OUR STORY

The recorded history of Koedoeslaagte dates back to the Great Trek. The Koekemoers and Van Vuurens were part of the Battle of Blood River on 16 December 1838. The Voortrekkers thereafter left the Republic of Natalia (Kwazulu-Natal today) and settled in the Eastern Free State and Transvaal. Great-grandfather Van Vuuren settled here on Koedoeslaagte along the Vaal River. Because of his part in the Battle of Blood River, the then Commission of Monuments honoured him by covering his grave with this commemorative stone.

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One of Great-grandfather Van Vuuren's daughters married Gottlieb Rudolph Koekemoer and she inherited this part of the farm where the Koekemoers live today. The ruins of the original farmhouse is still here at Die Ou-plaas.

 

During World War II, Johannes Gerhardus Koekemoer (Hannes), was born right here on the farm. Since there has been no commercial farming here since 1971 we are left with a bushveld wilderness ready to be explored. The Vaal River is the source of live on the farm and Koedoeslaagte boasts a 1 km river front with a network of rapids, pools and islands. The farm also features its own mountains and interestingly it was here on this mountain where geologists in the 70's studied the possibility of a meteorite being responsible for the mountainous landscape in the midst of the pan-flat Northern Free State and Northwest. Koedoeslaagte is now proudly part of the UNESCO Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site.

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The newly found Koedoeslaagte Trail Park & Venue aims to offer visitors an unique opportunity to enjoy this famous crater and wilderness.