Orkney lies on the banks of the Vaal River, approximately 180 km from Johannesburg. The town was proclaimed on 29 March 1940 on the farm Witkoppen, the farm where Simon Fraser, owner of the farm, had first started gold mining operations in the 1880's. Fraser hailed from the Orkney Islands, off the coast of Scotland, hence the name of the town. 'Orkn' is the ancient Islandic word for sea lion, and 'Ey' a Nordic word meaning island. This is the reason why the sea lion was chosen as emblem for the town, Orkney achieved fame as the setting for the Afrikaans Tv serial 'Orkney Snork Nie'.

GENERAL INFORMATION

How to get there

Klerksdorp 13 km, Viljoenskroon 48 km, Bothaville 56 km, Leeudoringstad 64 km

Rivers – Vaal

Accommodation in and around Orkney