The History of Bushman Rock
The Bushman Rock Estate lies within the Nyamasanga River Valley. This secluded, largely unknown valley has , over the centuries, played host to a borad cross-section of inhabitants of our great land, providing abundant water, shelter and food. During the ‘Later Stone Age’ the San tribe claimed the valley as one of their residences. These diminutive hunter-gathers, often know as ‘Bushmen’ are famous for adorning their temporary dwellings with intricate works of art. They painted scenes utilizing natural colors and dyes and depicting scenes ranging from big game hunts to the afterlife. The San people decorated a large number of granite rocks along the Nyamasanga River, some in caves and others standing well above reach, perched on the edge of cliff faces.As the Iron Age came into existence so the Bantu-speaking farming tribes of the North were slowly moving southwards. The San, faced with competition for resources moved on and the Shona people became the new inhabitants of the valley. A peace-seeking tribe of cattle herders and crop growers; the Shona people set about constructing shelters and habitations to protect their families and cattle from marauding animals and raiders from other tribes. As the area became more populated the need to protect ones livestock increased and the caves, lying amongst the rocky outcrops, provided areas perfect for fortifications. The dry stone walls that were used still remain today, somewhat tumbled down but still clearly visible. These fortifications run at intervals along the ridges overlooking the river valley. One of the larger fortresses surrounds a bubbling spring, protecting the pure water and ensuring the tribes' ability to survive sustained attacks. The Shona people of the district, under Paramount Chief Chikwakwa, came to call the river, with its reed filled water course and copious wildlife, The Nyamasanga River, or “the animals that hide in the reeds’.
During the colonial period much of the area was set aside for large scale commercial agriculture. The original Sellair Estate, as with most agricultural enterprises at the time, grew maize and tobacco and grazed a herd of cattle on the uncultivated pastures. Subdivided and sectioned off the Sellair Estate soon became nothing but a memory and the owners of the smaller properties pursued varying agricultural endeavours. By the early 1950’s, Sub-Division C of Sellair was a small tobacco farm with a few experimental plantings of vines.
The farm changed hands in the 1970's when it was purchased by Umberto Bianchini and his wife Sylvia. Umberto had decided to return to Africa after spending time on the continent as a prisoner of war during the Second World War. He had been captured while serving for the Axis forces in Abysinnia and was sent to South Africa before being repatriated back to Italy at the cessation of hostilities. He realised his dream of expanding the existing vineyard, setting up a small winery and Bushman Rock Estate became the second commercial vineyard in the country at the time. Umberto and Sylvia were joined by their son Giancarlo and his wife Gwen who eventually took over the running of the vineyard until 1996 when it was acquired by the current owners.
In the mid 2000’s Bushman Rock Estate and The AMG Family Trust formed Bushman Rock Safaris which took over operations and currently runs Valley View Lodges and The Winery @ Bushman Rock.