Prieska

Prieska is a Koranna word, Prieskab, which means Place of the Lost Goat.

Attractions

Also see the neighbouring towns

Prieska is located on the southern bank of the Gariep / Orange River, about 130Km west (downstream) of the confluence of the Gariep and Vaal rivers.

Prieska is literally in the middle of nowhere, and the largest town more than 100Km away from other large towns. In between there are many small settlements with names such as Niekerkshoop, Marydale, Copperton, Omdraaisvlei, Putsonderwater.

Ria Huysamen Aloe Garden

A British fort was built from raw tiger eye semi-precious stones during the Anglo-Boer War on the hill overlooking Prieska. Today the hill is the Ria Huysamen Aloe Garden containing a collection of aloes.

Photo: courtesy www.culturalguiding.com

Schumann Rock Collection

There is a collection of semi-precious stones in the Municipal offices, the Schumann Rock Collection.

Bos Nature Reserve

Vegetation in the Bos Nature Reserve consists of dwarf shrubs (chaemaphytes) and grasses (hemicryptophytes) that dominate the region.

Niekerkshoop

Niekerkshoop is a small village with dust roads on the R313 between Prieska and Griquatown. Although this is an arid area, the vegetation is changing from Karoo to Kalahari bushveld. The village lies east of the Asbesberg mountain range, and the Gariep (or Orange) River flows about 15Km east of the village.

Niekerkshoop was founded in 1904 on the farm Modderfontein, owned by the Van Niekerk brothers. The town grounds were bought from them by the town council in 1939.

History

This location was used in earlier times as a crossing point of the Gariep (Orange) River. The Koranna people called the spot Prieskab. Dutch-Afrikaans pioneers also used this location as a crossing point, and some began to settle here.

The Dutch Reformed Church was established in 1878.

The town of Prieska was founded in 1882 and became a municipality in 1892.

Climate

Todays' Weather Report for Prieska

Summers are hot and dry summers. Winters are cold.

Nature

Prieska lies in the WWF AT1314 Nama Karoo ecoregion.

Economy

Main economy is agriculture, sustained by irrigation from the Gariep river.

Farming: Sheep. Irrigated farmlands: maize, lucerne, vegetables, fruit. The area is very suitable for pistachios, olives, figs and pecans.

Mining: tiger eye gemstones, copper, zinc. Prieska is the world's main supplier of tiger eye.

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