Hibberdene is a small coastal town situated along the N2 National Route and R102 Regional Route on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa, approximately 19 km north-east of Port Shepstone and 103 km south-west of Durban, and halfway between the coastal towns of Margate and Scottburgh.
Hibberdene is situated on a coastal hillside between the uMhlungwa River to the north and the uMzimayi River to the south, both of which drain into the Indian Ocean. The town was named after C. Maxwell-Hibberd, the former postmaster-general of Natal.
Hibberdene falls within the Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality, which is part of the Ugu District Municipality.
Suburbs
The 2011 census divided Hibberdene into the following “sub places”:
- Catalina
- Entaba
- Fairview
- Fairview Mission
- Hibberdene SP
- Pumula
- Umzumbe
- Wood Grange
Transport
The coastal town of Hibberdene can be accessed through the following major routes:
- N2 – A freeway bypassing Hibberdene, running from Durban in the north to Port Shepstone in the south.
- R102 – The main road through Hibberdene, connecting Pennington in the north to Umzumbe and Port Shepstone in the south and providing access to the N2 at exit 72. The R102 between Hibberdene and Port Shepstone is commonly used by motorists wishing to avoid tolling on the N2 in Port Shepstone.
A shuttle bus stops twice daily in Hibberdene, connecting the coastal town with Margate, Port Shepstone, Durban, and King Shaka International Airport.
Tourism
Similar to most towns along the South Coast, Hibberdene mostly depends on tourism for its small-scale economy. Situated at the gateway to the Hibiscus Coast, Hibberdene is popularly known as an affordable holiday destination and for its beaches.
Hibberdene has 5 popular beaches, four of which are netted and thus are safe for swimming. Hibberdene’s beaches are popular because of the warm Indian Ocean flowing across its shoreline, making diving, snorkelling, and scuba diving very pleasant. Two of its beaches, Umzumbe Beach and Hibberdene Beach, are accredited with the international Blue Flag Beach status.
Retail
Hibberdene serves as a shopping centre for the small settlements and countryside surrounding it, such as Mathulini and Mthwalume. The town centre of Hibberdene, situated along the R102, includes the Hibberdene Village Mall, a Pick’n Pay supermarket, and several other retailers, local businesses, and hardware stores.
