Kelvin Area

Kelvin at a glance

About the suburb of Kelvin

Kelvin is a suburb northeast of the Johannesburg city center and is situated relatively close to the Buccleuch interchange with its three connecting highways. It has easy access to the N1 to Midrand and Pretoria and a few other arterial roads in the surrounding areas, such as Marlboro Drive and the Eastern Service Road. 

Kelvin has many homes, including 654 freehold houses and 169 sectional title properties, which provide added security for the residents and a lock-up-and-go lifestyle. There are also larger houses at reasonable prices for sale within Kelvin, at present, including 98 freehold houses and 26 sectional title units, which attracts middle-income buyers who require easy access to the business areas in the northern Johannesburg suburbs, Midrand and Pretoria. 

Interesting facts about the history of Kelvin

Kelvin was established on part of the Bergvlei and Lombardy farms. In 1936, motor racing enthusiasts built a 2.5-mile race track in the area, with its center at the current intersection of Fairway and Sunnyway roads. The racetrack was called the "Lord Howe Circuit," named after the son of the Earl of Athlone, Governor General of South Africa, from 1923 to 1931.

The first Grand Prix at the racetrack was held in January 1937, with Lord Howe being one of the racing drivers. However, the race track was rarely used due to the lack of road access, and the time it took spectators to travel to the venue then was unappealing. 

The developers realized that the racetrack was an unsuccessful enterprise and that the best way to recover some of the costs would be to convert the area into a residential suburb. The Kelvin Township was established to provide residents with a country retreat, and the area was originally divided into larger properties to enable residents to enjoy horse riding and other outdoor pursuits.

Schools in the area

Residents of Kelvin suburb get to pick from several established schools in the neighbouring suburbs, such as Buccleuch Primary, Wendywood Primary & High Schools, Grayston Prep, and Sandown High in nearby Strathavon.

Medical facilities in the area

Residents of this suburb can get quality medical assistance from a number of medical facilities in the surrounding area, one of which is the Morningside Medi-clinic. Sunninghill hospital is also near enough for residents of Kelvin to visit easily.

Shopping centers and malls in the area

Kelvin has its own shopping center within the suburb called The Kelvin Shopping Center, and there are many other shopping centers in the surrounding areas, such as The Wendywood Shopping Center and The Bridge Shopping Center in Buccleuch, which caters to their daily requirements. There is also the well-known Sandton City Shopping Mall adjacent to Nelson Mandela Square, which caters to all shopping requirements. Kramerville Corner also offers various design and décor stores, selling everything from furniture to gifts.

Restaurants to visit near Kelvin

Residents in Kelvin have various restaurant options ranging from fine dining to more casual cafes in the center of Sandton, at Nelson Mandela Square with its six-meter statue of Nelson Mandela and the open Italian-style square in the middle of its dining hub.

For those that prefer Eastern foods, there is the Kong Tai Chinese Restaurant at the Wedge in Rivonia, with its Asian cuisines from China and Korea, as well as Japanese sushi. There is also the Saffron Indian restaurant in Grayston Shopping Centre, offering a North Indian style menu also catering to vegetarians with its delicious vegetable curries.

Things to do in Kelvin

1. The Antiques and Collectables Fair: occasionally held on the first Sunday of every month except January at Nelson Mandela Square. This fair gives collectors access to displays by top dealers and is rated one of the top fairs in the country.

2. Toroko Trail Park, Modderfontein Reserve, Norfolk Lane: Here, cyclists, runners, and hikers can enjoy and explore areas of the reserve that is inaccessible to vehicles. There are two routes for runners and hikers and four routes for cyclists-and they are of various lengths to suit different activity requirements and ability levels.

3. Redrock Brewing Company, Linbro Business Park: offers a selection of craft beers named after Rock 'n' Roll songs of famous musicians. "Storm Rider" from Riders of the Storm by the late Jim Morrison of The Doors is just one of the craft beers to enjoy.

Distance to airports, main roads, and the CBD

Kelvin is a short commute to the business hub of Sandton via road, as it is 16 minutes away or by using the Gautrain, with the Marlboro Gautrain station just four minutes away. On the other hand, the Johannesburg CBD is 22 minutes away from the Kelvin suburb.

Lanseria Airport is the farthest from Kelvin, being 37 minutes away. On the other hand, the main international airport in Johannesburg, the OR Tambo International Airport, is 27 minutes away from Kelvin.

Weather in Kelvin

The rainy season in Kelvin is over the summer months. While there are "rainy days" occasionally, the rain is usually in the form of brief but impressive afternoon thundershowers. The winters are dry and relatively mild for most of the day. The sun shines and warms things up, but early morning and night-time temperatures fall to single digits (Celsius).

Make Kelvin your home, your story

Seeff Sandton is here to help you find your dream home in Kelvin. Our sales agent Colleen Hodges specializes in the area and looks forward to hearing from you.

Home is Our Story.