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Spring has sprung, and it feels like the year is running downhill fast. So quickly that I just realised that this travel mailer is a week late already.

This month, we look at:

• The newly rebuilt Storms River suspension bridges have reopened

• Take flight at the SA Airforce Museum in Port Elizabeth

• Stretch your legs on the Ouberg Hiking Trail outside Middelburg Karoo

• Discover the town’s history at the Humansdorp Museum

Hope you enjoy this month’s travel info mailer.

Regards, Jonker

If there is something that you would like to see featured in our monthly travel mailer or have any suggestions, please drop us an email at jonker@fireflyafrica.co.za

Storms River suspension bridges reopened

After extensive renovations, the three suspension bridges at Storms River Mouth in the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park recently reopened.

Jacky de Vos built the original suspension bridge over the river mouth in 1969. It is 77 meters long and is suspended only 7 meters above the ocean.  The two “new” bridges on the approach to the main suspension bridge were built in 2009. All three bridges have now been redesigned and rebuilt, and they look really stunning.

SA Airforce Museum in Port Elizabeth

The Port Elizabeth branch of the South African Air Force Museum is a fascinating stop for anyone interested in aviation, military history and the story of South Africa’s skies.

Located on the southern side of Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport, the museum occupies part of the historic site of the former 42 Air School, established during the Second World War as part of the joint RAF/SAAF Air Training Scheme. The original Air Gunnery Training Centre now houses many of the museum’s displays, while an original Bellman hangar is used for aircraft restoration.

Visitors can see an impressive collection of historic aircraft and aviation memorabilia, including a Mirage F1CZ supersonic fighter, de Havilland Vampire, Atlas Impala, Aerospatiale Puma and Alouette III helicopters, North American Harvard trainers and an Airspeed Oxford undergoing restoration. Displays also include aircraft engines, military equipment, photographs, models, uniforms and other fascinating pieces of South African aviation history.

The museum is more than a collection of old aircraft. It is a living heritage project, with dedicated volunteers continuing to restore aircraft and preserve the stories of the men, women and machines that shaped South African military aviation.

Ouberg Hiking Trail – Middelburg

The Ouberg Hiking Trail outside Middelburg Karoo was recently spruced up with new signage, trail markings, a bench and even a yellow selfie frame. The 3.1km trail around Ouberg Koppie starts at the parking on Heuwel Street at the Bowls Club / Caravan Park. The trail is marked with yellow feet, with three viewpoints along the way. The selfie frame can be found at the third lookout with the beautiful Renosterberg in the background. You will also find the Memorial Stone at the Driefontein Cemetery on the trail.

Humansdorp Museum

Did you know Humansdorp itself dates back to 1849, when local farmer Matthys Gerhardus Human donated a portion of his farm, “Rheboksfontein,” for the establishment of a Dutch Reformed Church congregation, giving rise to the town that bears his name?

The town has since grown from a small farming settlement into the diverse hub it is today, complete with shops, restaurants, businesses, and its own museum.

The Humansdorp Museum has been preserving that story for decades. It was originally founded in 1985 by the Humansdorp Museum Association, and after nearly 40 years at its original Bureau Street home, the museum relocated to its current, much larger premises at 46 Voortrekker Road — fittingly opening its doors to mark 175 years since Humansdorp’s founding.

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