Welcome...

Hello everyone - just a quick note before we dive into the beauty of the Camdeboo. I have never been big on statistics as most of the time they can be manipulated to show anything one wants them too. However, one of our regular visitors requested that I show the website statistics as he feels it would be encouraging for everyone to see just how many people from all around the world are interested in our town and its news. Seems like we have one of the more dynamic websites in the region and for the smaller country towns in general. For this I must thank all of our regular contributors - without you all, there would be no dynamic website here - Thank you all for your efforts and a great job done! I have included rudimentary statistics at the foot of this home page but I will try to better integrate it into the existing structure over time and include other interesting statistics like which countries our visitors come from...

Situated in the delightful Camdeboo Plains of the Eastern Karoo on the N9 between Graaff Reinet and the Garden Route, Aberdeen offers history for the mind and peace for the soul. The district is renowned for its wool and mohair, being the largest mohair producing area in South Africa. The town has an extremely healthy climate, a restful and rural atmosphere, unpolluted air and unequalled starry night skies. Aberdeen was founded in 1856. Named after the birthplace of Rev. Andrew Murray in Scotland, it was originally a farm called "Brakfontein". The deeds to the land were signed by Lord Charles Somerset in 1817. Aberdeen is a declared architectural conservation town and a veritable repository of styles including Victorian, Georgian, Karoo, German, Gothic Revival, Russian, Art Nouveau and Flemish Revival. Excellent examples of the ostrich baron dwellings can be seen. Strolling through this historic town one is able to discover its rich heritage. Today Aberdeen is a town attracting many newcomers, some of them refugees from the big cities! With the healthy climate and the slow pace of life, the town presents a relaxing panacea for the stresses and strains of modern life.

Calling All Animal Lovers. Yes... YOU! To create an understanding of the status quo and provide some background to this appeal, here follows an extract of an article written by Mr Ray Holdt that appeared in the local Advertiser newspaper on Friday 8 January 2010: Lynn Holdt has been running the Aberdeen Kennels in the belief that promises made by the townsfolk to assist her financially would be fulfilled. However, only one person has honoured their commitment and religiously pays Lynn monthly. It is assumed that promises made by the others obviously don't mean a thing. Like clouds and wind that bring no rain is he who boasts of gifts he never gives. The kennels were to close at the end of November but the SPCA volunteered to give a temporary grant of R500-00 a month. This helped in absorbing some of the overflow of boarders from their kennels over the holidays. As the kennels cannot be run on a single donation, it is obvious that when the SPCA temporary grant ceases, the kennels will close. The talk that the kennels are part of the fabric of Aberdeen is nothing but cheap talk. Come walk the walk with Lynn, putting your hand in your own pocket for the strays of the town, and then we will believe in this fabric. The word "kennels" does not mean 'a place to house animals'. It means 'a place that is in dire need of repairs' and that means serious cash, not promises that are not honoured. Lynn cannot continue working for free and dipping into her own pocket to support the dreams of those, that a kennel will be available when needed. She has to date personally paid for urgently needed repairs (R900). The town has a choice - kennels or no kennels. Don't leave it too long, because orice they are closed, they will be vandalised; never to be used again. The simple truth is that if these kennels close down, there will be no one to care for all the stray and injured animals in the Aberdeen area. A really sad state of affairs to put it mildly. Don't be misled by the word 'kennels' either. Yes, they are at the core of this issue but, as most of the townsfolk already know, Lynn Holdt's welfare work with all types of animals is much more far reaching and includes educating people in the care of their domestic animals and arranging for free sterilizations of animals of the less privileged and extremely cost effective procedures for the owners of pets who can afford to contribute something, to mention but a few. If there's an animal in need in Aberdeen, then Lynn is there. Funding is desperately needed to repair the kennels and maintenance is always an ongoing task. The monthly costs of just feeding the stray and injured animals housed in the kennels is R800-00. Aberdeen Kennels is hoping for a small grant from council but until then and even thereafter, they need help desperately. If you can possibly assist no matter where you live, no matter what the amount, it would be greatly appreciated - every bit counts and the animals are not concerned as to who did what or who gave how much - they (and Lynn) are grateful for anything and everything that helps improve the quality of their lives. Aberdeen Kennels is currently being registered as an NPO but the process can take time. In the meantime any donations can be paid to: Bank: ABSA Bank Account Holder: RW Holdt Account No: 9127826542 Global Branch Code: 632005 (For All EFT Transactions) Reference: ABD Kennels Donation Thank you. We will keep you up to date here as to the progress of the Aberdeen Kennels. Aberdeen Kennels Report - Essential Repairs & Upgrades (Report as at 13-Jan-2010) Repair internal walls and raise brickwork. Replace rotten shade cloth, support timber and cover strips. Replace broken and worn wooden door posts. Excavate water pipe supply to boarding kennels to locate & eliminate poor water pressure/flow. Re-plaster both water furrows where necessary. Re-screed kennel floors where necessary to allow rain water to drain. Replace office door and break up floor - re-screed floor to allow door to open. Demolish and remove collapsing shed. Build three internal dividing walls. Break out walls to accept new doors (gates). Build walkways in front of both rows of kennels. Manufacture & mount four new gates, fit hinges, bolts, padlocks and barbed wire. Materials Required (Not Comprehensive or Complete) Wheelbarrow(s) Hosepipe(s) Brooms Bricks Steel (for gates, hinges & bolts) Cement Padlocks Timber (with fixing materials) Barbed Wire Paint (enamel for steel gates) Costs (Estimated - Minimum) Labour : R4900.00 Materials : R8890.00 Incidentals / Miscellaneous : R450.00 TOTAL : R14 240.00

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Aberdeen Airstrip FAAE S32 28’.00.0" E024 04’.00.0" Elevation: 2462ft (750m) Comms: 124.8MHz Runway: 15/33 731m (2398ft) x 27m (88½ft) Gravel Diary Of Events This website is maintained as a free service to our town. Please drop us an email and let us have all your events for the year.

The name Camdeboo has evolved from a phonetically similar Khoi word meaning "green hollow". The area was described by Hendrik Swellengrebel in 1776 as a triangular piece of land bounded on the north by the escarpment, on the south by stoney, tree-covered hills, the base near Aberdeen and the apex at Bruintjieshoogte, where there is still a farm named 'Slot van Camdeboo'. Cacadu is an isiXhosa name meaning "semi-arid and mountainous". Because of the clicking sound, it reflects the indigenous people who live in the area, who happen to be Xhosa and the Khoisan.

Click here to read the latest news, views and other items of interest on the Aberdeen SA Weblog. Medical Contact Numbers Ambulance (if no repy) 10177 049 846-0799 Dr L.O. Muller Resident General Practitioner 049 846-0618 Dr D. van der Merwe Psychiatrist 049 846-0158 Aberdeen Hospital 049 846-0790 Cacadu District Clinic 049 846-0315 Aalwynhof Retirment Home 049 846-0102 Police Contact Numbers Aberdeen SAPS 10111 Camdeboo Municipality Aberdeen Fire Brigade Electricity Medical Services Engineers Traffic 049 846-0014 Water / Sewage After Hours 072 828-3326 Fire Brigade After Hours 082 578-9869 Electricity After Hours 073 455-3395 Contact Numbers Aberdeen Post Office 049 846-0025 ESCOM Aberdeen 049 847-0016 Aberdeen Kennels 049 846-0277 Aberdeen Senior Secondary 049 846-0353 Banks ABSA Bank 049 846-0182 Standard Bank 086 010 1341