Overview

Mossel Bay is a coastal town on the southern Cape coast of the Western Cape, built around a natural bay that has sheltered mariners and traders for centuries. Today it is a popular stop on the Garden Route, known for its beaches, the historic Bartolomeu Dias Museum complex, and shark cage diving. The town also has a significant industrial dimension as home to PetroSA's gas-to-liquids refinery, one of the largest of its kind in the world. 

Whilst this map focuses on the town and harbour of Mossel Bay on the Cape St Blaize peninsula, it also includes the following surrounding settlements: the inland town of Brandwacht in the north west corner, the coastal towns of Groot and Klein Brak River to the north and east and Dana Bay and Pinnacle Point along the southern coast. All road and rail infrastructure is shown.

Map Design and Paper

The map is an original creation by our design studio at Africa Map Art. Data for this map has been compiled from various up-to-date sources including from the OpenStreetMap contributors. The map is available in four styles and on the following two paper options and canvas: a high quality 210gsm heavyweight coated paper with a matte finish, which achieves excellent colour and resolution and is perfect for framing;  a 260gsm photo paper with a smooth satin finish;  and a 350gsm strengthened canvas. All of the options are shipped in a cardboard roll for protection. The canvas is unstretched and unframed.

We welcome personalisation and customisation requests, such as highlighting of specific buildings or features, adjusting the colour scheme, or the addition of text and images.  Please contact us for a quote.

History

Mossel Bay, a town with a rich maritime history, is believed to be the first place in South Africa where European explorers made contact with indigenous people. In 1488, Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias became the first European to land here, establishing a historical landmark known as the Post Office Tree. This ancient milkwood tree served as a mail collection point for passing sailors. The sheltered bay drew subsequent traders and settlers, and the town grew as a coastal ribbon along the shoreline, its streets and buildings pressed between the sea and the low ridge behind it. By the nineteenth century it had become a regional port serving the wool and ostrich feather trades of the Cape interior.