Mount Moreland initially established in 1850 by John
Moreland, he was The Byrne settler agency land surveyor. Although some of the Byrne settlers, including
Macleroy, wished to have town lots in Verulam he refused, remembering that the founders of the Christian
Emigration & Colonization Society had insisted on the Wesleyans being settled on a compact block of
12,000 acres and retaining their identity as a co-operative emigration.
The Byrne emigrants were therefore planted north
of the Umhloti and Moreland’s arrangements apart from the survey were intended to please the emigrants
and avoid recrimination. A second village was established a
few miles from Verulam.
The site was chosen by a party of old colonists, eight in number, among them being Henry Milner and G.C.Cato,
and the name ‘Mount Moreland’ chosen by them as well. It was situated on a small hill with a lake below and
enjoyed the sea breezes blowing up the valley of the Umhloti; After the initial establishment of a church and
other dwellings in Mount Moreland the land remained largely undeveloped due to the fact that cotton could not
be grown and Mount Moreland was some distance off the main travelling and trading
routes.
Years later the Tongaat Hulett Group acquired the
land for the farming of sugar
cane and poplar trees.
Only in the 1970’s Mount Moreland was re-established as a township
under the banner of Mount Moreland (Pty) Ltd. and the leadership of Mr Oberholzer. This all came about
with the prospect of the soon to be built Airport at La Mercy and the need for housing in close proximity
to the proposed development.
After a few initial investors and the shelving of
the proposed airport, Mount Moreland (PTY) LTD became a dormant company that was purchased by Tongaat
Hulett and became their property development company known as Moreland developments, only recently
changed to Tongaat Hulett Developments.
Mount Moreland grew at a slow pace over the years
thereafter, development somewhat hindered at the uncertainty of the proposed on/off
airport.
2010
Mount Moreland comprising of 98 homes now faces a new beginning in the form of a rezoning on the area
to be incorporated into Umhlanga Town planning scheme No1 with a mixed land use options to make the land
more compatible with the now built King Shaka
international Airport.
And now a new
and exciting future lies ahead for Mount Moreland
Inkonjane.
A new chapter is
about to begin.
Mount Moreland 1980's
Mount Moreland History at a glance
• Mt Moreland established -1850
• Rem of Village of Mt Moreland transferred -1876
• Surveyor General records compiled -1935
• La Mercy Airport earthworks - circa 1973
• Pietermaritzburg-Durban Region Regional Guide Plan - 1973
• Metropolitan Durban Draft Guide Plan – 1974
• DSB - Development Area declared (net area) - 1977
• North Local Council established - 1996
• Town and Regional Commission Section 48 Order - 1999
• eThekwini Municipality established - 2000
• Agreement between Provincial and Municipal Govt - July 2007
• Min: Environmental Affairs and Tourism ROD - Oct 2008
• Mount Moreland: Motivation for Rezoning - TPI - Aug 2009
• King Shaka International Airport opens - 1 May 2010
