Silvermine

The road through Silvermine was the route during the 1700’s that the wagons, drawn by oxen, took to Simonstown from Cape Town. Halfway down the valley on the Kalkbay side of the mountain, known as Bokkop, was the Block House – a halfway stop next to the Sivermine River, where the tired oxen and drivers rested over. During the late 1800’s a road was built that followed the (False) bay from Muizenberg to Simonstown.

The farm ‘Sivermine’ belonged to the German Embassy and during 1902 the Smit family bought the farm from the Embassy for the princely sum of 6000, all 700 Morgan of the mountain and valley ground. The valley was used for vegetable farming as well as grazing for dairy cows. The farm produced vegetables that were in season and, on a daily basis, about 600 gallons of milk.

During the 1960’s the Divisional Council built the Kaapseweg that is still a very popular scenic drive from Westlake to Noordhoek. The farm was then sold, during the 70’s, to the Divisional and City Councils and today is used as a recreational area for day trippers.