Port Shepstone

Municipality

Municipality: Hibiscus Coast Local Municipality
District Municipality: Ugu District Municipality

Port Shepstone Tourism Bureau

Museum
Port Shepstone

Phone number: 039-682-2455
Fax number: 039-682-7337
Email: Email inquiry
Web: See the website

Port Shepstone is named after Sir Theophilus Shepstone of the Natal government of the 1880s

Attractions

Also see the neighbouring towns

There is a lighthouse of 27'000 candlepower. The Banana Express, a steam train, offers pleasure trips to Izotsha station (2,5 hours roundtrip) and Paddock (6 hours roundtrip).

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History

In the 1860s marble was found on the north bank of the Mzimkulu River. Some folk settled here and attempted to open the river mouth for shipping. William Bazley succeeded and from 1880 ships could sail in onto the river. The harbos was used for transporting marble, sugar and lime to Durban. In 1882 a town was laid out. A group of 246 Norwegian immigrants settled here in that year. After the opening of the railway in 1901 the harbor fell in disuse. Today the river has silted up again.

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