Market Square

Market square in Volksrust was renamed Voortrekker Square in 1938. At the north eastern corner several memorials are found, e.g. the 1881 War Memorial and the Wall of Remembrance for those who died in the British concentration camp. The Volksrust concentration camp was erected in 1901 at Grens Spruit.The camp was one of the biggest camps after those of Potchefstroom, Irene and Middelburg. A total of 772 people died in the camp, the majority of them children. Emily Hobhouse found at her visit that the camp was hopelessly overcrowded.

Convention Bridge

Situated just south of the town in Smit Street, this marks the spot where President Paul Kruger and Sir Henry Loch signed the Swaziland convention in 1894 in a railway coach, parked exactly in the middle of border bridge.

British Memorial

Situated on the north side of town - on the R23 left in De Jager Street. This leads to the memorial commemorating the British soldiers who lost their lives during the Anglo Boer War in this area. This memorial is laid out in the form of a cross.

Dirk Uys / Boer Cemetry

The separate cemetries for Dirk Uys and other Boers who died in the 1881.

Battles of Laingsnek and Majuba are 2km north on the N11. Dirk Uys was the son of “ Swart / Black “ Dirk Uys who took part in the battle of Blood River.

Allemansnek

This is the site of the battle of 11 June 1900 which enabled General Buller to enter the Transvaal, 18km west on the R543.

Rustfontein

The farm of the late Comdt-Gen Piet Joubert and the site of his grave. This national historical site is 30km west of the town on the R543 to Vrede.

Roodedraai Museum

​A museum housing a typical farm school of the 1990’s and other objects of the period, a hideout for bird watching is also available, 35km west on the R543.

Amajuba (Mountain of the doves)

12km south of Volksrust on the N11 to Newcastle. This is the site of the decisive battle on 27 February 1881 when the British lost to the Boers. This national historical site now houses a museum, youth hostel and camping site.

At the foothill of Amajuba there is an extremely interesting sight which has nothing to do with war. A large number of Bushman paintings are to be found under an overhanging rock, about two kilometres from O’Neil’s Cottage. There are about 70 paintings. Many bushmen paintings can still be found on rock formations on farms in the surrounding area’s.

O’Neill’s Cottage

This national historical site is where the peace treaty was signed in 1881. 17km south on the N11 to Newcastle.

Schuinshoogte

​The site of the second battle of the First War of Independence. Heavy losses on the side of the British against Joubert led Boers.