African Wildlife & Environment Issue 84 2023

DESTINATIONS

Game viewing the the 1930's (photo source unknown)

immortalised in a book by his owner, Sir Percy FitzPatrick, who wrote about his exploits with Jock while working as a transport rider in the Lowveld in the late nineteenth century. Jock's 1885 birthplace, is marked along the Voortrekker Road, which runs southeast of Pretoriuskop. Pretoriuskop Camp features prominently in the history of tourism in the Kruger National Park, since it was the first rest camp to be opened to visitors. The ‘Wolhuter Hut’ dates from 1930 and is one of the few original huts built in the park to provide tourist accommodation. Though no longer in use, it is being meticulously

Park. The ruins of his homestead north of the rest camp have been partly rebuilt. Visitors may leave their vehicles and view the exhibit of old photographs and artifacts documenting the daily life of the times. The most famous character from the days of the transport rider was Jock of the Bushveld , a Staffordshire Bullterrier cross, who was A cairn on the Voortrekker road which commemorates the spot where the famous Jock of the bushveld was born in May 1885

restored to its original form. The camp’s bright orange flowering flamboyant trees and colourful bougainvilleas were planted by him. Due to its parklike setting with well-established woodlands, it offers many opportunities to bird watchers. Camp specials around the pool area include Brown-headed Parrot, Scarlet-chested Sunbird,

56 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 84 (2023)

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