ESTATE REVIEWS
. . .
The Islands is a revelation for those who equate
Hartbeespoort and its surrounds with golfing –
it’s a slice of European-style marina living.
ISLAND style
developers found themselves with more than
enough material to construct an 8.5-hectare
park.
While this facility houses a nine-hole mashie golf
course, Dries is clear on the fact that The Islands
never set out to compete with Pecanwood, or
any of its other golf destination neighbours.
‘There are already a number of these in the
area. In fact, our residents can join Pecanwood
golf club, although they appear to be far more
interested in a water-based lifestyle.’ That’s
perhaps not surprising, given that The Islands’
unique design – featuring waterways measuring
400 metres across in some areas – makes it
possible to spend lazy days on your boat.
KEEP IT CLEAN
The developers have implemented a number
of measures to ensure that this water remains
clean enough for this purpose. ‘We encountered
an unexpected challenge shortly after the
canals were built 12 years ago,’ recalls general
manager Gert Nel. When dust settles on the
T
water, it sinks to become sediment, a rich
he farm on which The Islands has been but also because they enhance the views of growing medium for water plants, which can
developed has been in Dries Pretorius’s the dam. grow prolifically. So the developers stocked the
family for 180 years, so when he decided
canals with Grass Carp – a sustainable method
to develop it, he was determined Those views are nothing short of stupendous to make it something special. The – but they’re only one part of what makes a topography of the land made it ideal purchase at The Islands a sound investment, The estate’s water usage has also been
according to Dries. ‘You’re not simply buying a designed with the environment in mind. Canal
beautiful property. You’re also obtaining the water use is managed by an external company,
canal infrastructure, which means you get Gert explains, which is currently drafting a
seriously good value.’ water management policy. In the mean time,
to develop into a marina.
CANALS
Canals have been widely used throughout
Europe for hundreds of years – long before the
of keeping the ecosystem sustained.
the canals are fed by boreholes and stream
development of road and rail networks. And it The canals comprise of 11 hectares of water, water run-off that serve the estate (obtaining
was these long-distance transport canals that which is equal to 22 rugby fields, Dries notes, water from Hartbeespoort Dam itself is not an
also inspired the construction of locks, which emphasising the scope of that infrastructure. option, as this water is not clean). ‘We store
have helped to create two levels throughout the But it doesn’t end there. With around 664,000 water in a 1.2-megalitre reservoir. Once it has
canal system and the estate itself – not only cubic metres of soil having been removed been used, the grey water is recycled and
because they help to keep the water moving, from the canal beds during construction, the cleaned thoroughly, then fed back into the
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INDUSTRY JOURNAL