Mountainlands Nature Reserve is one of SA's most exclusive wildlife property offerings. Michelle Swart investigates.

A LUXURY safari home development in the 18000ha Mountainlands Nature Reserve, on the outskirts of Barberton in Mpumalanga, is one of SA’s most exclusive wildlife property offerings. Set in secluded valleys with rolling savannah surrounded by mountains, the development is also the first of its kind in the Barberton area.
 
Few exclusive, low impact developments have access to such a vast wilderness area. Mountainlands offers 18 full title 1ha private lodge sites, of which only 12 are still available.
 
All 18 are situated on 1400ha of the reserve which is also the common property of the site owners. All rights have been approved and transfer can take place immediately.
 
The main reason for the low density approach to this development is that ecological studies found the land on which it is situated to be of the most conservation worthy in southern Africa. Mountainlands is already world renowned for its ancient geology dating back more than 3,5bn years, which makes it an attractive study area for geoscientists around the world.
 
Breathtaking scenery, rare butterflies, more than 2800 plant species and more than 300 bird species compete for attention along with zebra, kudu, waterbuck, eland, hartebeest, wildebeest, leopard and jackal. Further large game species are continually being introduced with the first white rhino set to arrive next winter. A secure sanctuary is created by the 90km game fence around the reserve and its status as a proclaimed nature reserve.
 
Each of the 18 sites has been placed to ensure absolute privacy and make the best of the natural attractions. These include crystal clear mountain streams and waterfalls, indigenous forests, spectacular cliff faces, rolling grasslands and panoramic views. The main focus is on a high level of privacy and exclusivity. The tone is set by a unique African and colonial influenced architectural style of a safari home or game lodge with subtle natural finishes to blend into the surrounds.
 
All sites are provided with road access, electricity and bulk water supply. Owners have direct access to the reserve via a 100km network of game viewing roads and 4x4 tracks.
 
“Many people want to have the benefits of owning a piece of nature without having the hassles of managing and maintaining a game farm. Mountainlands offers this on a grand scale of unprecedented wilderness with a lock- up-and-go lifestyle. Professional staff takes care of everything from the conservation management through to the maintenance and cleaning of each lodge. Each site includes a lockup garage at the management complex near the entrance of the reserve, where owners can park their vehicles safely and swap it for their 4x4 game viewing vehicles. And as the owners can design their ideal safari home for up to 12 people, friends and family can be comfortably accommodated,” says developer Nico Oosthuizen.
 
The reserve is in a malaria free area and situated only 5km from the charming town of Barberton with everything from shopping to schools, plus golf courses and a private hospital. It is a 45-minute drive from Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport with direct passenger flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban or 10 minutes from a private airstrip. It is three hours by highway from Johannesburg, making Mountainlands a comfortable distance for weekend breakaways. A new road between Nelspruit and Barberton has placed the provincial capital only 20 minutes away. Another new road to Swaziland will also be completed this year.
 
In March last year, the Mountainlands Nature Reserve and surrounding area made it to the tentative list of Unesco ’s World Heritage Site programme due to its world-renowned geology and rich biodiversity. An experienced local planning team has been given the go- ahead to drive the programme and it is all systems go towards World Heritage Site status which is expected in 2011. The advantages of international protection for Mountainlands will greatly contribute further to the security of investment in this unique area.
 
“ We have seen a marked increase in interest in recent months,” says Oosthuizen. This may also be attributed to capital flight from the traditional safehavens such as stocks and commodities to top end wildlife properties which have historically proven safe investments and yielded above average returns, even in tough economic times.
 
Price: Site prices range from R2,9m to R5,6m including VAT and transfer costs Contact: Nico Oosthuizen 082 551 1659.

Michelle Swart

Rolling grasslands, perennial streams and indigenous forests add interest to the diversity of valleys where some of the sites are located.

Mountainlands is blessed with several crystal clear mountain streams and waterfalls, where the urge to take a plunge is difficult to resist.

An artist impression of a private game lodge designed for one of the sites.

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