ADVENTURE AND SPORT

Golf

The Ernest Oppenheimer Golf Course is a tricky course but is a great challenge. The contact numbers of the club are tel. +27 (0)57 651 4168 and fax +27 (057) 651 4005. The website is www.golfwelkom.co.za and the email address is opgc@internext.co.za. There are also two other golf courses, namely the Western at Western Holdings and Flamingo at Flamingo Park.

Phakisa Racing Circuit

The Phakisa Freeway is an international standard, multi-purpose motor sport facility situated in the heart of the Goldfields region of the Free State. Phakisa means “Get Moving” in Sotho. The track boasts a 4,24km road course as well as a 1,5 mile banked oval track similar to the highly acclaimed Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada. The Grand Prix road course was designed in conjunction with officials of the FIM and is rated as one of the safest circuits on the GP tour. It is 12m wide throughout and has 14 turns, 5 left and 9 right-hand.

Paragliding and skydiving

Welkom caters for paragliding and skydiving enthusiasts as well as for most of the other types of water sport activities.

Sport

The town has facilities for tennis, cricket, rugby, hockey, squash, bowls, archery and swimming.

ART AND CRAFTS

Ernest Oppenheimer Theatre

The Ernest Oppenheimer Theatre was named after Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, Director of the Anglo-American Corporation that gained a controlling interest in the new goldfields – the man who founded and developed Welkom.

Golden Art and Crafts Tourism Route
Contact the Municipality for more details about the Golden Art and Crafts Tourism Route through Welkom, Virginia and other towns in the vicinity.

Goldfields Casino

The Casino Floor boasts a variety of exciting slot machine games, Blackjack, Casino Hold’em Poker and American Roulette. The Casino complex offers all round family entertainment that consists of a video arcade, buffet restaurant, fast food court, candy shop and a cigar bar.

FAUNA AND FLORA

Flamingo Pan

Enjoy a picnic at scenic Flamingo Pan while watching the, graceful, longlegged, pink and white flamingos going about their business.

Klippan Farm Park

This park, with its live farm animals, is a firm favourite with children.

Parks

Sir Ernest Oppenheimer intended that Welkom should be a “city within a garden”. The numerous parks with their rolling, green, lawns, picnic spots and barbecue facilities, made this possible. Most of the city’s monuments can be found in Van Riebeeck Park, and Peter Pan Park, with its roller-skating arena, is ideal for the younger generation. Other parks in the city include Central Park and West Park.

Theronia Pan Bird Sanctuary

Theronia Pan Bird Sanctuary is yet another safe haven for the many birds in the area, especially waterfowl, greater and lesser flamingo and, strangely enough, the occasional seagull.

Toronto Recreation Centre

This child-friendly recreation centre offers regular educational and recreational programmes and demonstrations.

HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE

Welkom Gold Museum

The museum is located in the local library and provides an overview of the history of gold mining in South Africa. Welkom Museum, at the same venue, details the discovery of gold in the area, the town’s history and the bird and animal life of the area.

Monuments

The monuments in town that warrant a visit are the Afrikaans Language Monument, World War Two Monument, Voortrekker Memorial, Aandenk Monument, Joanne Pim Monument, Dog Monument, Old Indaba bluegum tree & the MOTH Memorial.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS

Mine Tours

Some of the deepest and richest mines in the world are found in this area. Alternatively, visit the mock-up training centre (a simulation of underground working conditions) where all miners are trained before going underground.

Wine Cellar

The world’s deepest wine cellar is at the St Helena Mine (Welkom) and is located at 857m below the earth’s surface. Underground mine tours can be arranged.