Much has been speculated over the years about the origin of the name of Onrust River, as it was known originally. Villagers, visitors and various interested parties have proposed a variety of theories, from the fanciful to the far-fetched. This is hardly surprising, if we bear in mind that the word "onrust" has many shades of meaning in Dutch and Afrikaans, such as 'disquiet', 'unrest', 'unease' and 'restlessness'.

Some have claimed that name stemmed from the early inhabitants' unease about the leper colony in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley, at the source of the river. Others have speculated that the name came from the leper colony 'Eilande van Onrust' on the island Puremerend in Batavia. Imaginative suggestions include possible reasons such as the loneliness of isolated farms, the presence of wild animals and the fear of attacks by deserted slaves, particularly those who had weapons.

Romantic as these theories may sound, none of them has any foundation. The answer is plain and simple: the name refers to the turbulence of the river. During the heavy winter rains it came down in full flood from the upper regions of the Babylon's Tower Mountain, and travellers had to wait for days before being able to cross over. A relatively recent instance of heavy flooding was in September 1944, when the road on the Hermanus side of the old bridge was completely washed away after a rainfall of 275 mm during the night.

The name "Onrust" appears in various documents from the Dutch colonial era, dating from as early as 1723. After the wrecking of the vessel Schonenberg at Cape Agulhas on 20 November 1722, the following report was written in Dutch to the Governor of the Cape Of Good Hope. The report is quoted from the journal of Albertus van Soest and Paulus Augier. This journal gives full details of the journey to Cape Agulhus (Caab d' Aguillas) and back to the Cape of Good Hope.

On the morning of Saturday the 16th January 1723 we continued our journey and arrived at Bot River and two hours later arrived at the Onrust River. On Sunday morning the 17th we inspanned and proceeded and at the afternoon arrived at the Mossels River, then continued our journey and arrived at eleven o'clock that night at Uijle Craal. ...We arrived at Cape Agulhas on Wednesday the 20th at 11 o'clock.

The report further states that on their return journey on Saturday 30 January they again arrived at the Onrust River and that they crossed the Bot River on Sunday 31 January. Clearly the rivers had already been charted and Onrust River had already been named. Onrust also appears in the records of 1739, when Governor Swellengrebel granted grazing rights at 'Attaquaskloof teegen over Onrust' (opposite Onrust) to Gerrit Moss.

Gretha Aalbers (View Profile)