Westdene (original) (raw)
Westdene, Johannesburg
Westdene is one of those pretty little character-filled suburbs, that tend to lie fairly close to Johannesburg's city centre. Its streets are lined with cottage-styled homes with tin roofs, some of which back onto Westdene's park and dam, and the streets are tree-lined and pretty.
The properties are also heavily lined with barbed wire against the inevitable rise of crime in the area, yet despite this there is a village feel to Westdene that has perservered, perhaps because of its proximity to RAU, now known as the University of Johannesburg, hence its popularity with students. Westdene is sandwiched between the popular village of Melville and Triomf at the base of the Melville Koppies Nature Reserve on the other side of Perth Road from the University of Johannesburg (a merger between the Technikoon Witwatersrand and the Rand Afrikaans University or RAU, the sports ground of which serves as a buffer between the lower reaches of Melville and Westdene).
Nearby is the popular '7de Laan' in Melville depicted in the soapie of the same name, as well as a number of restaurants, bistros and shops worth a visit, whilst a day over the weekend spent in the Melville Koppies is time well spent.
Few people realise that this beautiful green space, wedged inbetween residential suburbs in northern Johannesburg is actually a World Heritage Site. It seems people have lived here since the Stone Age and the ridges themselves have been estimated at around 2.9 billion years old. There are over 200 types of birds in the reserve and a range of small mammals, as well as hiking trails.
Westdene is also fairly close to Emmarentia Dam, and the popular village of Greenside.
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
Self Catering
RSA Lodge
RSA Lodge is guest house that caters for a variety of travellers, business people as well as families. This guest house is located in a peaceful ...
Self Catering
Seven Palms
Seven Palms offers accommodation in an apartment that is located on the host's property and is situated in Westdene, Johannesburg. The property i...
Guest House / Bed & Breakfast
Hadeda Hall Guest House
Hadeda Hall Guest House offers accommodation close to the Universities, Melville Nightlife, Rosebank Gautrain station and shops. This is perfect ...
Things to do in the area
Farm Stalls & Markets
27 Boxes Night Market
On the doorstep of some of the finest Johannesburg accommodation options (and a little further afield from others) is the vibrant suburb of Melvi...
Noteworthy attractions
Golf Courses
Crown Mines Golf Club
South Africa is famous for its gold, and Crown Mines Golf Club is built in genuine mining country, just a few kilometres southeast of central Joh...
Golf Courses
Observatory Golf Club
Observatory Golf Course is one of the less well known Johannesburg courses, but just as good as many of its more famous neighbors. A sophisticate...
Golf Courses
Randpark Golf Club
With two very distinct but different golf courses, Randpark offers golfers of varying ability an unforgettable experience on two of the finest an...
Golf Courses
Royal Johannesburg Golf Club
The World Atlas of Golf, which lists the great courses and how they are played, features just two South African clubs on its hallowed pages. One ...
Airports
OR Tambo International Airport
Formerly officially known as Johannesburg International Airport, the OR Tambo International Airport is a large airport near the city of Johannesb...
Landmarks
East Rand Flea Market
Just outside Johannesburg in Boksburg, the East Rand Flea Market lies right next to the East Rand Mall, and as a result, is open just about all w...
Shopping
East Rand Mall
The popular East Rand Mall takes full advantage of the prime position of this area and offers a variety of restaurants, boutiques, chain stores a...
Museums
Absa Money Museum
Home to the largest collection of money used in South Africa�s past in the world, Absa Money Museum lies in downtown Johannesburg on Troye Street...
Landmarks
Apartheid Museum
The Apartheid Museum is the story of the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. Beginning in 1948, the white elected National Party governme...
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