Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve is a 253 hectare protected area in the suburb of

Yellowwood Park Yellowwood Park is a quiet suburb of the city of Durban, South Africa, established in 1960. It is 14 km southwest of central Durban. The land was given to the city of Durban by Kenneth Stainbank, who also established the Kenneth Stainbank ...

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

. The park was proclaimed in 1963, after land was donated by Mr Kenneth Stainbank for its purpose. The reserve is managed by

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is a governmental organisation responsible for maintaining wildlife conservation areas and biodiversity in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Their headquarters is in Queen Elizabeth Park situated on the northern slopes of ...

Flora and fauna

The park contains many

real yellowwood ''Podocarpus latifolius'' (broad-leaved yellowwood or real yellowwood, af, Opregte-geelhout, nso, Mogôbagôba, xh, Umcheya, zu, Umkhoba) is a large evergreen tree up to 35 m high and 3 m trunk diameter, in the conifer family Podoca ...

trees, for which the surrounding suburb is named. The park has coastal forest and natural

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur natur ...

which is habitat to the following animals: * banded mongoose *

blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when obs ...

red Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...

and

grey duiker The common duiker (''Sylvicapra grimmia''), also known as the grey or bush duiker, is a small antelope and the only member of the genus ''Sylvicapra''. This species is found everywhere in Africa south of the Sahara, excluding the Horn of Afric ...

* bushbaby *

bushbuck The Cape bushbuck (''Tragelaphus sylvaticus'') is a common and a widespread species of antelope in sub-Saharan Africa.Wronski T, Moodley Y. (2009)Bushbuck, harnessed antelope or both? ''Gnusletter'', 28(1):18-19. Bushbuck are found in a wide ra ...

Egyptian mongoose The Egyptian mongoose (''Herpestes ichneumon''), also known as ichneumon (), is a mongoose species native to the coastal regions along the Mediterranean Sea between North Africa and Turkey, tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrub ...

* genet *

impala The impala or rooibok (''Aepyceros melampus'') is a medium-sized antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The only extant member of the genus '' Aepyceros'' and tribe Aepycerotini, it was first described to European audiences by Germa ...

* reedbuck *

rock hyrax The rock hyrax (; ''Procavia capensis''), also called dassie, Cape hyrax, rock rabbit, and (in the King James Bible) coney, is a medium-sized terrestrial mammal native to Africa and the Middle East. Commonly referred to in South Africa as the das ...

* slender mongoose * vervet monkey * water monitor * zebra

Facilities and trails

There are 13 km of nature walks, as well as a 10 km mountain bike trail in the park. Recently three well marked walking trails have been added: a 5 km, family-friendly route; a moderate trail; and a more challenging 10 km route. There is also a wheelchair-friendly trail in the reserve, accessible from the main car park. Within the reserve, surrounded by giant yellowwood trees, is a hidden treasure: Coedmore Castle. This is a gracious old stone homestead that was built by Dering Stainbank in 1885. Coedmore Castle still contains many of the original household contents including furniture from the nineteenth century, old family portraits and antique silverware. Coedmore Castle was maintained by members of the original family until 2018 when Elizabeth Keith, Kenneth's daughter, died. At this time so did the family usufruct and the building and surrounding property in terms of the deed of donation now vests in the state. As a consequence, the castle is no longer open to the public for guided tours and school outings. Likewise, the grounds are no longer available for hire. Also in the reserve is the Mary Stainbank Memorial Gallery. Mary was a contemporary of Henry Moore, having graduated from the Royal College of Art, London, in 1925. The gallery contains a large body of her private works and papers and is open to the public by prior booking. The reserve is also home to the Wilderness Leadership Foundation, founded by the late Ian Player. The school takes groups on guided walks through the province's northern game reserves, mainly Hluhluwe-Imfolozi.

References

Codemore Castle. https://www.coedmorecastle.com/{{Nature Reserves in eThekwini Nature reserves in South Africa Protected areas of KwaZulu-Natal Protected areas established in 1963 1963 establishments in South Africa