Otto Brandmüller bought this farm in Walkerville (south of Jo'burg, between Jo'burg and Vereeniging) in 1934 or so and developed it into a wholesale tree nursery. Who was Otto Brandmüller? He came from Germany and was the tree planter of Vereeniging at around the turn of the centuries 19 to 20. All the trees of Maccauvlei are his doing.They are offering day hikes which we availed ourself of. What was great was that we got the hike for free. The reason was that there was a fire raging on the property and Karen felt it was not proper to ask a fee when we have to walk through burned areas and smell the smoke.
Lunch we had at the overnight huts and it was potatoe salad with things thrown in prepared by me. It was fun sitting in civilised surroundings having lunch from proper plates using knife and fork, and having freshly brewed coffee.And who was along? Lydia, Michael, Allen, Tania, Christopher, Jenny, me.
