Marking the beginning of the Blyde River Canyon, this natural water feature is located 35km north of Graskop on the R532 road. Created by millions of years of waterborne sand and rock as the Treur River plunges into the Blyde River, these huge cylindrical holes were ground into the bedrock of the river.

They are named after Tom Bourke, who staked a claim nearby predicting that large gold deposits would be found in the area. Unfortunately for him no gold was found there.

Entry tickets are available at the Visitors Centre which also displays information on some of the interesting natural and socio-historic features.

There is a 700m easy walk from there to the potholes, where visitors can explore the whirlpools via a network of pathways and footbridges. There is also a 180m circular trail (accessible to the physically disabled) starting at the visitors’ centre for those interested in the beautiful vegetation and fascinating lichens found in the area.