This is Knysna: Stories that shape a destination campaign

Press Release by Visit Knysna, 17 September 2025

This is Knysna

Knysna is renowned for its natural beauty, and landmarks like the famous Knysna Heads and Featherbed Nature Reserve are on the list of Top 10 things to do in the Garden Route.

The area also has an asset that often goes unnoticed: it is a living, breathing community of people, stories, and traditions that make the town extraordinary. It isn’t just a destination. It’s the people, the stories, the traditions, and the spirit that shape it.

This Tourism Month, Visit Knysna celebrates these stories and individuals by launching a people-centered digital campaign. Ms Lungiswa Goya, Manager: Local Economic Development Manager at the Knysna Municipality, said they will introduce some of the individuals who help shape the visitor experience, the “guardians of the forest, storytellers in mosaic, market icons, and everyday locals.”

Nature’s guardians

Knysna’s natural beauty has many guardians — from honorary rangers and passionate researchers like Mark Dixon, and his mom, Judie Dixon; the Estuary Research Foundation, SANParks, the Goukamma Nature Reserve Rangers and the Knysna Honorary Rangers.

“Devoted environmentalists, they have dedicated their lives to fostering awareness of the environment and protecting it, along the magnificent coastline of the Greater Knysna area, but also in the estuaries and lagoons along the coastline. As we look to the future, these environmental ‘faces’ are a reminder of our responsibilities. It reminds us that protecting our seahorses, forests, and estuary is more than conservation — it’s a community. They remind us that protecting your home isn’t just science — it’s love, passed from one generation to the next.”

 

Art installations

Art had always been a part of Knysna, and Goya said it has regained its rightful place in the community.  “Magnificent mosaics, murals and sculptures have been added to the landscape. Every mosaic is a story. Every colour a memory. Knysna’s artists have transformed everyday spaces into living artworks, reflecting the spirit of a town where creativity runs deep. Using paint, mosaic, and upcycling, they transform the environment. We will showcase some of the artists and their passion that inspires and entertains us.”

The Knysna Forest

What gives Knysna its aura of such great mystery? “Two words: the Knysna forests,” said Goya. SANParks and the Knysna Honorary Rangers are the guardians of the forest, but the lens of photographer Paul Bruins captures the magic and the mystery time after time. His lens finds the ancient stillness, the light filtering through the trees, and the quiet power of one of South Africa’s last indigenous forests.”

An iconic farmer’s market in Sedgefield

16 years old and counting... Rose Brettel and Sue Garner, the friendly faces behind the Sedgefield Farmer’s Market, started the market on an insignificant piece of land with hardly any infrastructure. “Today, it is an award-winning landmark and considered to be one of the best farmers' markets in the country. From farm-fresh produce to homemade crafts, the market became part of the town’s Saturday rhythm. This isn’t just a market. It’s where Greater Knysna comes together.”

“These are just some of the individuals you’ll meet, and we invite you to come with us on this journey. It is more than a campaign. It’s a celebration of the people that makes a destination.”

ENDS