Mooi River | |
Pushpin Map: | South Africa KwaZulu-Natal#South Africa |
Coordinates: | -29.2°N 88°W |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
Subdivision Type1: | Province |
Subdivision Name1: | KwaZulu-Natal |
Subdivision Type2: | District |
Subdivision Name2: | Umgungundlovu |
Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
Subdivision Name3: | Mpofana |
Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
Established Title: | Established |
Leader Title: | Mayor |
Area Footnotes: | [1] |
Area Total Km2: | 13.76 |
Elevation M: | 1393 |
Population Total: | 17779 |
Population As Of: | 2011 |
Population Density Km2: | auto |
Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
Demographics1 Info1: | 91.6% |
Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
Demographics1 Info2: | 1.0% |
Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
Demographics1 Info3: | 3.5% |
Demographics1 Title4: | White |
Demographics1 Info4: | 3.6% |
Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
Demographics1 Info5: | 0.2% |
Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
Demographics2 Title1: | Zulu |
Demographics2 Info1: | 82.75% |
Demographics2 Title2: | English |
Demographics2 Info2: | 7.8% |
Demographics2 Title3: | Afrikaans |
Demographics2 Info3: | 0.8% |
Demographics2 Title4: | Sotho |
Demographics2 Info4: | 0.8% |
Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
Demographics2 Info5: | 7.85% |
Timezone1: | SAST |
Utc Offset1: | +2 |
Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
Postal2 Code: | 3300 |
Area Code Type: | Area code |
Area Code: | 033 |
Mooi River (Zulu: eMpafana, Afrikaans: Mooirivier) is a small town situated at 1,389m above sea level and 160km from the coast in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The first European settlement in the area was at Mooi River Drift in 1852. This was formally named Weston in 1866 after the first Governor of Natal, Martin West.
In 1879, an Irishman named Alexander Lawrence purchased the Grantleigh farm upstream from Weston, on the banks of the Mooi River. Mooirivier is Afrikaans for "pretty river".
In 1884, the railway line from Durban on the coast, to Johannesburg in the interior, reached the area and was built across Alexander Lawrence's land. He subsequently laid out and established the village of Lawrenceville on his farm, Grantleigh, and so is known as "The Father of Mooi River". In 1921, the village was renamed Mooi River when it was declared a town.
It lies on the N3 national road and rail routes between Johannesburg and Durban.[2] Although the railway station is no longer used for passengers, goods are still being handled there. There is a toll plaza located on the N3 at Mooi River.
Six schools are serving the Mooi River municipal area with numerous others further from town that serve the traditional farm labourer communities. The six main schools are:
The urban economy of the area is currently based primarily on retail entrepreneurship, tourism and supporting the local agricultural community. Previously, the backbone of the urban economy had been Mooi River Textiles which finally closed in 2002 after years of downsizing. The decline of the textile industry is being reversed however with large foreign investment from the Far East.
The rural economy is based on agriculture and tourism. The main farming categories are dairy and equine. Local farmers are supported by the Mooi River Farmers' Association.[3]
Mooi River forms an important part of the Midlands Meander tourism route.[4]