Upcoming Tours
SS Mendi Memorial - Avalon Cemetery
Type of Tour
Bus Tour
Date
Sunday, 23 February 2025
Time and Duration
13:00 ( 2.5 hours)
Cost
JHF Members: R380 Non-members: R490
Max no of people
TBC
Description
In honour of Black History Month and in memory of those who were lost at sea, we invite you to join us for a memorable bus tour to the SS Mendi Memorial in Avalon Cemetery, Soweto.
Led by Kathy Munro and Boitumelo Moletsane, with contributions from Tshenolo Mokhele, this is a time to reflect on and in Johannesburg largest urban cemetery – featuring the impressive tombstones of many iconic South Africans including Hector Pietersen, Joe Slovo, Tsietsi Mashinini, Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph and many others.
The tour will also visit the SS Mendi Memorial where we will pay our respects to the tragic troopship that was sunk in the English Channel during the First World War, carrying hundreds of men from the SA Native Labour Corps to their deaths on a freezing, foggy February night.
The memorial was first designed in the 1990s and unveiled by Nelson Mandela and Queen Elizabeth in 1995. It has since been upgraded into an award-winning Educational Centre, with some support from the JHF.
A bus will transport us from the Sunnyside Park Hotel to Avalon cemetery where some walking will be required over uneven terrain. Please wear comfortable shoes, sun protection and carry a bottle of water. Security guards will accompany the group but remain alert and be discrete with your valuables. Please consider bringing along a few notes for the men who help maintain the cemetery.
Guides
Kathy Munro, Boitumelo Moletsane
Meeting Place
Sunnyside Park Hotel, corner Carse O Gowrie Terrace and Sunnyside Drive, Parktown
Contact Number
060 813 3239
Summertime in Brenthurst Gardens
Type of Tour
Garden Tour
Date
Saturday, 1st March 2025
Time and Duration
9:30 for 10:00 ( 2 hours)
Cost
JHF Members Only: R420
Max no of people
20
Description
BIG NEWS!
Mr. and Mrs. Oppenheimer have kindly granted us access to their estate, Brenthurst, which has been their family home for three generations. This is a rare opportunity to explore the famously beautiful Brenthurst Gardens and numbers are very limited, so book now!
Apart from the magnificent gardens, Brenthurst also contains one of the first Herbert Baker homes in Joburg, an unexpected waterfall, huge trees, and sweeping views over the original Sachsenwald forest (which later became Forest Town and Saxonwold).
The tour combines history with horticulture, offering us an exclusive opportunity to experience the serenity of this magnificent green space. We’ll also find out more about the vision for the garden as it has evolved over the years to better reflect the local ecology and indigenous planting.
Please note: this tour is only open to current JHF members and booking is only through the JHF Office: mail@joburgheritage.org.za / 060 813 3239. ID and cellphone numbers for all attendees will be required. A donation of R100 per person will be made to Little Eden (www.littleeden.org.za)
Please wear comfortable walking shoes, bring lots of water and wear sun protection. And note that photography is not allowed on the Brenthust estate – thank you for your understanding.
Guides
David Gurney
Meeting Place
Brenthurst, corner Federation Road and First Ave, Parktown
Contact Number
060 813 3239
Jewel in the Crown - Mining on Main Street
Type of Tour
Walking Tour
Date
Saturday, 1st March 2025
Time and Duration
10:00 (2 – 2.5 hours)
Cost
JHF Members: R165 Non-members: R275
Max no of people
40
Description
Back in 1886, Main Street in Marshalltown was a dusty marketplace bustling with farmers selling produce from their wagons, as well as fortune seekers hoping to strike it lucky on the newly discovered gold field.
Over the years, as the reef yielded its riches, Main Street became home to some of South Africa’s major mining companies, such as Anglo American and General Mining, as well as the powerful Chamber of Mines.
Today, Main Street is partially pedestrianised and hosts a remarkable collection of gold-rush memorabilia, iconic sculptures, public art installations, old mining equipment, and several magnificent architectural achievements.
So, join your guides Clare and Arjen van Zwieten as we take a step back in time to Joburg’s early days, filled with tales of pioneering personalities and the great mining houses they built. We have been given special permission to access Mayibuye House (the old Chamber of Mines Building) and to view the bronze panels inside the old Gencor Building.
Please wear good walking shoes, a hat and sunblock, and bring along some drinking water. This an inner-city tour and, while we haven’t had any incidents previously, we recommend leaving your valuables at home.
The tour will begin at the Rand Club. No reserved parking is available so it is recommended that you use an Uber or equivalent. After the tour, you are welcome to enjoy a drink or meal at the RC main bar (for your own account).
Meeting Place
The Rand Club, 33 Loveday Street, Marshalltown, Johannesburg.
Contact Number
060 813 3239
Historic Heidelberg - Capital of the ZAR
Type of Tour
Walking & Self Drive Tour
Date
Saturday, 8th March 2025
Time and Duration
10:00 (2 hours)
Cost
JHF Members: R210
Non-members: R320
Max no of people
TBC
Description
Located only 45 minutes away from Joburg, the town of Heidelberg has a rich history just waiting to be uncovered. So join legendary local guide and historical expert, Tony Burisch, along with Wade and Yvonne Venter, for a fascinating self-drive and walking tour through the former capital of the Zuid Afrikaanse Republiek.
We begin at the iconic Old Town Hall where we will learn about Heidelberg’s founder, Mr. Heinrich Ueckermann, before walking across to the magnificent Klip Kerk. From here, we will drive in convoy past historical landmarks such as the Old Land Bank, the Magistrates Court, and Dr. O’Reilly’s house before arriving at the Old Gaol, where we will enjoy a tour inside this eerie building built in 1888 (we may even be visited by one of the ghosts said to haunt the site!).
Additional highlights include the Police Station, the Hervormde Church, the Anglican Church, Laer Volkskool, the home of Dr AG Visser, the Victoria Hotel, old Bank buildings, the bioscope, the Methodist Church and the Jewish Synagogue.
The tour ends with a visit to the Kloof Cemetery, the final resting place of many of the town’s luminaries. From here, we will depart in our own vehicles back to Joburg, or you may wish to end your day with lunch at one of the historical eateries scattered across the town.
Join us on this unforgettable journey through the streets of Heidelberg. It’s sure to be a morning filled with captivating tales and historical wonders.
Meeting Place
Heidelberg Town Hall, corner HF Verwoerd St and Uekermann St, Heidelberg
Guides
Yvonne and Wade Venter, Tony Burisch
Contact Number
060 813 3239
The JHF in Action
Type of Tour
Bus Tour
Date
Saturday, 15th March 2025
Time and Duration
10:00 (2 hours)
Cost
JHF Members: R380
Non-members: R490
Max no of people
TBC
Description
Most people know the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation for our popular tours that promote Joburg’s rich legacy, but we do so much more than that! Especially when it comes to advocacy and activism on behalf of our city’s most vulnerable heritage sites.
So, join the legendary Flo Bird and current JHF chair, David Fleminger, for an enlightening and entertaining bus journey through the inner city. Along the way, they’ll be offering their thoughts on some of the JHF’s most significant projects over the past few years. It’s sure to be a revealing tale filled with ups and downs, victories and defeats, straight from the horses’ mouths.
Featured sites include the Johannesburg City Library, Chancellor House, Museum Afrika, Braamfontein Cemetery, St Alban’s Church and more. Plus it’s a comfortable and safe way to re-discover Joburg’s inner city.
Get the story behind the story on this unique tour!
Please note: the bus will depart from the Sunnyside Park Hotel. Please arrive 30 mins early to ensure a prompt departure. You are welcome to bring along drinks and snacks for the bus.
Please note: due to the expense of booking a bus, we reserve the right to cancel a bus tour (with refunds) if we do not sell enough tickets to cover costs. Thank you for your understanding.
Meeting Place
Sunnyside Park Hotel, corner Sunnyside Dr and Carse o’Gowrie Rd, Parktown
Guides
Flo Bird and David Fleminger
Contact Number
060 813 3239
Delta Park Delights
Type of Tour
Walking Tour
Date
Saturday, 22nd March 2025
Time and Duration
9:30 (2 hours)
Cost
JHF Members: R175
Non-members: R285
Max no of people
40
Description
Autumn is a great time to explore Delta Park, so don’t miss this country walk located only a few kilometers from home!
Led by Ed Coogan and Joy Campkin-Smith, we begin our journey at the Environmental Centre, where we’ll see architecture and technology from the 1930s, as well as the tallest palm trees in Joburg. Inside, we’ll enjoy a presentation by Geoff Lockwood about the history of the centre, which began as a sewage treatment works to serve the northern suburbs.
The tour then continues with a short walk in the forest to look at the original Art Deco gate and houses built for municipal officials – all built in the International Style, which echoes the stylings of London’s underground and power stations from the same era.
The tour concludes with a stroll along the pretty Linden Stream to see the upper ponds and luxuriate in the lovely blooms of Cosmos.
After the tour, you are welcome to stay on and visit the Bird Sanctuary or walk the Braamfontein Spruit, with its many Oaks, London Planes, and other trees in their autumnal splendour.
Please bring along snacks, water, sun protection and a change of shoes as the park can be very muddy if there has been rain. Ample parking is available at the Environmental Centre.
Meeting Place
Delta Park Environmental Centre. Entrance at the intersection of Rd No. 3 & Rd No 5, Victory Park
Guides
Ed Coogan and Joy Campkin-Smith
Contact Number
060 813 3239
Melville’s Hidden Gems
Type of Tour
Walking Tour
Date
Sunday, 30th March 2025
Time and Duration
9:00 (2,5 hours)
Cost
JHF Members: R165
Non-members: R275
Max no of people
40
Description
Step into the heart of Melville, a dynamic suburb that mirrors the diverse tapestry of Johannesburg itself. Born only a decade after the city’s inception, Melville has a long history with countless hidden gems just waiting to be explored.
From its striking architecture, to its quirky shops, to the comforting aroma of its coffee emporia, Melville has long been a nexus of connection; a place where people from all walks of life converge to create a rich cultural mosaic that defines the essence of this unique suburb.
So, join Antoinette Morgan for an insider’s perspective of extraordinary Melville. Along the way, we’ll trace the evolution of this fascinating suburb and peel back the layers to celebrate the spirit of its ever-changing community.
The tour ends with a drink at one of Melville’s charming coffee shops (for your own account). Please bring along lots of water, a hat and sunscreen. Amenities will be available at indicated points along the way.
Meeting Place
Cafe De La Crème, Cnr 4th Avenue and 7th Street, Melville
Guides
Antoinette Morgan
Contact Number
060 813 3239