.

There is no option but to deter them as much as possible, because baboons will not be captured, relocated, or put down unless there is reasonable cause for this. Translocations and elimination of problem animals have sometimes yielded satisfying short-term results but rarely solved the problem.

This will still not solve any problem as a male leader will just be replaced by another rival. Further, aggressive responses to problem animals (i.e. shooting, threatening) often result in transferring the problem to neighbours. It has also been reported to increase aggressive behaviours from wildlife towards humans (and between humans), worsening the situation.

It is therefore of vital importance that all involved must keep the baboons from consuming human food by denying them access to refuse and using baboon-proof bins. Residents can even go further and baboon-proof their homes so they don’t raid fridges. When it comes to gardens, preserve the fynbos and cage as far as possible from vegetable gardens and fruit trees. And never feed the baboons directly.

What else can you do?
Living and holidaying in the natural surroundings of the Garden Route means sharing space with wildlife such as baboons and monkeys. When winter sets in and natural food sources become scarcer, baboons and monkeys are more likely to forage in residential areas.

Please review the standard tips around the handling of refuse, food, and other tips.

Residents and visitors can assist greatly by reducing access to potential food sources:
Keep your dustbins closed, sliding doors bolted and windows and doors shut, especially when leaving the house and/or when troops are in the vicinity.

If you want to keep windows open, install burglar bars with gaps smaller than 8 cm.
Do not leave pet food outside.
Do not feed wild birds and animals on the property, as this often attracts baboons.
Do not plant fruit trees, or vegetable gardens or make compost heaps unless they can be caged in or surrounded by electric fencing.

Ends.