Have you heard about the Magaliesberg vulture restaurants? Or about Dwarsvlei, a farm north of Krugersdorp that was the site of a “forgotten” battle during the South African War (Anglo-Boer War)?

We’ve got a treat for you at Maropeng during the Magalies Rocks the Cradle festival: a series of public talks by three celebrated experts.

The day of shared knowledge – the inaugural Maropeng Talks Series – will be on 26 August from 9am to 1pm. Stop by for the rare opportunity to learn from experts Vincent Carruthers, Andre Wedepohl and Simon Gear. Here’s a taste of what you can expect:

Author and environmentalist Vincent Carruthers is widely regarded as one of the country’s foremost experts on the Magaliesberg region. Join him as he reveals insights into the area’s rich pre-colonial history and unique wildlife and geology.

South African history expert Andre Wedepohl will share some of his research on the Battle of Dwarsvlei and the history of the South African War in the Magaliesberg area.

Simon Gear is one of the country’s leading climatologists and a science correspondent for Primedia Broadcasting. He’ll be talking about the increasingly rare Magaliesberg vulture and the global effort to protect them.

Vulture colony on the Magaliesberg Mountain #MagaliesbergAdventureLodgepic.twitter.com/8QfR27ETd9

— MagaliesbergAdvLodge (@MagaliesbergAL) 17 November 2014

The event is free of charge and there will be a coffee bar on site. To reserve a seat, email reception@maropeng.co.za or tiisetsom@maropeng.co.za.