Theunissen is a small town situated at the intersection of the R30 Provincial Route and R708 Regional Route in the Free State province of South Africa.
Overview
| Country: | South Africa |
| Province: | Free State |
| District: | Lejweleputswa |
| Municipality: | Masilonyana |
| Established: | 1907 |
| Named After: | Helgaardt Theunissen |
| Total Area: | 9.2 km² (3.6 sq mi) |
| Population: | 1,549 (2011) |
| Population Density: | 170/km² (440/sq mi) |
| Time Zone: | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal Code (street): | 9410 |
| PO Box: | 9410 |
| Area Code: | 057 |
About Theunissen
The town is situated 11 km north of the Vet River, 98.2 km north-east of Bloemfontein in Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, and 56 km south of Welkom on the R30 Provincial Route.
It was laid out in 1907 on the farms Smaldeel and a portion of Poortjie and attained municipal status in 1912. At first the town was known as Smaldeel, later it was renamed after Anglo-Boer War Commandant Helgaardt Theunissen who obtained permission for its establishment.
Theunissen has a small community (mostly farmers and miners) that supports the local businesses.
The town has the only wine estate, the Theunissen Wine Farm, in the Free State province. The farm is surrounded by natural beauty, and visitors can enjoy their surroundings whilst sampling the estate’s wine.
The town also has three mines, namely the Joel Mine, Beatrix, and Star Diamond Mine.
Os du Randt, a Springbok rugby legend, has a farm in the area named Tama. This town consists of small farms and is predominantly a mining community.
Tourist attractions in Theunissen include a mixture of historical and nature sites for visitors to take pleasure in. They include the following;
- Great Trek Monument
- Antique Collection (On Paardenvallei Farm)
- Water Sports and Golf
- Erfenis Dam Nature Reserve
- Cheese Factory
- Tweefontein Nature Reserve and Game Farm
