History
120 years of Zoo Lake: A place that helped define Johannesburg
Zoo Lake is embedded in the history of Johannesburg. Learn more about the lake's history with a brief timeline we've curated to help you admire the lake even more.
1890
Just four years after Johannesburg was founded in 1886, Eduard Lippert, a German businessman and financier, bought part of the Braamfontein Farm.
Here, he built his villa, Marienhof, and, on the advice of forester Genth, began a forestry. It was named Sachsenwald after the wooded estate of Germany’s first chancellor, Otto von Bismarck. It was intended to supply timber to the mines.
1891
Lippert’s land was purchased by H. Eckstein & Co. for potential mineral exploitation. When these attempts proved unsuccessful, Hermann Eckstein’s firm expanded Lippert’s original plantation.
Around three million trees were eventually planted, and the forest soon became a favourite private recreational retreat for Johannesburg’s wealthy Randlords and their families.
1904
Following Hermann Eckstein’s death in 1903, in a landmark act of civic generosity, his business partners, known as the Wernher-Beit-Eckstein group, donated more than 200 acres of the Sachsenwald to the Johannesburg Town Council.
The newly named Hermann Eckstein Park included what would become Zoo Lake, the Johannesburg Zoo, and the South African National Museum of Military History.
A precedent and legacy of non-racialism
This Deed of Gift contained a visionary condition: the land must always remain a public park, open to all people regardless of race. So, from its establishment, Zoo Lake stood apart from the racially segregated norms of both the colonial and apartheid eras.
As a result, Zoo Lake became a rare and important example of non-racial public space in Johannesburg.
1906
The City Council constructed a lake on what had been marshy, wetland ground. It began as a shallow, murky pond but was later dug deeper. This paved the way for boating, which quickly became a popular pastime for Johannesburg residents.
In 1911, the first boating license was issued. Rowboats have remained a signature attraction ever since and continue to be a popular weekend activity today.
1937
The Coronation Fountain (also called the “musical fountain”) was installed to commemorate the coronation of King George VI, father of Queen Elizabeth II. It became an iconic landmark and a symbol of civic pride.
1956
As part of Johannesburg’s 70th-birthday celebrations, Swan Lake was performed at Zoo Lake, starring the English prima ballerina assoluta of the Royal Ballet, Dame Margot Fonteyn.
The small island in the lake served as the stage and, on 20 October, the performance was attended by 6,000 people seated on temporary grandstands.
1958
Penny-whistle player and “King of Kwela” Spokes Mashiyane performed at Zoo Lake - an important cultural moment during an era of racial segregation.
As a tribute to Mashiyane, the South African band Mango Groove released Special Star in 1989. The song became their biggest hit.
1986
As part of Johannesburg’s centenary celebrations, two blue heritage plaques were installed at the Zoo Lake Boat House.
They were placed by the Simon van der Stel Foundation and the Parktown & Westcliff Heritage Trust (now the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation) to recognise the historic importance of the lake and surrounding parklands.
1990s
After apartheid, Zoo Lake fully evolved into a truly democratic urban park, reflecting the diverse and vibrant character of Johannesburg.
From the early 1990s until 2024, the annual Jazz on the Lake festival was hosted at Zoo Lake. Now held at the Johannesburg Zoo as Jazz in the Lights, the free day-long event celebrates the arrival of Spring and features local and international jazz, Afro-soul, R&B and pop artists.
2000s
The park’s recreational offerings expand, with sports facilities, clubs and restaurants becoming strong community anchors.
In 2006, 100 years after the creation of the lake, Zoo Lake was recognised as one of Johannesburg’s most frequented public spaces, with an estimated 20,000 visitors each week.
2015
Amid growing concerns of degeneration and by-law violations, the Zoo Lake Users Committee, a registered NPC, is reinvigorated to mobilise the community to rehabilitate and protect the park.
Since 2017, an estimated R6 million in private investment and volunteer resources has been channelled into the park’s restoration.
2024
Zoo Lake celebrates 120 years since the land was gifted to the people of Johannesburg - a rare legacy of inclusivity, civic vision and public community gathering.
