Skaife’s Barn
Skaife’s Barn is located next to the Buffelsfontein Visitor Centre, in an accessible area frequented by visitors, providing both an interpretive focal point and a connection to the park’s conservation history. Its proximity to the visitor centre makes it an ideal site for educational and heritage engagement. It was built in tribute to Sydney Harold Skaife (1889–1976), a pioneering entomologist and conservationist whose work was instrumental in the establishment of the Good Hope Nature Reserve in 1939, the precursor to Table Mountain National Park. Skaife’s Barn is found within the fynbos dominated landscape of the Cape Floristic Region, a globally recognised biodiversity hotspot. The surrounding area is characterised by indigenous vegetation, walking trails, and open spaces that reflect the natural and managed environment of the park.
The significance of this building is linked with his legacy that contributed to the establishment of what was then called Good Hope Nature Reserve, declared in 1939. He also established the Wildlife Protection and Conservation Society, now called the Wildlife Society of Southern Africa (WESSA) – thus laying the foundations for modern conservation initiatives in South Africa. Sydney Skaife, who had been born in London on 12 December 1889, arrived in Cape Town in 1913. He died on 6 November 1976 in Hout Bay. The barn stands as a symbol of Skaife’s legacy, commemorating his contributions to environmental education, species protection, and the development of South Africa’s conservation movement. Today, it serves not only as a historical monument but also as a place for visitors to reflect on the enduring impact of early conservationists on the preservation of Table Mountain’s unique natural and cultural heritage.
GPS Waypoints: 34°18'52.9"S 18°26'59.0"E