Doornhoek Guesthouse
The Doornhoek guesthouse is a Victorian-style building which is defined by three en-suite bedrooms, overlooking the Doornhoek dam. It was originally built in 1838 by then owner Hendrik Jacobus van Heerden and is believed to be the first farmhouse in the area. The house was declared as a National Monument in 1986 under the then National Monuments Act of 1969 that was administered by the National Monuments Council (Novellie 1987; Van der Merwe 1988).
The Doornhoek guesthouse, currently being used for tourist accommodation, is situated about 5 kilometers south-west of the main Mountain Zebra Rest Camp. It is nestled in a rural, semi-arid setting. While occupied by tourists, the house suffered a fire that caused significant damage in 2013. It was successfully renovated and re-opened for business once again two years later in 2015.
Local building materials such as stone and timber were likely sourced from nearby, illustrating practical adaptation to the geological resources of the Mountain Zebra region. The surrounding landscape features rolling plains and sparse vegetation dominated by hardy grasses and shrubland adapted to dry conditions and rocky terrain.
Near the guesthouse is another historic building known as the Doornhoek milk stall – which provided a structured approach through which cows were milked and milk was stored. The presence of a milk stall indicates traditional dairy farming, a key aspect of small-scale agricultural livelihoods. There is a bell located in front of the Doornhoek house and is believed to have been run to call servants to the main house.
GPS Waypoints: 32°14'27.0"S 25°27'16.3"E