Helderberg Nature Reserve

Helderberg Nature Reserve was proclaimed in 1960 and is managed by the City of Cape Town and Cape Nature. It is about 286 ha in size. The Reserve comprises an indigenous garden and the southern slopes of the Helderberg Mountain. The biome consists mostly of mountain fynbos, but the higher mountain slopes include rocky gorges and gullies. The banks of the Disa River have marginal vegetation and tree cover.

Facilities include a picnic site, toilets, and information centre located near the Entrance Gate. There is no fixed restaurant at present but a coffee van and sandwich van often operate. The garden near the Reserve entrance is always busy with birds and a number of interesting species including Fork-tailed Drongo, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Malachite Sunbird, Cape Batis, Cape Sugarbird, Speckled Mousebird, Cape Spurfowl, Bar-throated Apalis, Cape Bulbul, Cape Grassbird and Yellow Bishop can be found.

Various small dams in the garden support waterbirds such as Yellow-billed Duck, Spurwing Geese, Red-knobbed Coot and Common Moorhen.

Moving further up the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain, one finds Karoo Prinia, Grey-backed Cisticola, Bokmakierie, Southern Double-collared Sunbird, and Cape Sugarbird amongst the fynbos vegetation. In the moister, denser vegetation, the clear repetitive call of the Victorin’s Warbler can be heard.

Further up the slopes look for Cape Siskin, and at the base of the rocky areas look out for Ground Woodpecker and Cape Rockjumper.

The forested gullies reveal species such as Olive Woodpecker, Cape Batis, Lemon Dove and African Olive-Pigeon. Protea Canaries may also be found on the edges of forest patches and amongst proteas. In the reed clumps it is possible to see Fynbos Buttonquail and Striped Flufftail in damp grassy areas, although they are extremely rare. Red-chested Flufftail and Chestnut-vented Tit Babbler have recently been recorded. Also visiting Fairy Flycatchers.

Raptors such as the African Goshawk, Rufous-chested and Black Sparrowhawk may be seen regularly in the garden areas. Higher up on the slopes occasional sightings of Verreaux’s Eagle, Booted Eagle, Jackal Buzzard, African Harrier-hawk and Black Harrier have been recorded.

Directions: To find the Helderberg Nature Reserve from Cape Town, take the N2 towards Somerset West. On approaching Somerset West, turn left onto the R44 towards Stellenbosch. At the first set of Traffic Lights, turn right into Main Road. At the fourth set of Traffic Lights turn left into Lourensford Road. From Lourensford, take a left into Hillcrest Drive, right into Reservoir Road and then left into Verster Avenue.

A small fee is payable at the gate. If you are going to visit regularly, you can join the Friends of the HNR for a reasonable annual fee which allows free entry to you and your vehicle. Ask at the information centre (open daily 10am to 4pm) or visit the Friends website at www.helderbergnaturereserve.co.za