About
Darling is a small town in a farming area on the West Coast region of the Western Cape, about 75 km (46.6 mi) from Cape Town, like many small towns situated along the West Coast it is primarily inhabited by Afrikaans speaking people. It is also home to a dairy company bearing the same name. At the beginning of the 18th century, about 29 farmers lived in an area called Groenkloof and on one of these farms, Langfontein, Darling was founded in 1853. It was named after Sir Charles Henry Darling who came in 1851 to the Cape as Lieutenant Governor. The Darling Museum showcases the history of the town and the Darling creamery which was established in 1899 by two Swedish settlers, Nils Georg Moller and G. Threnstrom, and was closed in 1950. The museum also holds a collection of large agricultural machines. Darling is famous for its wildflowers and since 1917 the annual Darling Wildflower show is held by the Darling Wildflower Society in the beginning of Spring in September, founded in 1915 by Mrs. Suzanne Malan and Mr. Frederick Duckitt of Waylands. The Darling Wind Farm is situated between Darling and the coastal town of Yzerfontein. It is operational with plans for expansion.