At our latest BB4thSaturday event, we hosted the Editorial Team of the upcoming book on Betty’s Bay. Since February Skip Krige, the initiator and co-ordinator of the book, has spent many hours personally chatting to potential contributors for the main sections....

The Influence and Negative Impact of Reeds in a Lake Ecosystem: Have you ever wondered if all the reeds in the lakes in Betty’s Bay serve a purpose in our ecosystem? Here is a brief overview of all the lakes in Betty’s Bay and the important impact they have on the...

Up until the end of May the rainfall figures for Betty’s Bay were low, but the rains in June have greatly improved the situation. The following table gives the rainfall figures  for the past 11 years. BETTY’S BAY RAINFALL January to May   2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021...

The BBC took the initiative to organize a “Conservation Corner” at the Harold Porter Gardens indoor market. We invited other local conservation organisations to join us. Rooi Els Conservancy, the Kogelberg Branch of the Botanical Society (BotSoc), Betty’s Bay Baboon...

We are very pleased to report that the BBBAG has been doing well in their project to produce and sell at cost both fully kitted out baboon-proof wheelie bins as well as  baboon-proofing to residents who already have a wheelie bin but need a ‘conversion'.   ...

Anita Wilkinson, a Senior Researcher with Cape Leopard Trust (CLT), gave a fascinating presentation on the many aspects of the work that CLT does on Leopards (Panthera pardus). CLT was established in 2004 in the Cedarburg area and is now 21 years old. Purpose and...

By Tony Norton At Betty’s Bay we have many wonderful creatures we share the landscape with. One of them which, seldom seen, is the Cape or African Clawless otter. I had the privilege to see one years ago, clambering on the rocks by the seaside. It was wonderful to...

Planning is underway to incorporate four properties of about 6.7 hectares, as indicated in red on the map (below), into the Stony Point reserve. These properties all qualify for Nature reserve status. The relevant officials still need to submit the required...

Our November 2024 - March 2024 oystercatcher breeding season is now over. The breeding pairs on the various sections of the beaches were carefully monitored by: Wendy and Mark Lucas: on Silversands beach Lenore and Duncan Watermeyer: between Main Beach swimming area...

Saturday 26th April was a beautiful sunny day with lots of BBC activity: Firstly, the collaborative event, between the Betty’s Bay Conservancy, Matie’s Underwater Club (MUC) and CapeNature, took place at Stony Point. Secondly, residents were invited to help clean...

Know Your Area's Flood Risk: Understand your region's susceptibility to flooding. Create a Flood Safety Plan: Develop a plan that includes evacuation of your residence and preventing of any flooding of your house. If you are in a low lying wetland area, think about...

REPORT ON HACK No 735 - 3rd May 2025 Twenty two volunteers attended. This was the fifth hack of the year at the Dawidskraal River.  Access to the river was unaffected by some soaking rain two days before. It was very pleasing to see the return of a number of hackers...

The BBC congratulates #BirdLifeSouthAfrica and #SANCCOBsavesSeabirds, represented by the Biodiversity Law Centre, on their perseverance and hard work in negotiating a vitally important settlement with the commercial sardine and anchovy purse-seine fishers. The...

Thanks to Lourens and Dylan Kruger from the Cape Honey Bee Conservancy who shared their knowledge, experience and passion for helping to save Cape Honey Bees. We learnt more about “Her Majesty”- the vital queen bee who is essential for the survival of a colony. She...

In January, Steed Maher gave a very informative talk on various aspects of the snakes found in Betty’s Bay. He encouraged residents to "know the local snakes" and to help protect, conserve and relocate rather than kill them. Last week, a resident who attended Steed’s...

By Tony Norton   My grandmother, Joan, wrote a poem about the penguins of Stony Point, Betty’s Bay. The Stony Point penguin colony was established in 1982 due to declining penguin numbers. These are African penguins, previously named Jackass Penguins because of...

Twenty volunteers attended our 734th hack. This was the fourth hack of the year at the Dawidskraal River (blue). The objective is to clear the myrtle before the winter rain starts and access becomes problematic with higher water levels in the channels, slippery rocks...

The bookshop financial year ended 31st March 2025. The turnover for the year was 22% up on the previous year, which was dramatically up on the year before that, and we are very pleased with the results. Thank you all for your great support of the shop. The hackers go...

by Dr Mike Burns   To reside in one of the Hangklip villages is to be immersed in an environment of outstanding natural beauty. However, the Kogelberg Biosphere represents much more than this. It accounts for the area’s societal attributes too, including human...

Whether you're a seasoned resident, a holidaymaker or have recently made Betty's Bay your home, this booklet is an invaluable source of information. Download it here! Overstrand Kogelberg Booklet 2024

How do you eradicate alien invasive rooikrans from a site in Betty’s Bay ... and re-purpose it for nesting material for the penguins at Stony Point? By collaboration! First, the Hackers, with their great energy, teamwork and saws, cut down the invasive aliens at the...

SHIP TO SHIP BUNKERING: A Call to comment on the new proposed regulations This is the process of refueling ships at sea. It has many potential side effects that negatively  affect the African Penguins in Algoa Bay where it occurs in close proximity to the colony on ...

On the 4th and 5th March 2025, the Overberg Region welcomed an extraordinary visitor. A Macaroni Penguin! This endearing bird unexpectedly arrived on the shores of Hawston Beach. This extremely rare and unusual sighting sent birding enthusiasts across South Africa...

In November 2024, an advert for this proposed development of a “boutique” Retirement Village in Betty’s Bay took most people by surprise and it was the first time that the BBC was aware of it. After speaking to the estate agent and then consulting the Overstrand...

Twenty five volunteers attended. This was the third hack of the year at the Dawidskraal River.  As there were fewer hackers than last month, the area closest to the bridge on the western side of the river was targeted (blue).  There were seven chainsaw operators with...

At the recent meeting of the Committee of the Kogelberg Branch of the Botanical Society of South Africa, it was decided to rename the Friends of the Kogelberg Branch to Supporters of the Kogelberg Branch.  The motivation for renaming our voluntary group is that with...

The Kogelberg Biosphere Wildlife Rescue and Training Centre: Michelle Watson I was lucky enough to receive an attractive WhatsApp from the Betty`s Bay Conservancy (BBC) with the advert to this meeting. Thanking the BBC, I can express my appreciation for this...

(Note the name change from Friends of … to Supporters of … to avoid confusion with the Friends of Harold Porter Gardens, which is a sub-group of the Supporters of the Kogelberg Branch!) As I write this newsletter and gaze out of the window, the last rays of the sun...

Thirty five volunteers attended this hack including three new hackers, Peter Weeks, Leon du Toit and Patrick Boltller. We trust that you enjoyed your first outing and sincerely hope that this will be the first of many. A welcome return to Mike Begley after a long...

STEED MAHER: VENOM, MYTHS AND CONSERVATION: PROTECTING SNAKES IN A CHANGING WORLD There was a great turn out for Steeds talk! Did you know that there are 176 species of snakes in Southern Africa? Snakes are often a feared and misunderstood part of our ecosystem. Often...