There are approximately 480 households within our community, which we now fondly refer to as ‘WoodRock’

Woodmead, the CCJ and surrounding areas are all situated on a farm that once belonged to Lady Cullinan. Some of the oak trees that lined her driveway can still be seen on the Country Club Johannesburg / Woodmead golf course.

Khyber Rock, south of Plymouth Street and east of Lincoln Street, belonged to Mr. Bernard Elkin who originally lived in Killarney.

This area east of Lincoln Street consisted of small-holdings that included the Blue Hills Stables. It now accommodates The Bernardino, Khyber Royale, Khyber Fountains, Khyber Rock Estates N/S/E/W, Khyber Rock Village, Khyber Court, Annapurna and The Paddocks.

Further east (and outside of the boomed area) the development is now mainly devoted to businesses within the Woodmead Office Park and Woodmead Estate Office Park. Woodmead itself was a blue gum forest inhabited by extensive wildlife including many varieties of snakes. Earlier residents will recall interesting and varied encounters with these reptiles, which encounters extended into 2008 and which continue with irregular reporting up to this day.

Woodmead was declared a township in 1966 and the first one-acre residential stands went on the market in that year when there was still access to Witkoppen Road from the north of Lincoln Street as the N1 Highway (Western Bypass) had not yet been built.

Riley road was originally opened in 1976 but only tarred much later. Pinewood Office Park was developed as a separate suburb – all of this ground originally belonging to CCJ.

The internal roads were only finally tarred in the early 1980’s and at the time the then Sandton Council’s policy was to retain the rural character of these outlying areas, hence originally there were no street lights. The final street lights were installed in the Woodmead area in early 2005.

When the Woodmead Township was proclaimed in 1966, ERF106 was zoned for Educational purposes and in addition, when Woodmead was proclaimed it was classified as Peri-Urban, which meant it fell outside any municipality. There was a Peri-Urban board at the time and Woodmead was incorporated into that – and that is the reason why residents are still billed directly by Eskom for power.

Merely for your info, the municipality of Sandton was consolidated around 1972 and Woodmead, Sunninghill and other suburbs north of the M 1 were incorporated. The name “Sandton” was arrived at as a result of a competition and was actually an amalgamation of Sandown and Bryanston – the two largest suburbs at the time.

All infrastructure and services were originally installed to service the low densities of 2.5 dwelling units per hectare (i.e., 1 dwelling per one-acre stand, which is approx. 4000 m2).

Increased densities are now putting serious strain on services such as water, electricity, sewage and roads and creating much concern and dissatisfaction amongst residents.

Woodmead is an area characterized by high-quality homes on large stands with well-treed and landscaped gardens. The average density now accepted in the suburb of Woodmead is 10 dwelling units per hectare (1 d/u per 1000 m2) in terms of our draft Precinct Plan and the RSDF. Khyber Rock likewise is an area of high-quality homes albeit on smaller stands. It was planned and zoned for a variety of densities that have changed little since 1966.

In 1967 Mr H.E. Back owned Khyber Pass. His wife was Carmel Back, the architect. The Khyber Pass hill reminded him of Afghanistan. He wanted to develop a small village with similar architectural style, so he divided the land, now known as The Pass, into 2000 M2 lots with an average asking price of R10,000. He lived in ‘The Big House’ adjacent to CCJ.

At that time (1967) Dr Brian Barrow chose to purchase 21 Lincoln street for R6,000 and also recalls purchasing a Peugeot Station Wagon for R1,500. Dr Brian and his family still reside in Woodmead / Khyber Rock.

Further background information is from Gail Daus-VanWyk, previously of Hillman street and a long time Ward Councillor who has now retired to Eastern Cape, and she offers the following: