Mr and Mrs Davidson (Ted and Connie) were great friends of my family and we were lucky enough to spend time with them in the Wankie Game Reserve. We would stay in one of the little thatched rondavels. Going for game drives, I would sit in the back of Mr Davidson’s vehicle with his sons and we loved going to Dom pan or on to Nyamanhlovu pan.
At both of these pans there were windmills which would pump water into to troughs which would over flow, creating pans. The windmills had to be protected as the elephant would push them over when they were not working looking for the fresh water. This was done by 2 huge trenches dug around the windmill. On the one at Nyamanhlovu a platform was built so one could sit up there on a full moon night and see the animals come down to drink. It was very exciting, but quite frightening.
We would also go and feed Beadle (a resident crocodile). Beadle got the name from Sir Hugh Bead, who was the Chief Magistrate of Bulawayo. Sir Hugh was given three newly hatched crocodiles to keep in his fish pond in Bulawayo.
They grew well but found the pond too small so Sir Hugh gave them to Ted to put in Nyamanlovu pan.
Being so small they had to be fed and this carried on for many years. I am not sure what happened to 2 of them but it ended up with just the one, known for years as Beadle. Feeding became dangerous as Beadle got bigger, he felt that the person bringing the food was a nicer meal that the piece of meat, and so it eventually had to stop. The research team monitored him regularly, darting him to measure him etc. I am not sure but I think it was in the 1970 that they decided Beadle was a female. I was in the Park in 2010, there was a huge crocodile still at Nyamanhlovu which I felt could still be Lady Beadle which would now make her approx. 70 years old.
The end of 1966 – 1967. Six short months.
Wankie National Park had grown. It was no longer known as a game reserve but had become a National Park. The Game department had amalgamated with National Parks and so was now known as The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management.
There was now a tourist office combined with the main admin office, a restaurant, a camping/ caravan place and chalets plus 2 lodges, Sable and Impala. The Regional Warden had his own little hut as his office, in front of the single staff accommodation. The Davidson’s house was much bigger than the other houses and more houses had to be built for staff. There was now an air strip made in the vlei in front of the houses. Planes would fly in daily bringing tourist. These would be met by the Tourist officer and taken to their different accommodation. To then be taken later on game drives.
There were many new roads made for game drives. The windmills were slowly being replaces by diesel pumps so more places in the Park had pans that were being pumped daily, during the dry season. This would entail usually 2 people or else husband and wife teams living at the pans in a hut keeping the diesel pumps going. There was a regular truck taking fuel around to the different places approximately every ten days to two weeks. This same truck would take rations for the people as well as spares parts for the pumps. If they could they would fix the engine themselves but if unsuccessful it would them be reported and the mechanic would then go out himself.
There were 2 drivers (Munwerei, Maneni) who were amazing and would take the 5 ton Bedford through unbelievably thick sand without getting stuck or else over terrible tracks. They knew what they were doing,
Farms had been bought and there was now Robin’s camp at the north end of the Park and Sinamatella was being built. It was the policy of National Parks that camps would be built on the periphery of the park and not in the centre.
The management unit was based at Sharpi in tent this was moved later to pole and dagger huts upon a ridge.
1972 – 1982
The Park kept growing. Two rows of staff house had been built, a new Provincial Wardens house built, plus a big compound with houses for all staff, more lodges were being built and a lovely big restaurant with VIP lounge, The Waterbuck’s Head bar, craft shop and a small super market with basic food , cold drinks and lots of Ice, for sale. The old restaurant did become a library/museum during the war.
The Park was split up into different areas. Wilderness area where 4x4 driven vehicles could go and people were allowed to camp in designated area and do walks, Forrest areas.
Controlled hunting safaris were started up in the north western area along the out skirts of the park.
Southern Sun had been given permission to build a luxury hotel at the top end of the Dete Vlei. A new international airport was completed so no longer planes would land at Main Camp. This accommodated 2 flights daily from Harare, to Vic Falls via Kariba and Wankie, flying back again in the afternoon. (Reversing the flight in the afternoon)
All camps would get electricity. A very big reservoir was built for water for Main Camp, and one at Sinamatella.
Sharpi management camp was moved to Umtishibi with new houses for staff, plus a big work shop, storerooms, holding pens and a small airstrip, for the management team. Big fire guards were cut on the edge of the Park and throughout the Park. This consisted of 2 parallel graded tracks cut and the area in between burnt. These were maintained every year.
Culling operation was carried out, gully and soil erosion done plus other conservation work.
Picnic sites were built where people could alight from their vehicle and rest or have a meal. The children could run around and make a noise. Clean water laid on plus ablutions blocks built. Later one was allowed to spend the night at these different places for a small fee.
By Kate Reese
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