Known as "The gateway to The Midlands Meander", Mooi River holds its share of craft outlets, cottage industries and excellent country hospitality establishments for which the Meander is renowned. Visitors are welcome to patronise The Country Club set on a challenging golf course and offering bowls, tennis and squash as well as good country fare from its bar and restaurant facilities.

The golf course overlooks the polo field where polo players can often be seen practising their skills or taking part in one of the many Polo tournaments which Mooi River hosts.

"Mooi" is an Afrikaans word, meaning beautiful. The Voortrekkers who settled this area in 1830 were so taken by the river and its surrounding scenery that they named it Mooi River. With the backdrop of the often snow capped Drakensberg Mountain range, the Mooi River winds through the breathtakingly beautiful landscape of the Natal Midlands with its rolling hills and lush green vegetation.

Mooi River town is situated on the banks of the river and serves a thriving agricultural community. Livestock farming is prevalent and the sight of magnificent racehorses grazing in manicured paddocks is not uncommon.