Small town next to South Africa’s biggest dam set to boom after expansion of local airport

The expansion of Big Water Aero, formerly Gariep Airport, is set to drive tourism, leisure and residential property appeal in nearby towns.

Now owned by aviation group RSA.aero, the airfield is already an established gliding and regional aviation destination.

Its favourable flying conditions, reliable thermal winds and proximity to the Gariep Dam have long attracted aviation enthusiasts.

Its ability to accommodate small aircraft and charter operations provides a foundation for its evolution into a broader regional aviation hub.

The facility is being repositioned as Big Water Aero, with plans to develop the precinct as a sustainable aviation and regional hub.

Additional adventure aviation activities, including microlight flights and hot-air ballooning, are envisaged.

According to Wayne Rubidge, area principal for Pam Golding Properties Karoo, the investment has the potential to deliver broader benefits to the surrounding area.

He said that it will increase visitor numbers and bring greater exposure to three towns in the area: Gariep, Philippolis and Bethulie.

“For home buyers, greater exposure could introduce new audiences to these towns, each with its own characteristics,” he said.

Home prices range from around R650,000 to R850,000, with higher-end properties priced from about R1 million.

He said that the towns offer good value for money. Bethulie and Philippolis, for example, offer charming older Karoo-style freehold homes.

Gariep, by comparison, has more modern houses and a selection of retirement estates, with the added benefit of proximity to the dam and the aviation facilities.

Gariep set to increase in popularity

Gariep Dam, founded as Oranjekrag, is a settlement in Xhariep District Municipality in the Free State.

The town is on the northern bank of the Orange River, 50 kilometres west of Bethulie and 48 kilometres north-east of Colesberg.

It was laid out in 1965 to 1966 to accommodate the builders of the Gariep Dam. It changed its name from Oranjekrag to Gariep in 1996.

Situated on elevated ground near the dam wall, Gariep is primarily a service and retirement town.

It also serves as an overnight stopover for travellers driving between Gauteng, the Western Cape, and the Eastern Cape.

Bordering the town is the Gariep Nature Reserve, the largest nature reserve in the Free State, covering 13,500 hectares of land and water.

It hosts large herds of springbok, Cape mountain zebra, black wildebeest, and red hartebeest, as well as extensive birdlife.

Gariep already has a strong leisure proposition, with the dam providing opportunities for water sports and outdoor activities.

The vast surface area of Gariep Dam makes it a popular hub for motorboating, jet skiing, sailing, canoeing, and freshwater angling.

The airfield’s established flying environment and reliable thermal winds have made the area popular with gliding enthusiasts.

The airfield hosts international gliding championships every summer, where several world soaring distance records have been established.

“The planned expansion into additional adventure aviation activities has the potential to further broaden this appeal,” he said.

He explained that Gariep offers a more established range of everyday services than the smaller surrounding towns.

This includes medical and professional services, while its residential market includes retirement estates as well as a mix of conventional and prefabricated homes.

The historic De Stijl Hotel, overlooking the Gariep Dam adventure resort and yacht harbour, adds to the town’s tourism character.

It also offers a combination of open space, water, and outdoor recreation that particularly appeals to middle-aged and retired buyers seeking a quieter lifestyle.

Rubidge says there is also growing interest among younger purchasers looking to live in a small town.

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Gariep photos

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