Turffontein, Johannesburg

Turffontein is an area with a rich multicultural ambience that's rooted in history. Many early Italian, Portuguese and Lebanese immigrants made their home here, and today it is well-known for its racecourse, history and culture. As a leading real estate agency in the area, Seeff takes a look at everything Turffontein has to offer would-be buyers and lessors.

A brief history of the area
One of the original farms which lay on the land we now know as Johannesburg was called Turffontein. The area became a suburb in 1886, and the well-renowned Turffontein Racecourse opened its racetracks soon after. Gold was discovered in the area, and from 1897, while racing continued unabated on the course, gold was being mined 1.5 km beneath the horses and their riders.

Distance from key points (Airport/CBD)
If you're a resident of Turffontein and you're heading to O. R. Tambo International Airport, the trip will take you around 25 minutes in average traffic, covering a distance of about 30 km. Lanseria International Airport is further away, at a distance of approximately 52 km. A trip to Johannesburg's CBD via the M3 will take just over 10 minutes.

Climate
As Turffontein is part of the Highveld, you'll get to enjoy warm conditions during the summer months. In winter, things will get significantly cooler. The hottest months of the year are December, January and February, when a typical day sees the mercury rise into the high 20s or low 30s. June and July are the coldest months of the year, when the maximum temperature is often between 15°C and 20°C.

Schools in the area
There are a number of great schools close to home if you're a resident of Turffontein. Primary schools in the area include Turffontein Primary School, Tambotie Preparatory School and Highveld Primary School. When it's time for high school, your child can attend schools like Horizon High School or Hoërskool President.

Healthcare in the area
Private hospitals close to home for residents of Turffontein include Solomon Stix Morewa Memorial Hospital and Netcare Mulbarton Hospital. You'll also find an array of doctors, dentists and other medical professionals close to home.

Shopping centres
If you live in Turffontein, you'll never have far to travel when it's time to go shopping - whether you're looking for groceries, clothing, gifts or just about anything else. Within a drive of about five minutes, you can be at Mall @ The Junction or Southdale Shopping Centre.

Restaurants
Turffontein makes a great home for a foodie because there's a wide array of flavours in the area to tantalise your taste buds. Rolling in Dough Lebanese Cuisine brings you a taste of the Middle East. Here, you can enjoy anything from a pizza to grape leaves stuffed with rice, mince and spices.

Another well-loved restaurant in the area is Restaurante Parreirinha, where you will find authentic Portuguese cuisine and an extremely interesting setting, as the restaurant is housed in what used to be the Sixth Street Police Station.

Special attractions
The special attraction for which Turffontein is best known is, of course, its racetrack. Turffontein is home to two tracks. The inside track is a 2 500m turf oval, on which all races are run clockwise. There is also a stand-side track, which shares a common back straight with the inside track.

Rotunda Park, so named for its circular shape, is another spot well-loved by Turffontein residents. It provides a quiet and spacious area for family picnics and a great spot to let the kids run around and play. There are loads to do here, with a full basketball court and netball court for organised sports as well as jungle gyms, exercise equipment and braai facilities.

Make Turffontein your home. Let it be your story.

Turffontein is a suburb with loads to offer and affordable properties. If you'd like to find out more, you can contact the Seeff team today and discover properties for sale and to rent in the area.

Image credit: Turffontein Racecourse by Ossewa | Wikipedia | CC-BY-SA-4.0 | https://bit.ly/3yDnSQd