Interior of the power station engine house.
Engine house and power station
Main fertilizer building
Nitro-cotton still, and absorber house
Before any development, the area was a small, shallow wetland fed by groundwater, rainfall and direct runoff. As development progressed the area around the vlei was mainly used for agricultural purposes. After the land was purchased by a large industrial company, large scale development took place and the vlei was cleaned of aquatic vegetation and accumulated mud, and on three occasions between 1927 and 1941 the water depth of the vlei was increased by a total of 2.32m. Water for the vlei was drawn from the Lourens River and routed to the vlei via the Melksloot.
Remember - Google is your friend and will probably be the best place to do your research.
*** Please note: Access from the Cheetah Outreach / De Beers side is no longer possible as a fence has been built across the trail there. Access Paardevlei via the road opposite the entrance to the self storage facility in Ou Paardevlei Road (waypoint provided).