Queenstown, Eastern Cape

Queenstown is a town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It was founded in early 1853 by the direction of Sir George Cathcart and is the commercial, administrative, and educational centre of a prosperous farming district.

The layout of Queenstown reflects its original objective as a defensive stronghold for the frontier area and has a most unusual design. There is a central hexagonal area where canon or rifle fire could be directed down 6 thoroughfares radiating from the centre. The canon sites have now been replaced with gardens and a central fountain was the dominant feature. A striking abstract sculpture replaced the fountain as part of the town's 150th anniversary.

Queenstown lies on the Komani River which forms part of the Great Kei system of rivers and has a refreshing climate and plentiful water supply from the surrounding rugged mountains. The water is collected in Bonkolo (named changed from Bongolo recently) Dam, set in the hills, used extensively for recreation and watersports. Each year, around the beginning of June, the town holds an art exhibition with the emphasis on paintings and sculpture. Perhaps inspired by some of the most interesting Bushman paintings in nearby caves, which are accessible to the visitor.

Close to Queenstown is a nature reserve (Lawrence de Lange Game Reserve)with numerous antelope, white rhinoceros and spectacular flowering plants together with panoramic views from the mountain summit.

Queen's College and Queenstown Girls' High School are secondary schools located in Queenstown.

The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Queenstown.

Geology

The Queenstown area is located in the Burgersdorp formation of the Takastard sub group, in the upper beaufort group triasic in age in the karoo super group. The lithology is red mudstone 1-10m rich layers and surb ordinate 1m-2m rich sand stone layers deposited by meandering rivers in the flood plain in an oxidising environment gradually filling the Karoo basin. The formation reaches thickness of 600m in the Queenstown and Lady Frere area(S.gcobo). Numerous Dolerite dykes and ring structures intruded the area creating good localities for ground water exploration.

External links

* [http://www.airport-images.com/airport_UTW_QUEENSTOWN_SOUTH_AFRICA Aerial view of Queenstown showing limits of early hexagonal fortifications]