Mac-Mac is a historical area in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa, and the site of the country's earliest gold rush. It is located near the town of Sabie, 5 km from Pilgrim's Rest.[1]

While a number of small gold deposits had been discovered in the northern parts of South Africa between 1840 and 1870, Mac-Mac was the first place where payable quantities of gold were found.[1] In 1873 gold was discovered on the farm Geelhoutboom. President Burgers officially named the area the New Caledonian Gold Fields,[1] but it became known as Mac-Mac because of the amount of Scottish diggers at the camp.[2] Within one year, 1,500 diggers made 4,000 claims.[3]

The nearby Mac Mac twin falls, originally a single stream, acquired their current appearance when gold miners blasted the stream to reach the gold-bearing reef over which it drops.[4]

In the late 1990s the old forestry station and forester houses were used to start the Mac Mac Forest Retreat.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Echo Caves". Burgersfort.com. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Mac Mac Gold Panning Club". Mac Mac Gold Panning Club. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  3. ↑ "Gold Panning in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa". USA Today. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  4. ↑ "Mac Mac Falls, Mpumalanga". SA-Venues. Retrieved 10 January 2014.

24°59′28″S 30°48′47″E / 24.991°S 30.813°E / -24.991; 30.813

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