Friends of the Drostdy Museum

16/10/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐀𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝑨𝒎𝒃𝒂𝒈𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒇: 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟐

Welcome back! Missed 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏? No stress… https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14rkNQjhXwi/

Waterwheels were the original “work smarter, not harder” machines, using the power of flowing water to get the job done without breaking a sweat. And in 1974, Swellendam’s waterwheel at Ambagswerf was given a pretty important job…

It became South Africa’s only working undershot watermill!
So, in 1982, the original mill wheel got a serious upgrade with a brand-new teak wheel, lovingly built in the museum’s 𝑜𝑤𝑛 workshop to make the grinding process even more efficient.

And because some things are simply too special to let fade into the history books, the wheel kept turning for years. But just like your washing machine needs a little TLC every few years, and 1982 gave us a whole new generation of people who are now in their 40s… it was time the waterwheel got some serious TLC too.

It was repaired about two years ago by 𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐞, a well-known Overberg restorer of heritage waterwheels. And wowee, did he get this old wheel back in business! We could once again grind wheat for visitors, with the resulting flour sold in our shop, used in the Old Gaol restaurant (at the time), or even put to work as feed for the sheep.

Which is why the storm that swept through Swellendam on 11 May 2026 hit a little too close to home. An old oak tree came crashing down onto the wheel, causing serious damage. And this wasn’t just a case of “oops, there goes an old wheel.” This is a working piece of Swellendam’s heritage. So for the many people who’ve grown rather fond of our town’s waterwheel and the story it keeps turning, seeing it damaged was heartbreaking.

Naturally, Project Restoration was born. And no, not the top-secret kind. This was the “𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦, 𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑙 𝑢𝑝 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑠” kind!

👉 So, join us for 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟑 to meet the real-life superheroes who helped get this project and our wheel’s recovery back on a roll. And as always, please like, share and follow our page so you don’t miss a thing.

14/10/2026

Dear Garden Day Supporters,

It is with great regret that we have made the difficult decision to cancel our Mayville Garden Day, scheduled for Sunday, 18 October 2026, due to the unfavourable weather forecast.

As this is an outdoor event, the safety and comfort of our guests, speakers and participants are our priority. Unfortunately, the anticipated weather conditions would make it difficult to host the day as we had envisioned.

All tickets purchased will be refunded through Quicket, and refunds will be processed via the ticketing platform.

We sincerely apologise for any disappointment or inconvenience this may cause. We were very much looking forward to welcoming you to the garden for a special day of learning, creativity and community.

Thank you for your understanding and, above all, for your generous support of the Friends of the Drostdy Museum and our efforts to preserve and enhance the beautiful Mayville Garden.

We hope to welcome you to another event in the near future.

13/10/2026

CANCELLED due to weather ☔️😥

Dear Friends

Come rain or shine, our Garden Day celebrations will go ahead! 🌹
🗓 Sunday, 18 October 2026

You can look forward to:
- A talk by Prof. Nox Makunga about medicinal plants in your garden,
- A tribute to Dr Gwen Fagan by her dear friend, David Schlapobersky
- Flower & tea workshops & demonstrations
- Wonderful cakes donated by our local coffee shops and home bakers.
- Local vendors & flower sales

If our Swellendam weather decides to be a bit rainy, pack your umbrella and join us for all talks & workshops in the Tutu Hall, along with a cosy tent in the courtyard.

Tickets available at the gate or on Quicket. Quicket ticket sales end Wednesday at midnight: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/398207-garden-day #/

For gate tickets, RSVP: [email protected]

12/10/2026

CANCELLED due to weather ☔️😥

For our Garden Day event this Sunday, we would like to introduce our guest speaker, Professor Nokwanda (Nox) Makunga. She will give a talk on medicinal plants in your garden.

She is a Full Professor of Botany in the Department of Botany and Zoology at Stellenbosch University. Her research uses advanced scientific techniques to study how plants work and produce natural compounds that may have health benefits, particularly in medicinal plants.

Her research also investigates how medicinal plants respond to their environment. This knowledge can help scientists develop reliable, high-quality and affordable plant-based medicines. Some of her current projects use laboratory techniques to grow plants under controlled conditions, which help researchers understand how a plant’s genes influence the natural compounds it produces. This research also offers a way to protect and conserve South Africa’s indigenous medicinal plants.

In 2025, she was the recipient of the silver medal from the South African Association of Botanists. She serves on several international editorial boards and is recognized as one of the most prominent science communicators in South Africa.

🎟 Tickets are available at the Quicket - no registration needed!
📌 Mayville Garden, Swellengrebel Street, Swellendam
🗓 Sunday, 18 October 2026, 11am - 2pm
Tickets: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/398207-garden-day #/

09/10/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐀𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝑨𝒎𝒃𝒂𝒈𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒇: 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏

Swellendam is clearly getting with the times when it comes to powering up. Solar panels? Check. A brand-new wind farm set to join the grid soon? Also check.

In other words, the town is successfully making Mother Nature part of the power team.

However, unbeknownst to many, it actually turns out Swellendam was tapping into the power of nature long before solar panels and wind turbines were even a thing! Because tucked away at the 𝐴𝑚𝑏𝑎𝑔𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑓 is a small waterwheel with a big story, and it’s been putting good old H₂O to work for decades.

But before we get this little waterwheel’s story rolling, let’s quickly cover some general waterwheel basics:
- Waterwheels were once a very big deal as they were used to help grind grain into flour, power machinery and even pump water.
- The wheel isn’t actually the cleverest part. Gears and shafts take that spinning motion and turn it into mechanical power for the machinery inside the mill. So, it may look like a humble wheel, but technically it’s a tiny power plant.
- Not all waterwheels work the same way. Some are known as undershot wheels, some as overshot, and others as breastshot, depending on where the water hits the wheel.

Swellendam’s little water-powered workhorse operates using an undershot system, where the stream flows beneath the wheel, pushing against its paddles and turning it in an anti-clockwise direction.

Okay super, now you’re officially a waterwheel expert. 𝐿𝑒𝑡’𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑒…
Of course, we all know Swellendam is rather old by South African standards. But does that mean our little waterwheel is sitting on the very spot where the town’s story began? Well… we’re glad you asked.

Interestingly enough, the 𝐴𝑚𝑏𝑎𝑔𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑓 didn’t just magically appear one day. The decision to create the open-air section was made in 1969, construction kicked off in 1971, and the goal was to bring old-school trades and crafts to life.

And it goes without saying a working waterwheel (and watermill) had to join the party. Therefore, a fully functioning mill was built as part of the display, with its machinery specially reconstructed to show visitors how traditional milling actually worked, and according to the museum’s conservation plan, the watermill officially opened in 1974.

Just like that, this particular wheel found itself a new home and a rather important job.

👉 So… in our best “Ooh, what happens next?” voice, be sure to follow our page to roll on back for Part 2! And yes, pun always intended.

05/10/2026

CANCELLED due to weather ☔️😥

Thank you, SwellenGram for the beautiful write-up on the beloved Mayville Garden.

Our Garden Day event serves not only as a get-together for our community on Garden Day, but also as a fundraiser for the Mayville Garden.

🎟 Tickets are available via Quicket - no registration needed!
📌 Mayville Garden, Swellengrebel Street
🗓 Sunday, 18 October 2026, 11am - 2pm

Tickets: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/398207-garden-day #/

04/10/2026

CANCELLED due to weather ☔️😥

Last year's Garden Day event was beautiful and enjoyed by all who attended.

So, make sure not to miss this year! We'll have a tea tasting, a talk on medicinal herbs in the garden, flower crown workshops, and flower arrangement demonstrations. 🌹

And, of course, delectable eats and treats. 🫖🍰

🎟 Tickets are available via Quicket - no registration needed!
📌 Mayville Garden, Swellengrebel Street
🗓 Sunday, 18 October 2026, 11am - 2pm

Tickets: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/398207-garden-day #/

01/10/2026

🌿✨ ALL GOODS SOCIAL MARKET ~ THIS FRIDAY! ✨🌿

After a few postponements, we're delighted to announce that the first-ever All Goods Social Market is finally happening! 🥳💚

Join us at the beautiful Drostdy Museum in Swellendam for a relaxed afternoon and evening celebrating local creativity, unique finds and community spirit, as part of the First Friday initiative.

🗓️ Friday, 2 October
📍 Drostdy Museum, Swellendam
🕔 17:00–20:00, with the possibility of running until 21:00.

🛍️ What can you look forward to?

Discover a wonderful variety of local vendors, unique wares, vintage and pre-loved treasures, art, crafts, collectibles and other interesting finds. Come browse, meet local creatives, support small businesses and enjoy a lovely evening out!

💚 A little something for the museum, too!

*10% of vendors' total sales will GO TOWARDS the upkeep of the DROSTDY MUSEUM, so your purchases will help support this special local heritage space.*

🍴 Feeling peckish? The Country Deli, Biltong Boys and STOEP near us (and more!) are open for First Friday, so you can grab something to eat nearby and enjoy the evening.

Bring your friends, bring your curiosity and come discover something peculiar, beautiful or unexpected! 🌿✨

Let's celebrate local talent, community and all the wonderful things that make Swellendam special.

We can't wait to see you there! 💚

🌿 All Goods Social Market, bringing good things and good people together! 🌿

02/07/2026

The Little One has been named! 🤩🫏

20/06/2026