The fully functional farm with cows and chickens in the middle of one of South Africa’s top neighbourhoods

·19 Nov 2025

Irene Farm is a unique agricultural area in the centre of the popular Centurion neighbourhood, home to 236,580 people and many high-profile businesses.

Irene Farm dates back nearly 200 years, when the Voortrekker Daniel Elardus Erasmus settled on the Doornkloof farm in the 1830s.

After he died in 1875, the land was divided among his sons. In the late 1880s, entrepreneur Alois Hugo Nellmapius bought two-thirds of that land.

Nellmapius named the central portion of the farm after his young daughter, Irene. He developed Irene into a model farm.

He imported Friesland dairy cows, planted extensive gardens and orchards, and built a grand farmhouse, stables, and greenhouses.

The Barn Restaurant, which is operational today, still occupies one of the original farm barns built in 1890.

After Nellmapius died in 1893, his estate sold the property. Johannes Albertus van der Byl bought the farm for £21,500.

Van der Byl continued farming, improved water infrastructure, and raised dairy and game animals.

During the Second Boer War, Irene hosted a British concentration camp, tragically killing over a thousand mainly Boer women and children.

Post-war, van der Byl laid out the village of Irene. Later developments included a police station, a forestry nursery, a hotel, a school, and a golf course.

Fast forward a century, and Irene became one of the most sought-after residential neighbourhoods in Pretoria.

The original farm also gave rise to other residential estates, including Cornwall Hill and Southdowns Country Estate, as well as the Irene Country Lodge.

What is particularly impressive is that the Irene Farm remains a fully operational commercial farm situated in the middle of these high-end developments.

The farm’s iconic black and white Holstein cows are descendants of the original herd and continue to produce dairy for the public to this day, over a century later.

The farm also features a restaurant, deli, raw milk production, and event venues, all while preserving its heritage.

Seventy Friesland buys Irene Farm

Last year, Seventy Friesland, which is wholly owned by Quadri Holdings, acquired the Irene Country Lodge and Irene Farm.

Seventy Friesland is active in the property development market focusing on industrial, commercial, retail, and residential properties.

It owns a portfolio of rentable immovable properties and vacant land throughout South Africa, with a predominant focus on Gauteng.

Before the deal, the businesses conducted under Irene Farm, a working dairy farm with a farm shop and offering hospitality services, were held under various legal entities.

Irene Estate conducted the farming activities of Irene Farm, while Irene Townships managed the restaurants, farm shop, and conference facilities.

The land on which the hospitality aspects of the business are conducted is owned by Irene Estate and leased to Irene Townships.

Irene Farm is a working dairy farm that operates a farm shop and offers hospitality services, including dining, conferences, functions, and a wedding venue.

Following the deal, there has been significant investment going into the Irene Farm to improve and upgrade its facilities.

The Hennops River, which was an eyesore at times and caused significant flooding, has been cleaned up and restored.

The farm and its hospitality infrastructure are also undergoing numerous upgrades, including the addition of new facilities.

It has launched Waters Edge, a new weddings, functions, and events venue overlooking one of the tranquil dams and surrounding farmland.

It has also constructed a new facility to milk the cows and modern areas to run the farm, as well as hospitality facilities.