Did You Know?
The Boorgat (borehole) at Port Beaufort is a historical water source, reportedly drilled around 1914 by Alfred John Barry to supply water for the second Port Beaufort Hotel. Alfred John Barry was a member of the prominent Barry family, who were influential merchants and traders in the Breede River Valley and the Overberg region during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Barry family established Port Beaufort as a trading harbour at the mouth of the Breede River, shipping wool and other goods from the interior. Port Beaufort itself was developed in the 1830s by Joseph Barry, Alfred's ancestor, as a landing point for coastal schooners. The second Port Beaufort Hotel, which the borehole was intended to serve, was built after the original hotel was destroyed by fire or flood — the area has a history of periodic flooding from the Breede River. The borehole reflects the practical need for fresh water in a coastal settlement where surface water was often brackish or unreliable. Today, the site is a modest remnant of Port Beaufort's early 20th-century infrastructure. The town is located near the larger town of Witsand, and the area is known for its maritime history, including the wreck of the schooner 'Kadie' and the historic Barry Memorial Church in nearby Malgas. The exact current condition or visibility of the borehole is not widely documented, but it stands as a local heritage marker of the Barry family's continued presence in the region after the decline of the harbour trade.
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