Talana Museum

30/09/2026

If you create something interesting, pottery, sewn items, crafty items, gifts for Christmas or birthdays, wooden items, homemade baked goods, bottled foods, plants, .....
Would you like to participate? Send a message to Pam McFadden on [email protected] and I will send you details. The collectable collection section can be old linen, china, silver .....

30/09/2026

Cyrtanthus nutans (often misspelled as crythantus) is an extremely rare, vulnerable wild flower native almost exclusively to the Dundee region.
Also known as the Dundee Fire Lily, it is a highly localized geophyte that blooms for only a brief two-week window following spring grassland fires.
IT IS BLOOMING THIS WEEK.

The primary population grows on the grassy plains right beneath the Talana Museum battlefields in Dundee.
It is a unique natural heritage preserved along with the region's historic war sites.

These are photos I took on Monday, with very serious expectations of getting stuck in the mud.
The plant was first formally described by botanist R.A. Dyer in 1954.

It is officially listed as Vulnerable on the Red List of South African Plants.
They have lost almost 45% of their natural habitat.
The dwindling subpopulations face severe pressure from:
• Commercial forestry and mining.
• Agricultural expansion and urban encroachment.
• Its habitat within its native veld is being pressurised and fragmented. Litter and dumping of domestic and garden refuse also is a threat.

As they are so small and scattered within the grassland they are very difficult to photograph.

29/09/2026

With Orange Grove Dairy – I just got recognised as one of their top fans! 🎉

29/09/2026

28/09/2026

A few more pics of people involved in the success of the Cycle Challenge.

28/09/2026

The Biggarsberg Cycle Challenge on Sunday - a tourism initiative by Dundee Tourism to bring different forms of tourism and visitors to our town and area started and finished at Talana museum.
This is the third year and the national and provincial race officials all commented positively on the route, quality of the marshall service and the organisation and planning.

Here are some more photos of that event .
Setting up the arch.
Riders along the route.
Thanks to the great support from the SA Police from Dundee, Glencoe,Wasbank and Elandslaagte.
We were also very fortunate with the superb support from the Endumeni traffic department.

Thanks to sponsors and supporters who manned the water tables - Orange Grove Dairy, Elandslaagte police, Bev Garner and Dundee MOTHs.
Our thanks to Dr Ramdharee for who provided medical support with his ambulance and the communication support by the local amateur radio club.
Liquid refreshment for the riders in the was sponsored by Orange Grove Dairy , Quench water and Flo H2O water.
Docrats Hardware donated spray paint to bark the roads.

We had very positive feedback on the marshalls who kept the riders on the right track and our thanks to PoloVi guest house who sponsored their lunch packs with Orange Grove Dairy drinks.

28/09/2026

This has been a very busy weekend at Talana museum - but also disappointing for our visitors who booked tours months ago and came to view specific exhibits in the museum and could not see them due to the non existent electricity supply. The payment of the Eskom outstanding account by Endumeni municipality has still not been resolved.
Considerable income from entrance fees is being lost, staff are unable to perform most of their duties, no research enquiries can be dealt with, and it a constant embarrassment to explain why one of the best museums in the country is in darkness.

27/09/2026

Today saw the third Biggarsberg Cycle Challenge which started and ended at Talana museum.
Thank you to everyone involved in planning and organising.
Huge thanks to our sponsors and most particularly to the participants.
Just some photos from today. Will post more tomorrow.

26/09/2026

Members of the Jaguar car club at Talana Museum this afternoon.
All cars on display lined up in front of the railway engine and coach.

25/09/2026

Jag club from Jo'burg visiting Shellhole.. great team work by members of the Moth club helped the evening work well