The year 2025 was another that defined the spirit of Sardinia Bay Golf & Wildlife Estate and those who love living on the property.
Excitement was in the air early on when eagle-eyed residents spotted a sizeable, feathered visitor.
The arrival of the Goliath heron caused a stir among the birdwatchers since it is usually only found in the northern parts of South Africa and tracts of sub-Saharan Africa.
These birds stand up to 130cm tall when they are vigilant, which is the clue to their moniker.
Not as surprising but equally majestic was a set of wildlife images captured by resident amateur photographers Bruce and Mandi Campbell.
The stars of the shoot were Sards’s beloved zebra herds, perhaps the most recognisable creatures on the 100-plus hectares of real estate.
As summer wore on, golf took centre stage with the fifth annual club championships.
Janine Lee and Wayne Broedelet left with trophies in hand but it was the former who made the winning chirp of loving the wind because “it messes with my opponents’ heads”.
The news in June was fishy.
A few years after tilapia had been introduced to the dams to snack on any suspect organic material that might abound, a roll call confirmed that they were well-fed and breeding like there would be no tomorrow.
A good thing, really, as one notch higher up in the food chain lurks fish lovers like grey heron, malachite kingfishers and cormorants.
Contact me please
Mid-winter was all about signs or, more accurately, signage.
Following rumours of visitors losing their way when trying to visit friends or family on the sprawling estate, the HOA commissioned beautiful directional signage adorning a likeness of Sards’s beloved zebras.
Winter seemed the perfect time to revamp the golf course and in August it was all about the eighth green.
The small putting surface’s reversed-saucer shape was particularly unkind to well-hit balls, prompting a rethink by the brains trust led by Stephen Daly.
It made sense to reward shots that were clearly on target and gently rolling off the manicured bits seemed counterintuitive.
The beginning of spring coincided with the launch of the fourth and final phase.
Rather than merging with the course, these 10 plots offer views of the indigenous forest serving as buffer between the estate and the Indian Ocean.
In October a wonderful story emerged about a couple who had swapped their farm of 25 years for land on the Gqeberha estate as it was “neither out of nor in town”.
Then came the update on the Oliver and Linda Cartwright tale, which started when they followed their instinct to sign on the dotted line on the very first day of retirement-house hunting.
Rounding out the year was all about the makeover of the clubhouse.
A brand-new look of the outdoor seating area, deck and pro shop is proof that the quest for excellence is ongoing.