Bluff, KwaZulu-Natal

Bluff or The Bluff is a geographical area, containing seven suburbs in Durban, eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Within the area referred to as "The Bluff" lie the suburbs of Brighton Beach, Grosvenor, King's Rest, Ocean View, Fynnland, Treasure Beach and Wentworth. The name of the area is derived from the long bluff - two ancient sand dunes on which most of the suburbs lie. The Bluff is one of the main enclosing elements of Durban Harbour from the Indian Ocean, and forms the southern quayside of the Port of Durban.HistoryThe promontory on which Bluff is situated is Durban's most prominent natural landmark. Accordingly, it probably served as an important visual reference for navigational approaches into Durban Harbour.Between 1907 and 1975, the exposed south-east side of The Bluff housed a whaling station. Since the mid-Nineteenth Century, the region has been purposed for navigational and military uses. This use has provided protection for much of the area's native vegetation. Today, the area is considered important in the ecological management of Durban and environment.The traditional Zulu name for Bluff is isibubulungu, meaning a long, round-shaped ridge. It also means "white man’s bluff", which may be a reference to habitation by shipwreck survivors. The Bluff promonotory is a remnant of an extensive coastal dune system that formed along the shoreline of KwaZulu-Natal between two and five million years ago.