Weenen Nature Reserve

Background of the establishment of the Weenen Nature Reserve: On 18 March 1948 (Deed of Transfer No. 2350), the State expropriated the farms “Overwacht” and “Bosmans Rivier Poort”. The expropriation was deemed necessary as a result of serious erosion caused by uncontrolled settlement of Bantu-speaking stock herders when these areas were reserved as “labour farms”. The properties were taken over by the Director of Soil Conservation with a view to research and demonstrate methods that could combat soil erosion.
This continued for 25 years until the 1st of April 1975 when the area was handed over to the Natal Parks Board and promulgated the Weenen Nature Reserve in Proclamation Notice 116 of 1975.
Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife made representatives for the control of the farm Onverwacth 911 and in 1973, it was decided that the farm together with certain other lands including proposed portion of the Town commonage should be acquired by the Natal Provincial Administration and controlled as a nature reserve by EKZNW.
The Weenen Nature Reserve also included a railway through the reserve, known as the Mona Railway or “Cabbage Express” that took produce from the farms in and around Weenen to Estcourt (Coetzee, Magda, Interview in August 2013).
Background to the Mona Station (taken from https://kznpr.co.za/bridges-road-rail/): Many artefacts such as the screws and nails can be linked to the Mona Station, a narrow gauge railway linke that linked Estcourt and Weenen (46km) and traversed the reserve historically (1906-1983). It is no longer in use, although some structures and remnants can still be found in the reserve.
Locomotives used included the NG/G11 loco No. 55 and the NG/G13 No. 77 or “Liliputian”. Mr. Billy Bester was the driver for most of these locomotives for 21 years.
The Mona locomotives were also known as the “Cabbage Express” since it was used to transport agricultural produce from the 3 000 acres of irrigated farms to the market.