The towns of Eastern Gauteng were initially established to support the growing mine industry in Gauteng, and the area is still popular with industrial development with most of the workforce residing in the suburbs of the Eastern Gauteng. The area, however, is well balanced and the suburbs offer a break from the city life with parks and lakes making for great picnic spots.
In the south section of the Eastern Gauteng is the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve which is home a variety of animals including cheetah, hyena, eland, red hartebeest, black wildebeest, zebra and kudu. The reserve also has many interesting and scenic hiking trails that range from short hikes to a 6 day hike.
