Matric Farewell & Family Photography Locations — Northern Suburbs, Durbanville
If you’re planning a Matric Farewell or family photoshoot in the Northern Suburbs, this is honestly the question I get asked the most: “Where should we shoot?”
I’ll be upfront: the Northern Suburbs isn’t blessed with the same scenic variety as somewhere like Camps Bay or Stellenbosch. There’s no secret hidden gem I’m holding back — what’s below is genuinely the full picture, built from years of shoots out here.
The honest reality first
Whether it’s a matric shoot squeezed in before the dance, or a family session on a Saturday morning, the same issue comes up: time is tight, and the Northern Suburbs has very few genuinely scenic, easily-accessible spots. There are open public spaces that are free — but “free” and “scenic” aren’t always the same thing out here.
Your realistic options fall into three categories: wine farms (by far your best bet for something that photographs beautifully), a handful of free public spots, or a private venue you arrange yourself (a friend’s property, for example).
Wine Farms (the best option for a scenic shoot)
There are around a dozen wine farms in and around Durbanville. I don’t personally track which ones formally allow photoshoots or on what terms — every farm is different, so contact them directly before you book anything. A few pointers from experience:
- Some charge a shoot fee; others are happy if you buy a bottle of wine, some snacks, or a cheese board while you’re there.
- Book early — during matric season especially, farms get busy fast.
- Coordinate your time slot against your reception/dance start time — tell the farm (and me) what time you need to be dressed and ready to leave.
- If you’re worried about rain, ask if they have a covered veranda or indoor fallback — several do.
- Important: if the farm is also where your actual matric dance or event is being held, photos usually work better at a different, quieter farm nearby — between the cars and the crowds, the event venue itself rarely photographs well.
Farms I’ve personally shot at before:
- Eureka — large covered veranda, good rain fallback
- Nitida — a personal favourite
- Klein Roosboom
- Loch Lynne
- Pampoenkraal
- Allesverloren
Contact details left off for now — best to contact each farm directly for availability and costs.
Free Public Spots (Northern Suburbs)
These won’t give you a wine-farm backdrop, but they’re free, local, and easy to get to. I can’t guarantee availability, safety, or exactly what they’ll look like on the day — this is a starting point, not a promise.
- Eversdal public parks (Eversdal)
- Row of trees, Racecourse Road
- Field next to Graanendal (best Aug–Oct, canola season)
- Sonstraal Dam
- Boland Park (Vierlanden)
- Odendaal Park (Aurora)
- Aurora Park
- Fairtrees Park (Sonstraal Heights)
- Frikkie Knoetze Arboretum (Sonstraal Heights)
Magic Forest — a note on risk
Magic Forest is technically an option, and I’ve shot there before with good results. But it’s City of Cape Town land, and on my last two visits there we were asked to leave by local security — they wanted a commercial permit, which isn’t something I can provide for a personal shoot like this. I’m including it because it’s genuinely nice, and there’s a chance it works out — but I want you going in knowing there’s a real risk we’ll need to move elsewhere on the day.
Private Venues
I’ve shot beautiful sessions at private homes before — usually a friend or family member’s property. These work really well, but arranging the venue is on you, not me — I don’t have a list of private homes to offer, since that’s something you’d need permission for personally.
Not in the Northern Suburbs?
If you’re based in Stellenbosch, Camps Bay, Bloubergstrand, or elsewhere in the Western Cape, I’ve got dedicated location guides for those areas too.
More Locations from Past Shoots
A few of these you’ve just read about above — here’s what they actually look like, from real matric and family shoots.
D'Aria
A beautiful Durbanville wine estate with rolling vineyard views, perfect for a relaxed matric or family shoot.
Klein Roosboom
A charming working wine farm just outside Durbanville, with warm, characterful backdrops for portraits.
Koelenhof
A Stellenbosch-area wine estate with classic vineyard scenery — a lovely option if you’re happy to travel a little further.
Loch Lynne
A picturesque wine farm with lovely open grounds, ideal for group and family portraits.
Magic Forest
A genuinely pretty forest setting in Durbanville — just know there’s a real chance of being asked to leave by security, as covered above.
Nitida
One of my personal favourite Durbanville wine farms, with elegant grounds that photograph beautifully in any season.
Private Farm — Durbanville
A private farm property in Durbanville, arranged personally by the family — not something I can book directly, but a lovely example of what’s possible with the right connections.
Private Access — Clara Anna Fontein
Private access near Clara Anna Fontein arranged by a client — another beautiful spot that isn’t publicly bookable, but worth asking about if you have a personal connection there.
