Event information
This self-guided audio walking tour explores the eclectic suburb through the perspective of long-time resident Chris Parsons. The GPS-activated tour features 31 locations across a 1.7-kilometre route, taking approximately 30 minutes to complete at a comfortable pace.
The tour begins at Observatory Station and winds through the neighbourhood's Victorian streets, past the Observatory Community and Recreation Centre with its Table Mountain stone construction, and along Lower Main Road where bars and restaurants draw students and locals. Stories cover the suburb's apartheid-era history as one of Cape Town's few grey areas where all racial groups could live together, its Royal Observatory founded in 1820, and the Village Green rejuvenated ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
The VoiceMap app uses GPS technology to play audio commentary automatically as walkers reach each point of interest. After downloading the tour via wifi, the entire experience works offline with no data connection required. Users can pause and resume at any point, making it possible to stop for refreshments or photographs without losing their place in the narrative.
Observatory Station on Station Road serves as both the starting point and the nearest public transport connection. Street parking is available in the station parking lot for those driving to the start.