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Centurion is a town in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Centurion is ideally located between Pretoria and Midrand, at the intersection of the N1 and N14, with the R21 passing through the city.
Centurion provides the best of both worlds by combining the amenities of the city with the ambiance of the country. No wander Centurion is one of the fastest growing areas in South Africa with a growth rate that is very likely to maintain itself.
Centurion consists of approximately 40 suburbs and includes Golf Estates, about thirty up market security Estates, smallholdings, as well as numerous security complexes. There is a broad selection of property and real estate available in Centurion to satisfy all buyers. These range from freestanding houses, townhouses, duets and apartments to security estates and cluster developments. There are also a number of agricultural holdings.
The name Centurion was accepted in 1995 by the City Council. After the country wide local elections on 5 December 2000, the city was incorporated with the retention of its name, into the Metropolitan Council of Tshwane. A local administrative unit remains responsible for certain tasks in the Centurion area.
Having experienced stupendous growth since 1994, like the rest of urban South Africa, many businesses have relocated to Centurion, and property development is boosting the ever expanding city limits. This development has meant there is now little break between the outskirts of Pretoria to the north, and Midrand and Johannesburg to the south. As a result many businesses have relocated here namely Telkom, SAAB, Grintek and technology companies like Aerosud, Denel Aerospace Systems and Siemens.
The U.N.I.T.A.S. hospital is the largest private hospital on the African continent (including helipad) and is part of the Netcare group. The Waterkloof Air Force Base, and the Swartkop Air Force Base (including the South African Air Force Museum) is also located in Centurion.
Attractions in Centurion include Centurion's Shopping Centres (the most well-known being Centurion Lakeside mall), the Super Sports Cricket grounds, over 25 hotels and guesthouses, as well as a number of golf courses, gyms and other recreational activities. Centurion's strategic position means that those investing in property here enjoy an excellent infrastructure.
The Centurion property market is expected to grow over the next few years as the Gautrain and the newly upgraded highways make this beautiful and safe area more accessible to people who work as far as Midrand and Johannesburg. In addition, the newly planned Convention Centre in the area is expected to positively impact property values in the area.
CENTURION GAUTRAIN
The Centurion Station will serve passengers from the east of Pretoria by means of decentralised park-and-rides. A number of residents from Centurion will use the station to travel to Pretoria , Midrand, Sandton and Johannesburg.
This station is also expected to serve as a destination station for the lake development. Centurion Station is located near the intersection of West Avenue and Gerard Street east of the Centurion Lake.
Activities in Centurion
Centurion and nearby Pretoria will can experience all the exhilaration that it has to offer: Pretoria Zoo and Aquarium, the Cullinan Diamond Mine, the Lion Park and the Rhino Park.
For a more edifying experience you can visit the Pierneef Museum, Union Buildings or the State Theatre.
Other attractions include Centurion Shopping Centre, a gym, the Supersport Park and three golf courses within five minutes drive.
Pretoria offers visitors a wide variety of general and speciality outlets, shopping mails, arcades and markets.
The principal city-centre complexes are De Bruyn Park, Sanlam Centre, and the Standard Bank Centre. The major suburban shopping complexes are the Arcadia Centre, Jacaranda Centre, Menlyn Park, Sunny Park, Centurion City and Wonderpark.
Almost all of these centres have a great selection of speciality stores of interest to the foreign visitors: African handicrafts (traditional beadwork, handspun carpets and rugs, pottery and woodwork); hides and skins; ceramics and so forth.
There are crafts on sale outside the entrance to the National Zoological Gardens. A flea market is held every Saturday on the square in front of the State Theatre.
Blue Valley Golf Course, Centurion
The Golf Course at Blue Valley Golf & Country Estate has been designed to make full use of the natural features of the site, while at the same time providing a memorable and challenging golfing experience.
Hazards in the form of bunkers and water features provide strategic and aesthetic value. The bunkers have steep grass faces and represent a more traditional style. The greens generally feature soft undulations, to provide a fair and interesting challenge. The landscaping theme on the golf course is indigenous, with typical Highveld trees species being used.
Telephone number: 011 318 1688
Web Address: http://www.bluevalley.co.za
Centurion Golf Course
Centurion Golf Estate, Centurion Drive, Centurion, Gauteng / Centurion Golf Course is an excellent Golfing Estate with a very challenging golf course designed by Peter Matkovich. Two different nines, where water comes into play on the one and desert on the other.
Telephone: 012 665 0279
Web Address: www.centurioncountryclub.co.za
Centurion Country Club
Centurion Country Club as part of the Residential Estate first opened the course to the public on 14 October 1997.
This centrally located 160 hectare Estate and Country Club captures the natural beauty of its neighboring quaint village, Irene, and offers hospitality and old fashioned values on a well designed course. The course has three unique features in that it has parkland areas, desert areas and then numerous holes surrounded by water expertly designed by Peter Matkovich to ensure an incredible variety of shots and challenging any golfer's game. The original "desert area" is slowly but surely being upgraded to parkland.
Telephone: 012 665 0279
Web Address: http://www.centurioncountryclub.co.za
Rietvlei Nature Reserve, Gauteng The Rietvlei Nature Reserve is one of the world's largest urban nature reserves, 3 800 hectares in extent, situated south of the city but still within the city limits. The Rietvlei Nature Reserve lies very close to the highway between Pretoria and OR Tambo International Airport at a height of about 1700 m above sea level, which is about 300 m higher than Pretoria. There were always some small mammals on the farm Rietvlei. The Rietvlei Nature Reserve has been restocked with game that is endemic to the highveld and is now home to large herds of game and because of its open grassland landscape it offers visitors a unique opportunity to view many species of animals. Some of these occur naturally only in South Africa (for example the Black Wildebeest and the Blesbok.
Telephone: 012 345 2274
Smuts House Museum, Gauteng
In similar fashion to the Kruger House Museum in Pretoria, Smuts House is another relaxed, slice-of-life
museum in contrast to other cities, where museums are big, ornate buildings.
Interestingly the house began its life as a prefabricated wood and iron officers' mess in Britain. It was then dismantled and taken to India, following which it made its way to South Africa, where it was bought by Smuts and taken to his farm, Doornkloof, where it stands today.
Smuts chose this home over the Libertas mansion in Pretoria, now known as Mahlamba-Ndlopfu, as he wanted his family around him and loved to live, for all practical purposes, in the middle of nowhere. And yet Smuts, the statesman, made time for his responsibilities and he was a renowned naturalist and philosopher.
Zwartkop Golf Course, Centurion
The Zwartkop Country Club course is laid out on what was originally the farm Zwartkop, named after the bird found nesting on the farm.
Situated on the old Johannesburg/Pretoria Main Road, in Clubview, Centurion, the course is built around a river which the player crosses 12 times in a round and which comes into play on most of the holes. A variety of trees and shrubs abound and much of the natural foliage is incorporated in the design of the holes.
The club has hosted many championships, both professional and amateur, and has been host to the international ICL professional tournament for many years.
Zwartkop is a popular venue for corporate golf days as it is conveniently situated for golfers travelling from the Pretoria, Midrand and Johannesburg areas. Telephone: 012 654 1144
Web Address: www.zwartkopgolfestate.co.za
The Irene Dairy Farm
The Irene Dairy Farm is a picturesque gem that nestles between the sprawling cities of Pretoria and Johannesburg. A visit to this old-style, storybook dairy farm is a must. Started in 1889, the Irene Farm has been run by the van der Byl family for five generations and has become an iconic landmark in the Centurion countryside.
The Dairy Shop sells the raw, certified milk that is produced right on the Irene Farm. The five liter buckets of fresh farm milk are a sight unique to Irene. The Shop also has a wide range of cheeses and other fresh fare. A favorite of the locals who frequent the shop is the Irene Dairy's unique and luxurious thick cream which can't be found anywhere else.
Telephone: 012 667 2326
Web Address: www.irenefarm.co.za
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