Southbroom

Southbroom
Southbroom beach Southbroom beach
Southbroom  Southbroom shown within KwaZulu-Natal
Coordinates:
Country	South Africa
Province	KwaZulu-Natal
District	Ugu
Municipality	Hibiscus Coast
Established	{{#property:P571}}
Area
• Total	10.93 km2 (4.22 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	1,615
• Density	150/km2 (380/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black African	25.6%
• Coloured	0.5%
• Indian/Asian	0.4%
• White	73.1%
• Other	0.4%
First languages (2011)
• English	54.2%
• Afrikaans	24.6%
• Zulu	11.3%
• Xhosa	4.7%
• Other	5.1%
PO box	4277
Area code	039

Southbroom is a coastal village in Ugu District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. It is located 25 km south-west of Port Shepstone, 143 km south-west of Durban, and 213 km south of Pietermaritzburg.

The village was officially founded in 1933, and at the 2011 census had a population of 1,615 in 847 households.

History

In 1884, a pioneer named Alfred Eyles established a mission on the site of the present day Outlook Farm. This is the earliest recorded settlement of Southbroom. In 1895, The Fascadale was wrecked on rocks off Southbroom beach while en route to Lisbon, but the timely arrival of another vessel meant that only two lives were lost.

The name "Southbroom" was first associated with the area in 1908, when the Swedish Zulu Mission took over the mission from the Eyles family, who subsequently renamed their home "Southbroom"; a reference to a family home in their native England. Frank and Gilbert Eyles, the youngest sons of Alfred, proclaimed the township in 1933.

In 1935, the Southbroom Hotel opened, with its famous tidal pool (known as Granny's Pool) opening two years later. The now-famous golf course was first opened in 1939, before being extended to a full 18 holes in 1948.