Farm History

Stone arrowheads and tools, discovered in the Hennops river bed and dating back many years, prove that people have been living in the area for a very long time. The earliest historical writings of the period record that the Bakwena tribe, known as the Crocodile people, lived in the area in the early 1800’s. When Mzilikazi (whose people later became known as the Matabele) came to the area in 1825. He killed many of the Crocodile people and drove the rest away.

Family

One of the Boer Voortrekkers, Daniel Elardus Erasmus, who left the Cape Colony in the 1830’s to seek economic and political independence in the hinterland. Settled in the area on a farm that became known as Doornkloof. Doornkloof became known as the “kerkplaas” of the district. When Daniel died in 1875 he left the farm to his three sons.

The Farm Today

Today it is officially part of the municipality of Centurion and even though the population has grown considerably. Neighbours still know one another and find time to chat, all in an extremely relaxed and safe environment. Berti was first in line of the Irene-born van der Byls who are now in their fifth generation. The family have been responsible for building up the herd of dairy cows on the farm, as well as planting many hundreds of trees. This was at a time long before environmental consciousness.

Irene

Irene was the site of one of the Burgher Refugee or Concentration Camps. the British housed here, the tents the Boer women and children whose homes had been destroyed in the Anglo Boer War. Taking its name from the original barn building. The Barn Restaurant offers intimate inside seating as well as outside seating under the old oak trees. The ultimate family hangout with a state of the art jungle gym. It also has antique tractors for exploring and farm animals to see, parents get to relax whilst the kids are entertained.

The Barn Restaurant 

Is open 7 days a week, 365 days a year, from 08h00 to 17h00. This is a great family restaurant seating up to 300 patrons. For group or event bookings for 20 or more people, please head over to our celebrations page to book… Our delicious A la carte Breakfast menu is available Monday to Sunday mornings from 08h00 to 11h00. Our A la carte Lunch menu is served from 11h00 to 17h00, Mondays to Sundays. Breakfast, salads, sandwiches, chef’s grills. Not forgetting, yummy pantry treats and our scrumptious kids’ menu will cater to all ages and tastes.

The Deck

The scrumptious A la carte menu was created with fresh and hearty homemade food in mind. As all meals are made to order ensuring their absolute freshness, they may take a little longer than usual to prepare. Thankfully, the view over the farm, the upbeat vibe.  The friendly staff will ensure that your wait is well worth it. A good excuse to enjoy another drink and some more catch up. As always, the Irene Farm is the ultimate family hangout. With jungle gyms, antique tractors for exploring and farm animals to see, parents get to relax whilst the kids are entertained. We are fairly confident that your time spent with us will be enjoyed as much as we enjoy welcoming you.

Rendezvous

The Deck Restaurant is also undercover so you can still enjoy our hospitality even if the weather isn’t great. Our added touch of blankets for our patrons during the winter months. This is to ensure that you are made to feel at home, cosy and well looked after. Seldom is there a place where you can enjoy the farm view come rain or shine. It’s always a beautiful view to see. When you visit be sure to try our scones served with our famous Irene Farm thick cream. These are an Irene Farm favourite and a must-have any time of the day. Open seven days a week, 365 days a year, from 08h00 to 17h00, this is a great spot to catch up with family and friends (or for those long overdue coffee dates with your bff!). Seating 90 patrons, please note that The Deck Restaurant cannot accommodate tables for more than 8 people and we work on a first come, first served basis (unfortunately no bookings are taken in advance).