Property
Description
Property Description
Bella Vista Farm is an established approximately 14.95-hectare agricultural and lifestyle property situated in the Knysna Rural area, within the Garden Route of the Western Cape, accessed from Old Cape Road. The property occupies a particularly attractive position, providing a combination of privacy, rural tranquillity, elevated terrain and expansive views towards the surrounding indigenous forest, plantations, valleys, mountains and Knysna Lagoon.
The holding comprises two adjoining but separately titled erven, Erf 2877 of approximately 7.6587 hectares and Erf 12654 of approximately 7.2930 hectares, both understood to be zoned Agriculture Zone I subject to confirmation against the current municipal zoning records. The terrain varies considerably, with elevations of approximately 160 to 280 metres above sea level, creating a distinctive combination of rolling agricultural land, elevated viewpoints, established vegetation, indigenous forest surroundings and sheltered valleys.
The main residence, situated on Erf 2877, is approximately 227 m² and comprises four bedrooms, three bathrooms, an open-plan lounge, dining area and family/television room with fireplace, a kitchen, a three-car garage with additional parking, a swimming pool and established garden areas, with the fourth bedroom offering flexibility as guest accommodation, a study, a home office or a hobby room. The property has been substantially developed from what was historically largely raw or underutilised agricultural land, with considerable investment in roads, fencing, firebreaks, water infrastructure, security, residential improvements and agricultural infrastructure, and a substantial package of farm machinery is associated with the property.
Water is sourced entirely from rainwater harvested into tanks with a combined capacity of approximately 80 000 litres, feeding the pool, house and garden, and the residence is serviced by two septic tanks with soakaways; energy independence is provided by a 12-panel rooftop solar installation, a Victron inverter with battery backup and a 5.5kW backup generator, with the municipal connection retained for standby purposes.
The result is a property that can be occupied and enjoyed immediately while retaining considerable scope for further agricultural, lifestyle and potentially tourism-related development, subject to the required approvals.
Features
Land and title:
14.95 hectares combined across two adjoining Agriculture Zone I erven
Erf 2877: approximately 7.6587 ha, the lower portion, carrying the residence
Erf 12654: approximately 7.2930 ha, the upper portion
The two erven are separately titled; the combined holding should not be treated as a single erf without verifying the title structure
Zoning: Agriculture Zone I on both erven under the Knysna Zoning Scheme By-law (2020), subject to confirmation against current municipal records
Elevation range: approximately 160 m to 280 m above sea level
Elevated Knysna Lagoon, valley, forest and mountain views
Residence (227 m², on Erf 2877):
Bedrooms: 4 – bedroom 1 with king bed, patio, walk-in closet; bedroom 2 usable as a study; bedroom 3 with king bed and built-in cupboards; bedroom 4 with separate entrance and balcony
Bathrooms: 3 – main en suite, guest bathroom with bath, and a third en suite
Open-plan lounge and dining room with patio access
Family / TV room with fireplace and patio access
Kitchen with gas hob and extractor fan, farmhouse-style layout
Laminated floors throughout the bedrooms
Built-in braai, driveway and balcony
Swimming pool and established garden areas
Three-car garage plus additional parking
Open parking bays: 4; shaded parking bays: 3
Height: 2 storeys, 15 m
Services and infrastructure:
Water: rainwater harvesting only, into tanks of approximately 80 000 litres combined capacity, feeding the pool, house and garden; the seller reports the system has never run dry
There is currently no functioning borehole on the property
A borehole was previously drilled on Erf 12654 by that erf’s former owner but was closed off before completion or connection after the drilling contractor was reportedly not paid in full; its approximate location is known but it has not been physically relocated on the ground, and a drilling report is available
A neighbouring property, Erf 2871, has reportedly recorded a borehole yield of approximately 20 000 litres per hour, suggesting further groundwater may be available lower down on Erf 12654 – this is unconfirmed on Bella Vista Farm and would require a new borehole to be drilled and independently tested
Water backup / storage tank: yes
Sewerage: two septic tanks with soakaways, one on each side of the residence
Power: 12 roof-mounted solar panels, Victron inverter, battery backup, 5.5kW backup generator, with the municipal/Eskom connection retained for standby purposes
Solar panels / PV system: yes; solar geyser: yes (solar/electric hybrid, switchable) plus a separate electric geyser
Security: fully fenced boundaries, electric fencing, residential security fencing, automated solar-powered entrance gate, security gate, electric garage, safe, and Censys electronic access control
Extensive internal access road network and established firebreaks
Farm improvements and land use:
Existing greenhouse suited to protected growing and seedling production
Storeroom facilities, external toilet facilities and agricultural storage areas
Partially completed storage / workshop infrastructure, with materials available for further construction
Approved building plans for a proposed 15 m × 9 m workshop and storeroom (not yet built)
Established plantations and productive agricultural land
Historically cultivated with avocado and granadilla; old terraces approximately 3 m wide and 100 m long remain, with several original avocado trees being brought back into production
The land has reportedly not been actively cultivated for approximately 10 years; any proposal to recommence extensive cultivation involving earthworks, ploughing, irrigation infrastructure or significant land disturbance should be assessed against current municipal, environmental and agricultural requirements
Farm machinery associated with the property includes a TLB, dozer, tractor, wood chipper, chainsaws and a generator, along with other farm tools and equipment; the final inventory, ownership and whether each item is free of finance or liens should be confirmed
Rich indigenous biodiversity: Bushbuck, mongoose, historically bush pig, leopard sightings in the broader area, and birdlife including fish eagles, forest buzzards, olive pigeons and Knysna turacos
Timber and invasive species programme:
A structured, multi-year Invasive Species Eradication Plan is reportedly already under way
A draft agreement relating to the sale and removal of invasive trees is included in the bidder’s pack and is available for review
A typical truckload of cleared timber is reported to be approximately 33 to 36 cubic metres
The clearing contractor is due to resume work after the current rains, and the seller has indicated the arrangement can be transferred to the new owner
Left-over branches and leaves are burned by Fighting Fire, the local fire-protection body the farm belongs to, and the resulting ash is mixed with wood chips to produce compost
Before bidding a purchaser should establish the trees covered, the timber volume, the contractor’s rights, the duration and price, any revenue due to the owner, access and rehabilitation obligations, and whether the agreement is assignable and binding after transfer
No timber income figure has been supplied; the financial value should not be assumed without reviewing the underlying agreement and independently verifying the timber inventory
Access, servitudes and boundaries:
The property is accessed from Old Cape Road, the continuation of the road running to the Simola Hotel and Golf Course; from there the entrance lies approximately 2 km along the gravel section, on the right-hand side
An existing registered servitude benefiting Erf 9751 and Erf 1536 relates to access
The current route reportedly runs via Erf 12654, along the side bordering Erf 2871, across Erf 2877 and thereafter into Erf 9751
A process is reportedly under way to relocate the servitude to a proposed route along the boundary adjoining Erf 4617, running directly into Erf 9751, intended to give a shorter and more practical route, reduce impact on the main dwelling on Erf 2877, and facilitate Eskom access to power lines and the transformer on the property
The relocation is reportedly being handled with the involvement of Raubenheimer Attorneys in George; it should not be regarded as completed or registered unless confirmed by the relevant legal and registration documentation
Erf 1536 is situated at the lower end of Erf 9751, has historically not been used, and has its own entrance from the main gravel road
A boundary and fencing discrepancy was identified following a survey associated with neighbouring Erf 2871: survey pegs have been correctly positioned, the existing fence does not fully correspond with the surveyed boundary, the fence is intended to be relocated by the contractor responsible for the original fence, and the neighbouring owners have been notified
Area Description
Bella Vista Farm lies in the Knysna Rural area on Old Cape Road, within the Knysna Municipality in the Western Cape, on the forested hills north of the town. The access route is the continuation of the road running to the Simola Hotel and Golf Course, with the farm entrance approximately two kilometres further along the gravel section. This is settled rural Garden Route country of smallholdings, plantations and indigenous forest, with the Knysna Lagoon visible from the higher ground on the property, and its rural position provides a strong sense of privacy and separation from the town while remaining within convenient driving distance of Knysna Central. The Knysna town centre, with the Waterfront, Knysna Mall, Woodmill Lane, the provincial hospital and the town’s schools including Oakhill and Knysna Primary, lies roughly three to four kilometres to the south. Life Knysna Private Hospital is about five kilometres away, the Pezula estate and its championship golf course around seven and a half kilometres east, and the Knysna Heads a similar distance south-east. George Airport is approximately sixty-two kilometres west via the N2. The broader location benefits from the natural attractions for which the Knysna area is known – the lagoon, indigenous forests, mountain landscapes, agricultural valleys, established tourism infrastructure and the wider Garden Route tourism economy – giving an unusual combination of rural privacy and proximity to an established tourism and lifestyle destination.
Area Amenities
Simola Hotel, Country Club and Spa, 1 Old Cape Road – approximately 2 km by the gravel access road
Oakhill School, Heuwelkruin – 3.1 km
Knysna Mall and SUPERSPAR, Main Road – 3.2 km
Knysna Provincial Hospital, Main Street – 3.2 km
Woodmill Lane Shopping Centre, Main Road – 3.3 km