May 2, 2026

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Come and see the smelter come to life.

From May 3, the smelter on Melville Koppies Nature Reserve and Heritage Site is getting an augmented reality boost.

With your smartphone, you will be able to see a 3D recreation of how the smelter, last fired 500 years ago, was used to extract iron from iron-bearing rocks.

It is a joint project of the University of Johannesburg’s Izak Potgieter from the Metaverse Research Unit and the Friends of Melville Koppies.

The project has also produced new signage, showing that this spot was one of many settlements of farmers (ancestors of Tswana and Sotho speakers) in the greater Johannesburg area from the 1300s, many of which also smelted iron.

Join special guided tours leaving at 08:30 and 09:30 on May 3, leaving from the Melville Koppies’ Judith Road entrance (park at Marks Park).

Or, walk directly to the smelter and experience it for yourself. Don’t forget to bring your cellphone.
Gates close at 11.30, leaving lots of time for visitors to explore the rest of the nature reserve at their leisure.

Melville Koppies is open every Sunday from 08:00 to 11:30. The cost is R100 for adults, R50 for U18s and under-fives get in free.

Other dates to diarise are Mother’s Day storytelling on May 10 at 09.00 and a guided 8km hike on May 31.

To book a guided tour, contact 072 348 0578. Your entrance fee helps pay the wages of the valuable conservation team.

Secure parking is available at Marks Park, on Judith Road, and security is provided on the Koppies.

For more details, visit www.mk.org.za or contact 072 348 0578.