Carnarvon

Municipality

Municipality: Kareeberg Local Municipality
District Municipality: Karoo District Municipality

Carnarvon Tourism Bureau

Hanau St
Carnavon

Phone number: 053-382-3012
Fax number: 053-382-3142

Carnarvon is named after the British Colonial Secretary Lord Henry Carnarvon.

Photos: courtesy of Jannie van der Westhuyzen

Attractions

Also see the neighbouring towns

Local flowers and some indigenous wild life can be viewed in the Carnarvon Nature Reserve.

Architecture

There is a local museum with an example of the bee-hive shaped building technique used in this part of the Karoo. This is called the corbelled style, which has been used since the megalithic age. See more on Corbel homes.

Along the R63 route between Carnarvon and Williston there are several corbel homes that are national monuments.

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History

Around 1850 there were tribal disturbances among some African tribes. The Rhenish Mission established a settlement for 110 refugees. In 1860 a village with the name Harmsfontein was established. The name was changed to Carnarvon in 1874 after the British Colonial Secretary Lord Henry Carnarvon . The town became a municipality in 1882.

Economy

Carnarvon is an agricultural centre.

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