Northcliff is one of Johannesburg’s older and more established upmarket suburbs, offering buyers options to suit every need and budget.
With its cliff as a landmark, spacious homes in tree-lined streets lie on steep inclines and wind their way up the cliff for amazing views over Johannesburg.
“From the top of Northcliff Hill one has a panorama of the whole city, the hill is especially beautiful in springtime when the jacaranda trees are flowering, and Northcliff residents are very good gardeners,” says Joanna McDonald, resident. Joanna has been living in Northcliff for nearly 70 years thanks to its very stable community, and says it’s difficult to leave the area once you call it home.
Jeremy Yatt and his wife moved to Northcliff in 2000 as they wanted an ideal home to start a family. “I am fortunate to live in Northcliff Ridge as it has the most fantastic views. We live in an old koppie environment with natural rocks, indigenous plants and lots of wildlife,” says Jeremy.
At 1,807m above sea level, the ridge is the second highest point in Johannesburg, being 1m lower than Observatory Ridge. “What’s more, Northcliff is incredibly peaceful, with traffic from Beyers Naude Drive a distant hum, while on summer evenings lots of people come up to the water tower to enjoy the sunset,” says Jeremy.
Northcliff has a great sense of community, with a number of churches, synagogues and mosques, and is home to the historical and architectural Northcliff Manor Guest House. McDonald points out that Beagle Watch Armed Response’s patrols and quick response times help residents live securely in their suburb.
I love Northcliff because the big gardens and tree-lined streets give it a country feel yet at the same time one has all the amenities of the big city
Joanna McDonald, resident.
Best attractions:
- The Barnyard Theatre Cresta: for live shows
- Northcliff Country Club: for sport and socialising
- Impala Centre: for fresh produce, flowers and more
- Northcliff Ridge Eco Park: for breathtaking views of the city
- Albert's Farm: for walks in nature
Best in food:
- Jo Bean
- Lambrusco's Italian Dining
- MV Cafe
- Olivia’s Coffee Bake
- Shalow Waters: for a taste of Chinese
- The Silver Teaspoon
- Thunder Gun steakhouse
Top schools:
- Abbotts College
- Cliffview Primary School
- Northcliff Pre-Primary and Primary schools
- Northcliff High
- Northwest Christian School
- Orban Private School
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood, Sunday Times.
Take a spectacular trip through Northcliff here:
