Hillcrest is part of the outer west suburbs of Durban and has evolved from a small village into a large booming suburb. Located in the Upper Highway Area of Durban, approximately 32 kilometres (20 mi) north-west of the city, Hillcrest is bordered by Gillitts and Everton to the east, Waterfall to the north-east and Botha's Hill and Assagay to the north-west. It lies at an altitude of approximately 680 m (2231 ft) above sea level in the Valley of a Thousand Hills, just above Durban.
Map of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality
Early Days and Founding
Hill Crest (as the town's name was variously spelt until 1969) was founded on a rise in the main road from Durban to Pietermaritzburg in 1895 as a farming or "weekend" village, then a good distance from what was the emerging port of Port Natal. The village was laid out as leasehold sites on a portion of the farm Albinia owned by William Gillitt, one of the main pioneer families of the area and after which the nearby suburb of Gillitts is named. One of the other early families to set up in the area was the Acutts who had already established the well known in Durban estate agents firm of that name.
When Natal’s first civilian governor, Martin West, travelled from the coast in 1845 to take up his new appointment in Pietermaritzburg, the journey required three days. West and his wife put up for the first night, December 11th, at a small and hitherto nameless accommodation house run by a man named Elliott, about halfway along the route.
The farm on which Hillcrest was later built was, like its immediate neighbours, a typically square Boer landholding of just under 6000 acres. It may, one guesses from a single old document, originally have been called Buffelsfontein. But the earliest available maps give no indication of this or of its original Dutch owner. The land is described simply as “Property of Capt. J.
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By that time, the original Albinia inn on the western edge of Murison’s property had changed hands and names several times, becoming known eventually as Botha’s Halfway House after a new owner, Cornelis Botha, who had earlier run a pub in the capital.
Development and Growth
In 1903 the first school in the village was established in a wood and iron cottage in Hospital Road leased to a Mrs McMillian, the principal of the first Highbury School, by Horace Acutt. When the first Hillcrest Health Committee was established in 1943, the total all-race population was 1135 persons and only the Main Road was hardened. Nkutu Road was hardened with klinker in 1947 and this was followed in 1951 with the hardening of the first portion of Inanda Road. In 1962 blacktopping of selected roads in the central area began, followed by further roads in 1965.
The area's transformation from agricultural land to suburban development began in earnest during the 1960s and 1970s, with Kloof and Hillcrest emerging as primary residential centres. The establishment of several prestigious schools in the region, including Kearsney College (moved to Botha's Hill in 1939) and St Mary's Diocesan School for Girls (founded 1906), contributed to its reputation as a desirable residential area. Property here is becoming increasingly popular with discerning buyers who want access to a host of services, activities and excellent schooling.
Since the late nineties however it has expanded massively. Retail industries like Toyota, Jaguar and Woolworths have flocked to the Hillcrest area in recent years making for an effortless shopping experience. Shopping malls and centres include Hillcrest Corner, Hillcrest Village Centre, Hillgate Mall, the Lifestyle Centre and Watercrest Mall among many others. There is no shortage of restaurants and cuisine in Hillcrest.
On 27 March 2025, the Greater Hillcrest area welcomed the new Westown Square Shopping Centre in Westown, Shongweni, 4 km to the south-west of Hillcrest.
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Transportation
Hillcrest lies just off the M13 (King Cetshwayo Highway) heading south-east to Durban (via Gillitts, Kloof, Pinetown and Westville) and the N3 (Mariannhill Toll Route) connecting Durban and Pietermaritzburg. However, the main route through the town is the R103 (Old Main Road) which heads north-west to Botha’s Hill and Inchanga, forming part of the old main road between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Heading north-west, the M33 (Inanda Road) connects to Waterfall. Heading south-west, the M46 (Kassier Road) connects to Assagay and Shongweni.
Climate
As part of the Upper Highway area, Hillcrest is known for being significantly cooler than its coastal neighbour of Durban. The climate is mostly mild and generally warm and temperate. The rainfall is quite significant - with rainfall even in the driest months.
| Month | Average High °C | Average Low °C | Rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25 | 18 | 130 |
| June | 21 | 9 | 20 |
| December | 24 | 17 | 140 |
Modern Hillcrest
Hillcrest was formerly a sleepy village, governed by its own Town Board on the outskirts of Durban that has now become a booming suburb incorporated into the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. Hillcrest lost its independent Town Board status in 1996 and was made subject to administration by the Outer West Local Council - a substructure council of the then Durban Unicity.
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